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Joined: Nov 2009
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If on the small chance that you're actually for real it's hard to tell whether you're bragging or complaining - and it would appear to some cynics that you really were "trying to show off" and that the only thing you're looking for is compliments.
But, why am I smelling the distinct and pungent aroma of a troll?
JF
I guess we have to take her word for it. I'm not sure the OP's prior background, but what she's doing might be possible if she had prior musical background (kinda like Rui). If she had zero musical background, then I can see why some are cynical. The proof is in the pudding, though. Hmmmmm...the next ABF recital is in less than a month. 
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I'm really not a troll! I thought this was a place to post questions/comments/observations about piano. Should I lie and post only stuff like "I am working on Frere Jacque and can't put two hands together? Or I can only practice 5 min a day?" and get loads of encouragement to continue?
Well, I never said that I was a pro, only that I work slow and steady and I have a great teacher. He helps me with proper fingering, difficult rhythms, and helps me eliminate notes when I can't reach certain chords, etc... and I can honestly say that without his input, I would not be able to play what I am playing right now. Also, there are different levels of performing a piece - I'm no way near where I want to be and have a long way to go. That musicianship aspect of playing piano will take a long time to develop.
I do get burned out just like everyone else, and so what if I seek a few words of encouragement? If I'm excited about a piece I'm learning, I should be able to say which piece without feeling condemned or that I'm bragging. Yes, I know I'm playing advanced pieces which is why I feel a little different from everyone else, but should I never mention it on this website? I am paying a price for advancing quickly on the piano. My job is highly stressful, my love life is nonexistent at the moment, and I find comfort in music so I devote all my time - it's my choice though and I am happy with it. I do have a knack for memorizing pieces and hand movements, so it comes naturally I guess. Bottom line, anyone can play advanced pieces, but to play them truly musically is a journey of a lifetime.
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I'm really not a troll! I thought this was a place to post questions/comments/observations about piano. Should I lie and post only stuff like "I am working on Frere Jacque and can't put two hands together? Or I can only practice 5 min a day?" and get loads of encouragement to continue?
Well, I never said that I was a pro, only that I work slow and steady and I have a great teacher. He helps me with proper fingering, difficult rhythms, and helps me eliminate notes when I can't reach certain chords, etc... and I can honestly say that without his input, I would not be able to play what I am playing right now. Also, there are different levels of performing a piece - I'm no way near where I want to be and have a long way to go. That musicianship aspect of playing piano will take a long time to develop.
I do get burned out just like everyone else, and so what if I seek a few words of encouragement? If I'm excited about a piece I'm learning, I should be able to say which piece without feeling condemned or that I'm bragging. Yes, I know I'm playing advanced pieces which is why I feel a little different from everyone else, but should I never mention it on this website? I am paying a price for advancing quickly on the piano. My job is highly stressful, my love life is nonexistent at the moment, and I find comfort in music so I devote all my time - it's my choice though and I am happy with it. I do have a knack for memorizing pieces and hand movements, so it comes naturally I guess. Bottom line, anyone can play advanced pieces, but to play them truly musically is a journey of a lifetime.
Don't get too caught up on what some people say. This is the internet remember. Keep working hard day after day, just don't forget to have fun during the journey. Edit: make sure you get outside and there's never a better excuse than attending a live piano performance or anything artsy. Unless there's some kind of recital or performance I want to prep for, I drop a nights worth of a practice nowadays to attend these venues. Always feels great afterwards.
Last edited by Rui725; 10/22/10 12:53 PM.
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there is a place at piano world for everyone..
try the pianists' corner Argerich5405
accompanist/organist.. a non-MTNA teacher to a few
love and peace, Õun (apple in Estonian)
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YOur answer about your playing time made me think... After my shift last night, I slept in , had breakfast, now i have a repairman coming, must pay bills, clean and do laundry on my day off- it's autumn and the shrubs need pruning. Oh and then there is grocery shopping. I need to cook and clean up. I try to exercise daily because I want to stay fit and healthy. All this takes time. Piano is so solitary that I enjoy getting on the Pianoworld and connecting. That takes time too.My biggest and brightest dream is to practice more than an hour a day but I guess I have to have a balance- and I do have a family and friends too. And I confess I play flute in a community band but flute practice takes a back seat to piano practice- hope the band director isn't reading this- LOL!
qtpi
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Yes, this is the internet after all, so don't get too caught up in the "doubters." I've seen worse posts - more recently, a guy who criticized someone's youtube video w/out the youtuber's knowledge. A few of us challenged him to put his own playing up there, but he refused saying that "that wasn't his style". Agerich5405, I'd recommend participating in one of our e-citals to silence the cynics and doubters. It doesn't have to be an advanced piece either...just something you're confident that you can play musically.
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I'm really not a troll! I thought this was a place to post questions/comments/observations about piano. Should I lie and post only stuff like "I am working on Frere Jacque and can't put two hands together? Or I can only practice 5 min a day?" and get loads of encouragement to continue?
