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Joined: Nov 2006
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So I got a piano. I rented one, to be precise. I rented a Yamaha P-70, to be even more precise. I've logged 6 hours on it so far, and I bought a few music books to start off. The music store guy thought I was being a little too ambitious when I bought Mozart's 11th piano sonata, Bach's Toccata et Fuga, and the entirety of Rossini's La Gazza Ladra overture (for string quartet). But I'll show him. I'll show all of them...
So far I've memorized and can play the first 18 bars of Mozart's eleventh, among other things. I'm trying to teach myself theory, but it's kinda dull/soul-crushing and I'd rather just learn one song really well, like as a parlour trick. I'm beginning to pick up theory on my own through trial and error (mostly hearing recordings of songs I wish to play), so that's not too bad. Anywho, I'll stick around to ask, and maybe in the future, answer questions.
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Joined: Jun 2004
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have you played anything before the 6 hours on p70? if you're just a beginner, then the pieces you choose seem too advanced for you; but if you're not, then it's understandable.
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Joined: Nov 2006
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I can read music and I used to write a bit, but no, I've never played piano before. However, the beginning of the 11th is easy enough. I'm not trying to play the Rondo Turkish March or the last bits of the Adante Grazioso, so pick up a copy if you can, 'cause it's a funderful song and the first 18 (now 21, actually) bars can be played by a woefully incompetant pianist such as myself.
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 97
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The main theme of the 11th is definitely "simple" enough to play as a beginner, but the variations get much much harder. Once you hit variation 3, you're likely going to run into some trouble, and 6... Well, it's beautiful, and requires very precise playing. I am not the type who feels things "must" be done by the book, in fact, I started much like you. I am self taught, and I wanted instant gratification. I wanted to play stuff I enjoyed listening to, and learning those pieces was great motivation for learning new stuff. I love Mozart's 11th and definitely believe it's worth learning, even as a newbie to the piano. Don't get frustrated, you will NOT be able to play it correctly for awhile, specifically the later variations, and of course the Rondo is much further down the road. Enjoy it though. Clearly you are doing this for your own leisure and entertainment, and not to become a concert pianist; so I say, do what you enjoy! Have fun man!
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Joined: Nov 2006
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I already changed up the theme a bit. If you have a copy on hand, note that I changed the last two notes (chords A C and G B) to C C# and C, respectively. I think that's how I did it, 'cause I certainly didn't write it down.
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Joined: Nov 2006
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The main theme of the 11th is definitely "simple" enough to play as a beginner, but the variations get much much harder. Once you hit variation 3, you're likely going to run into some trouble, and 6... Well, it's beautiful, and requires very precise playing. I'm just gonna stick with Var. 1 for now and my ongoing project of converting La Gazza Ladra to comprehensible piano. I am not the type who feels things "must" be done by the book, in fact, I started much like you. I am self taught, and I wanted instant gratification. In this laser-powered world of electronic pipe organs and robo-hookers, I ask you this; who doesn't? I wanted to play stuff I enjoyed listening to, and learning those pieces was great motivation for learning new stuff. That's why I plan to hire a tutor for theory and all that unimaginitive, yet necessary, nonsense, and for three to five hours a day (if I keep my pace up), practice fun stuff. I love Mozart's 11th and definitely believe it's worth learning, even as a newbie to the piano. That's why Glenn Gould's version of the adante grazioso has 156 plays on my iTunes. I'm just guessing it's Gould's, but I'm pretty sure since you can hear creaking and humming in the background if you play it loud enough. Plus it sounds absolutely splendiferous. Don't get frustrated, you will NOT be able to play it correctly for awhile, specifically the later variations, and of course the Rondo is much further down the road. Ooooh yeah. Definitely. When I saw the Rondo, I thought to myself, "My, it looks awfully pretty for a bunch of incomprehensible scribbles". Enjoy it though. Clearly you are doing this for your own leisure and entertainment, and not to become a concert pianist; so I say, do what you enjoy! As should anyone and everyone.
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Joined: Jun 2004
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humm... i'd suggest you to read through a piano playing instruction book to get some basic techniques under your fingers first, if you choose not to have a teacher. you still can play whatever you like along the way, but without foundation of basic skills, you'd have a lot of trouble playing music sooner or later.
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Joined: Nov 2005
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And you can play whatever you like. However if you are beginning, you will notice along the way that you can play a lot of pieces at the start...but just can't play them all to completion. Because of the difficulty within the pieces. Especially classical.
Peter
Ok..Ok... If you don't want your Steinway give it to me !!!!
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Joined: Nov 2006
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Playing around is so much fun! I am not a self taught pianist, though, sadly, sometimes. I began at a younger age because my grandmother is a Masters in piano and then got a 'formal teacher' when I just turned 6 or so. Ever play Fur Elise? That's a good one to start off with and MacDowell is pretty good too. (Some of his simpler pieces require a lot of thinking and some rhythmic skill so it's good practice) Also, try some Gillock. His pieces are beautiful.
I usually only play around with Jazz/non-classical pieces though, I'm not so skilled that I can really 'play' around with some classical ons, though I think I'm getting to that stage.
Welcome to the forums!
"Music can name the unnameable and communicate the unknowable." -Leonard Bernstein
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Joined: Sep 2005
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Welcome to forums. Good luck with piano playing and music. Have fun. I am sorry I am too short, I must go now - concert tonight!!!
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Joined: Oct 2006
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Why don't you try Schumann's Merry Farmer or Soldier's March? Those are good ones to start with. You'll master them fairly quickly.
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Joined: Jan 2005
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i can definately relate sweet melody. and in the end you want to do what makes you feel good. i would say to kep messing around with these higher level of diffuculty pieces, but focus mainly on easier pieces. you might not get the immediate results you want. but with alot of practice you will get to a level in the future where these harder pieces that you enjoy a lot will be much easier to master. i think youll reap more rewarding benefits later if you put in more fundamental work now. a teacher will be of immense help once you get one, just please try ur hardest to find a good one!!
...when the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace...
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Joined: Oct 2005
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Do you have recordings of all the pieces you're playing? And is that how you know you've got them "right"?
John
Vasa inania multum strepunt.
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Joined: Oct 2005
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Also (sorry) how do you learn theory - the written language of music - by listening to recordings? I find this intriguing.
John
Vasa inania multum strepunt.
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Piano
by Gino2 - 04/17/24 02:34 PM
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Piano
by Gino2 - 04/17/24 02:23 PM
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