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Hello from Norway!

2,5 weeks ago I found myself sitting in the car outside my daughter's kindergarten, wondering what on earth people do when they don't have to study like crazy for finals - I had just passed my final exam in medical school the day before. So I did the only sensible thing, I drove to a piano shop to buy myself a big reward for all the hard work the last years: A digital piano, which is something I have wanted for years. I have missed having a piano ever since moving away from my parents. I wanted a digital for the convenience of playing whenever I want, without having to think about my neighbours. So I spent the day in the piano shop and after playing some different pianos from Yamaha, Kawai and Casio (I think), I ended up buying a Roland HP 305. And I love it! I absolutely love it!

I took piano lessons as a child, but quit when I was 11, I think. I have played every now and then since, but not very seriously. I have been singing in a quite good choir for several years, but since I had my daughter I don't have the spare time for choir singing, and I really miss music. Playing the piano is perfect for me the way my life is now; I can do it on my own, I don't have to work hard to fit it into my calendar, and no concerts.

When it comes to style, I have grown up in a family of baroque enthusiasts, but myself I prefer jazz. Almost all my favorite CDs are jazz piano, and I would love to be able to play jazz. I have also taken some jazz singing lessons. I also like classical music very much, but then preferably early 20. century, like Satie, Debussy, Rachmaninov, rather than baroque. Baroque is OK, but I think I've had enough of it growing up. I absolutely love it when jazz pianists play classical pieces, my all-time favorite musician is Jacques Loussier. I absolutely love his Play Bach records, not to mention the Vivaldi Four seasons record, and really all the rest of his records as well.

I come from a musical family; My father is quite gifted and played the piano a lot when I grew up, I played the piano as well, and both my sisters played the recorder. My little sister is the one who has taken music into a professional level; she has a master's degree in both recorder and harpsichord and works part time as a church organist, part time playing concerts. She has lend me a sheet-music book called "Das ehrste Jahr am Klavier" (The first year playing the piano) by Jérôme-Joseph de Momigny (he was a composer and music theorist who lived around year 1800). The pieces are really nice, sweet and melodious and good fun to play, and even the first, easiest ones sound like real music. I have started playing on page one, and am now at piece 17 after just a couple of days, so the progression is fast in the beginning, I think. I don't think it will take me a year to master all the pieces in the book. Maybe until Easter? Of course it helps a lot having played before, even though it has been a few years. I also have some sheet music (children's pieces) by Bartok and Ravel, and a collection of 20. century classical piano music, and I have ordered the sheet music of Jan Johansson's Jazz på svenska (Jazz in Swedish). So I think this is what I will begin with. Later, I want to dive into different composers that I have loved singing, like Poulenc, if he has anything for piano that I am able to play. Also, I look forward to playing different Norwegian composers like Grieg and Sæverud. But I would be very greatful to get any other advice or suggestions for fun pieces to play, especially jazz!

So, introduction summed up: 28 years old, just graduated from medical school, will start my internship next week. Live with a view of the sea (or the fjord, to be specific) in beautiful Oslo, Norway, with my little family (myself, my dear husband and our 3-year old girl), and am very much looking forward to having a piano in my life again!

...And since English is not my native language, please excuse any bad grammar/bad choice of words...

Peppermyntete, I enjoyed reading your introduction. I wish you many happy years of enjoyment with your new piano.

And Welcome to pianoworld.

Welcome Peppermyntete! I enjoyed reading your introduction. Congratulations on your return to the piano. I had no problem with your English. It's superb!

I'm a passionate avocational choral (accompanied & a capella) singer. My enthusiasm for practicing piano, along with my progress, flagged after my parents ditched the local music school in favor of lessons in private homes. I've always loved the idea of being able to play well enough to accompany a sing-a-long with my friends, The Readers Digest Merry Christmas Songbook often being the focus of my daydreams. I realized that starting on page one and learning each song until I got to the end was, for me, too ambitious as a short-term, achievable goal. So, I'm inviting all of my erstwhile piano-playing friends, along with my friends who already play the piano well, to join me in committing to one or more songs to play at an event I'm planning in December. My personal goal is 5 songs. I am about 75% through "Lo, How a Rose" after about two weeks' (!) steady practice. To give you an idea of my current level this is a one-page arrangement with some chord progressions in both hands along with the melody...a bit harder than a typical hymn arrangement, so I have my work cut out for me. Besides the songs, I'm working on scales from Alfred's Complete Book of Scales, Chords, Arpeggios & Cadences and sight reading from a book called Sight Reading Secrets. Here's the "Save the Date" card I e-sent to my guest list for my party: http://the_singalong_playalong_project.cocodot.com/

If anyone lives in the vicinity of Westchester County, NY and wants to be included, private message me.