Well, I never said that I was a pro, only that I work slow and steady and I have a great teacher. He helps me with proper fingering, difficult rhythms, and helps me eliminate notes when I can't reach certain chords, etc... and I can honestly say that without his input, I would not be able to play what I am playing right now. Also, there are different levels of performing a piece - I'm no way near where I want to be and have a long way to go. That musicianship aspect of playing piano will take a long time to develop.
I do get burned out just like everyone else, and so what if I seek a few words of encouragement? If I'm excited about a piece I'm learning, I should be able to say which piece without feeling condemned or that I'm bragging. Yes, I know I'm playing advanced pieces which is why I feel a little different from everyone else, but should I never mention it on this website? I am paying a price for advancing quickly on the piano. My job is highly stressful, my love life is nonexistent at the moment, and I find comfort in music so I devote all my time - it's my choice though and I am happy with it. I do have a knack for memorizing pieces and hand movements, so it comes naturally I guess. Bottom line, anyone can play advanced pieces, but to play them truly musically is a journey of a lifetime.
My advice then would be to couch your comments differently. Rather than asking if you are normal or not, while knowing full well that with your extra time, good teacher and natural aptitude for the instrument your progression is decidedly accelerated compared to most who have played an instrument for 15 months. It sounded to me that you wanted to brag on yourself and that is fine (we can all be proud of ourselves and our accomplishments)...but you needed to find a way to do it, so you came up with a heavyhanded question about being normal or not when the real purpose was to say what could have simply been...hey this is what I am working on and I know some might think it is too soon for someone who has only been at it a short time, but I practice alot, have the aid of a great teacher and I am finding I just get the hang of the fingerings and memorization. Here is a snippet tell me what you think?
Last edited by I'll be Bach; 10/22/10 01:22 PM.
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Well, I'll_be_Bach has completely misunderstood me. If I wanted to brag, I would have said exactly what s/he said. I just wanted to know that there are others like me out there, as passionate as I am. Piano is a solitary hobby and I do feel very different from everyone else. Sometimes I feel that I'm not like everyone, not normal. This is a place where there are people like me, and knowing that they exist makes me feel less abnormal. If my comment asking whether I was normal offended anyone or came of as "bragging", it wasn't meant to be. I know that I am playing advanced pieces, but instead of feeling PROUD, I'm afraid people will call me a freak or a liar, and I was seeking reassurance that I was not the exception.
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I don't think it was a misunderstanding as much as it was...you spent one paragraph saying what you were doing after 15 months (but you aren't a prodigy...oh no). One paragraph talking about a new piece your teacher thought you could tackle (a highly advanced piece at that) that "didn't seem too bad." A third paragraph about how maybe you should be overwhelmed but aren't. And a single final sentence about normalcy.
So it isn't in my opinion a misunderstanding as it was reading exactly what you wrote.
The post struck me as much ado about how humble you are being despite everything you are writing to the contrary.
My suggestion would be that if you are feeling out of sorts compared with those that do no play then say so...but the way you couched your comments there was no way a person could read what you wrote closely and come up with that being the purpose of your post.
Last edited by I'll be Bach; 10/22/10 02:10 PM.
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Argerich, I am playing piano since less than 2 months (without teacher), and I am learning "Giorni Dispari" of Einaudi. As you probably know the Normal distribution has a bell shape, so you (and me) like any other we all are under the bell shape. It is all about if you are near the mean, or near 2 or 3 times sigma. I definetively prefer to be far from the mean, on the right. Why to worry about? A. Well, I'll_be_Bach has completely misunderstood me. If I wanted to brag, I would have said exactly what s/he said. I just wanted to know that there are others like me out there, as passionate as I am. Piano is a solitary hobby and I do feel very different from everyone else. Sometimes I feel that I'm not like everyone, not normal. This is a place where there are people like me, and knowing that they exist makes me feel less abnormal. If my comment asking whether I was normal offended anyone or came of as "bragging", it wasn't meant to be. I know that I am playing advanced pieces, but instead of feeling PROUD, I'm afraid people will call me a freak or a liar, and I was seeking reassurance that I was not the exception.
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Many people think sarcasm is humor and appreciated while few realize that it can be a form of verbal abuse. That's why people who have a habit of making sarcastic comments often have a difficult time with relationships, which probably explains why the OP can afford so much time to practice. One thing I deeply believe is that - you will play better music as you become a better person... Techniques and skills will improve (though at different pace for different people), but they can only carry you thus far. In the end, it's your heart that speaks in your music. Many kids are able to play way better than adults because their hearts are so pure. I don't think it was a misunderstanding as much as it was...you spent one paragraph saying what you were doing after 15 months (but you aren't a prodigy...oh no). One paragraph talking about a new piece your teacher thought you could tackle (a highly advanced piece at that) that "didn't seem too bad." A third paragraph about how maybe you should be overwhelmed but aren't. And a single final sentence about normalcy.
So it isn't in my opinion a misunderstanding as it was reading exactly what you wrote.
The post struck me as much ado about how humble you are being despite everything you are writing to the contrary.
My suggestion would be that if you are feeling out of sorts compared with those that do no play then say so...but the way you couched your comments there was no way a person could read what you wrote closely and come up with that being the purpose of your post.
