What do you guys think of this piece in terms of difficulty? Since its basically just limited to the black keys, it seems like it would really easy to learn. Are there any hidden technical difficulties you've come across, or is it as straightforward as it seems?

Unfortunately, it isn't as easy as you think. I did it earlier in the year, and getting it up to the proper speed is very hard. Plus you have to make sure you have excellent technique, because if you don't, your hands will become exhausted halfway during the piece.

You need alot of accuracy to play the black keys without missing or slipping too.

trust me, it's an etude for a reason. It's a very technical piece, but if you get it good then you will enhance your piano abilities a bit in the field of accuracy.

Pay attention to dynamics too. All too often I see people get carried away and they don't put any emotion into it.

10/5 was the first Chopin Etude I learned and I seriously had no problems learning it. It is very straight forward. Once the notes are learned, the challenge is getting up to tempo, which can still give me trouble even now.

Big hands help a bit too.

This was my second etude. I had quite some trouble learning this, but I just have problems learning anything by Chopin :/. This etude is far from the hardest, but it really isn't easy. If you get it up to speed (which is quite a big difficulty by itself) it's hard to play it through without any mistakes. Only black keys doesn't make it any easier.

One nice thing is that this etude sounds very good even played at a speed somewhat slower than a professional would play it at.

Indeed. It's the articulation that makes this piece good or not.

That's right!

I think this etude is one of the most difficult etudes I've played. I think it's even more difficult than the Revolutionary etude or the C sharp minor..

Definatly...it's very awkward on the hand, the fingering is atrocious (but it works!). It's not hard in terms of speed, but I definatly think it's harder than the other starter Etudes like 10/12 or 25/1.

I found it became much easier once I took the trouble to work out where to connect and where to jump. After that it was fine and I could concentrate on the music.

the only chords with just the black keys and then some is B/Cb Major and Db/C# Major.

Pianafetish: What does your post have to do with the Chopin Op 10 No 5 Etude?

But, in response: Since when is a B (or its enharmonic Cb) a "black" key?
What about the f natural in the Db major chord? (Or the enharmonic E# in C# major?)

The only triads with all-black keys are Gb major (Gb, Bb, Db) and Eb minor Eb, Gb and Bb. You can also make a Gb major 6th chord, with Gb, Bb, Db and Eb.

I really don't think that 10/12 is hard at all. If you compare it to that piece, then of course it's going to be real hard.

The difficulty of the Chopin etudes can't be measured on a linear scale.

Op. 10#5 is easy if you have good rotation technique and a loose elbow. If you don't have good rotation technique, then it's going to be extremely difficult.

Op. 10#12 is easy if you've got good octaves and a solid scale/arpeggio technique. If you don't, then it's really difficult.

That being said, a student will typically be ready for Op. 10#12 before they're ready for Op. 10#5. It has nothing to do with "difficulty," it has everything to do with a student's technical development.

you have a point there. but on the scale of difficulty for the op 10 etudes, GENERALLY, #12 is the starter.

I think that out of the op.10 #8 is probably easier to play, and another starter one (as the technique needed is very linear). #9 is a bit particular, I found it quite easy in a sense, but I'm sure many people would struggle with it (whereas I found #5 very hard to control). Also I think #3 is quite a good one to start with as its very straightfowards musically.

(of course, this is talking about people who are at the level to play the Chopets..)