Nice to meet you here.

Hi all,

I'm relatively new to PW but have been hanging out in pianist's corner for the most part. I have observed, however, that ABF seems more.. approachable .. and less opinionated .

I took classical piano lessons from age 7-15ish and studied using the RCM program in Canada. I got my grade 10 and then quit my lessons to focus on jazz piano, much to my teacher's horror.

I didn't study music in university but played with the school jazz band and sang in community choirs. Since graduating, I've had a successful career in web but went through a bit of a .. third? -life crisis a couple years ago. After much reflection and help from a counsellor, we decided that I was really missing my music.

I actually went crawling back to my old piano teacher who I hadn't seen in 15 years .. she was happy to take me back with minimal "i told you so's" and now applauds my jazz skills rather than thinking i went over to the dark side .

We have been working on my associate's in piano pedagogy with the RCM. I finished the elementary and intermediate pedagogy sections and am now working on the advanced. It has been a struggle for me to build up my technique to that level again -- especially the left hand, because it hasn't done much more than jazz 'comping over the past 10 years lol. And wow, it sure is harder developing technique as an adult! This stuff comes so easily to kids!

Other music pursuits include teaching piano to 5 little students .. I'd love to cut back on my hours in the office and grow my studio in the future, but the time isn't right just yet. I sing with a community choir on and off, and did a stint as a volunteer music director in a church (loved it, but was too much work on top of everything else i was doing). I also started voice lessons 'for fun', but that didn't last long -- i ended up doing grade 8, 9 and 10 voice exams with RCM in under two years -- my teacher figured I knew the rep, and had all the theory pre-requisites from piano, so why not. Why not indeed! So now we are kind of working on an associate's in vocal performance but I don't really want to think about it until I'm done the piano stuff! But really, the voice rep seems like fun, and the piano rep seems like work (but still fun).

I've enjoyed listening to all of your recordings and hearing about your struggles as adults learning (or relearning) piano, and look forward to participating in these discussions!

Welcome to ABF LadyChen! You will find a great bunch of folks here to talk to. What an interesting music background you have. Thanks for sharing it!

OK, I've already posted on this thread (I think), but there are a few updates.
I participated in MOYD last year up until about June, but then we got a vacation home and spent a lot of time fixing it up. Then Hurricane Irene blew down two huge trees in my yard, and I spent about two months (REALLY) clearing them out with my chain saw, and the piano just went down the tubes.
Now it's winter again, and I'm back to the piano--aiming for at least 1/2 hour a day on average (including the time away from the piano at the vacation home). I'm starting back over with Alfred's #1, but since I put in so much time on it last year, I'll probably be through it in another month and will be able to move on to #2.
If 1/2 hour a day doesn't sound like a lot, I've also committed to reading the ENTIRE "Story of Civilization" by Will and Ariel Durant between January and December. That's nearly 9,000 pages of history!! I got through much of it years and years ago, but my 60th birthday lit a candle under my seat, and it's now or never.
BTW, I started the first volume on January 20, and I finished it today. That puts me 10 days ahead of schedule already.

Hello folks, and thanks for allowing me to post here.

I’ve been reading here for about 2 months, and the atmosphere is truly grand.

First off: Thank you grandma and Mrs. Huish.

About me, and most importantly how I arrived back at the piano:

I’ll be 55 next month, and I need to start slowing down a bit. The mind is willing, but the body just isn’t as capable these days.

My screen name “Can’t Sit Still” was suggested by a friend. I guess that describes me well. I also asked her for 2 words that described me, and she said, “Maniacally eclectic.” I’m undecided as to whether that was a compliment or an insult.

I currently work as a commercial electrician, although I took the last 2 years off. I’m kinda half-heartedly looking for some work now.

During my time in the military, cycling proved an outstanding way to maintain fitness, along with weight training, running, etc. I spent a lot of time overseas, and had a blast cycling. If I was in the States, I played a bit of hockey. When I retired from the mil and got back to the States in 1998, I started playing baseball again in the Men’s Senior Baseball League.

In 2005 a cycling friend was killed here in town, and shortly thereafter these guys in an auto garage thought it would be fun to throw nuts and bolts at me. It escalated, LEOs were called, and they got their hands slapped. But combine that with all the other close calls, and I decided it was time to hang up my road bike, and stick with my MTB. I sold my road bikes, but kept my custom Merckx, Simoncini, and my Giant MTB. I was hit by a car in 1996 while in Germany, and I really don’t care to go through that again.