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And I am playing Fantasy Impromptu every night since I started learning piano two months ago!!!! (in my dream, that is, lolllll) Big deal. I was playing La Campanella after 11 months. 
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there is a place at piano world for everyone..
try the pianists' corner Argerich5405 That could be a big mistake - their BS detectors are even more sensitive than mine and as a whole they're even more cynical and far less gullible than the typical ABFer. JF
Every difficulty slurred over will be a ghost to disturb your repose later on. Frederic Chopin
Current favorite bumper sticker: Wag more, bark less.
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JF, as any kind of detector you have a positive chance to be wrong. Extremes and outliers do exist. The correct answer to the original post is very simple: "Yes, you are normal, far from the normal mean but still normal" A. there is a place at piano world for everyone..
try the pianists' corner Argerich5405 That could be a big mistake - their BS detectors are even more sensitive than mine and as a whole they're even more cynical and far less gullible than the typical ABFer. JF
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Yesterday during my lesson, he played for me Rachmaninoff's concerto no. 2, second movement....and I was blown away with how BEAUTIFUL it was!! And now I am completely psyched when he says that he thinks I can tackle it! I looked at the score and it didn't seem too bad. I say go for it. I play that, too.. Well, okay, actually I can only play "Full Moon and Empty Arms". It is a beautiful tune, though. 
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your post is just the latest in a long string of similar posts, most of which have quickly proven to be phoney. I hope you're not talking about me, Mr. grumpy-pants! No one likes being called a phony, except perhaps a select few who reside in the world of JD Salinger... To the OP: I suggest you get video and a sworn deposition from your instructor if you hope to be taken seriously here with claims like yours! Personally, I believe someone could accomplish what you say if they have a knack for it and spent that much time at it, that consistently. It's obviously not normal, but I won't call you a freak unless you like that kind of thing. cheers!
Only in men's imagination does every truth find an effective and undeniable existence. Imagination, not invention, is the supreme master of art as of life. -Józef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski
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JF,
as any kind of detector you have a positive chance to be wrong.
Extremes and outliers do exist.
The correct answer to the original post is very simple: "Yes, you are normal, far from the normal mean but still normal"
You're correct - the "detector" could be wrong - if so, an apology would be in order - but there's two statistical chances of erroneous readings: slim & none And yes, outliers do exist - but then again, so do out liars . Finally, the correct answer to the OP is (as the case may be): 1. He/she's is, in fact, for real - "you already know you're way above or beyond normal - so why are you asking us, unless you're on a ego-padding, compliment-fishing expedition?" 2. He/she's not for real - "yo, dude (or dudess), f-off and go do your sleazy trolling somewhere else!" your post is just the latest in a long string of similar posts, most of which have quickly proven to be phoney. I hope you're not talking about me, Mr. grumpy-pants! No one likes being called a phony, except perhaps a select few who reside in the world of JD Salinger... No, I really wasn't - thoughts or memories of you never entered my mind, I assure you - sorry if you thought that might be the case. And it's "grumpy gramps" (as my wife sometimes calls me), but thanks for your nice try at a "term of endearment"  JF
Every difficulty slurred over will be a ghost to disturb your repose later on. Frederic Chopin
Current favorite bumper sticker: Wag more, bark less.
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1. He/she's is, in fact, for real - "you already know you're way above or beyond normal - so why are you asking us, unless you're on a ego-padding, compliment-fishing expedition?"
JF, you know, we all are human... Never happened to you to ask to someone else how nice are your new trousers, despite you perfectly know the trousers fit perfectly to you and make you look really nice? It happens, sometimes. I think a psycologist would call it a need to be reassured. A.
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it's remarkable to be playing Chopin nocturnes in a year. In my opinion you are not normal, no. Anyone who can play nocturnes in their first year of piano study is a prodigy. I've been playing for over 5 and nocturnes are still a couple of years away from me unfortunately. I am going to learn chopin's prelude in e minor which should be within my grasp. i'm hoping you will post in the november piano bar argerich5405, i would love to see you play a chopin nocturne, it would be inspirational to see what gifted adult beginners are capable of. I am aiming to get sofigiettio done for then. Not in the same league as Rachmaninov but i am painfully normal
Piano Yamaha U1
Studying Grade 8 piano and 6 theory
Currently working on:
Chopin Nocturne in C# Minor
Beethoven Sonata Op10.no.1
Martinu Columbine Sings
Chopin: Waltz 69 no.2
Scott Joplin: Pineapple Rag
Achievements:
Grade 1-7 Piano (LCM)
Grade 1-5 theory (LCM)
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people who have a habit of making sarcastic comments often have a difficult time with relationships, which probably explains why the OP can afford so much time to practice.
One thing I deeply believe is that - you will play better music as you become a better person... I thought this was an interesting comment. If being a nasty person gives you more time to practice, I would think better people would be worse musicians. As far as the title of this thread is concerned, why would anyone want to be normal anyway? I would rather be exceptional than normal. (Unfortunately, I am in fact normal.)
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