In 2008, my throwing arm gave up the ghost. I catch, so if I can’t throw, I’m useless. The ortho doc said if I kept playing I’d need complete reconstructive surgery soon. He said I’d probably need it eventually anyway, but I figured it was time to quit. In HS I had high hopes for a pro career. My sophomore year the Detroit Tigers invited me to their scouting camp, and my junior year the Tigers invited me back along with the KC Royals. That year the Royals offered me a minor league contract. I wasn’t 18, and needed my dad’s signature. He wouldn’t sign until I graduated HS. About 6 months later I crashed my motorcycle and broke my arm. I didn’t throw a baseball from 1975 until 1998, when my cousin met after 20 years, and threw. My arm didn’t hurt, so I started playing again.

2 years ago I broke my ankle playing hockey, then a year later broke my arm. Ortho doc told me I needed to quit fighting with guys half my age. I think he’s right. I just need to quit playing 2 or 3 times a week, and cut back to once. Also need to be a bit less aggressive.

And last but not least, my knee is starting to bug me.

So as you can see, I need to find a more sedentary hobby.

On to music.

Thank you grandma and Mrs. Huish. My grandma was a classically trained pianist, and introduced me to music. My favorite song for her to play was Falling Waters. Mrs. Huish was my piano teacher.

At 8 years old my parents enrolled me in piano lessons, and I kept at it until I was 14. Problem was – as now – if something bores me, I walk away. Cue my screen name. If I found a song I liked, I played it over and over. So there were some arguments with my parents. I did play a few recitals, and the first piece I played (memorization) was The Battle Hymn of The Republic. Guess I played maybe 8 measures, and froze; I completely forgot where I was in the piece, and forgot the piece. I put my hands in my lap, got my act together, and started over.

Years later in a fit of frustration, my parents stopped my piano lessons. They were so frustrated with me, they gave the piano to our church. It’s not what I wanted; I wanted to play the pieces I wanted. But it started a fire. The last piece I worked on was The Sabre Dance.

So I was without a piano. Must’ve been fate, because the neighbor down the road gave me an old hollow body guitar and amp; unfortunately I don’t remember the brand. I taught myself enough in 2 years that I auditioned and won the sole guitar position in the HS Pit Orchestra for Mame. Now that was a blast.

In the early 80s, I picked up a keyboard, and discovered I had the ability to figure out songs. That led me to playing in many bands over the years. The mil kept sending me overseas, so we became The Disappearing Band. We’d play open mic nights here and there, or maybe a weekend at one of the clubs on base, or sometimes just impromptu block parties. There was no real money to be made; we did it just for fun. I played mostly keyboard, but got fairly accomplished with a Coricidin.

Got married in 1993, so gave up the band playing. Sold everything except the M1, a DX7, and my Les Paul. In 1997 those were stolen by the wife’s daughter and boyfriend. That marriage ended in 2000. I really haven’t played an instrument since 1997.

Guess it was in the mid 80s I signed on with a piano teacher. I was upfront with him, and told him I just wanted to ask him questions, and have him supply the answers. He agreed. After the 3rd lesson or so, he basically told me we needed to change the plan, and I needed to start real lessons, or he couldn’t assist me. It made sense and I agreed. Within a month or so of that I went back overseas until 1998.

My life has always been full, but the piano has always been in the back of my mind. Now is the time.

I bought a Yamaha P95 2 months ago. It’s OK, but I really didn’t have the background to run out and guy something better. There are just so choices. It will suffice just fine for now.

I understand how synths work, I can tweek sounds, layer, split, record, etc. But I wish I could find a quality digital piano that just had one sound; I don’t need all the extras.

And coincidently enough, when I went overseas in the mid 80s, I left a keyboard at my sister’s house. I honestly forgot about it, and 2 weeks ago she found it in the basement. Here shortly, my Roland SH101 will arrive. My sister said it’s in pristine shape.

I’ve always wanted to learn to read music well. In the past, I’d either learn the song by ear, or get a cheat sheet, struggle through the piece, then memorize it. My plan now is to find a music teacher, and start from the beginning…or wherever the teacher wants me to start.

I've finished almost the entire first page of Moonlight Sonata, and have Carol Of the Bells in the background. What I'm finding, like everything else I do, is that I go at it at 100 miles an hour. I think I'm over my head with those pieces, and I tend to get frustrated at my lack of progress. I want it now, and it's not happening.

I realize I need a good foundation, and figure lessons will provde that.

So that’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.

Thanks so much for having me.

Greetings,

I am a four-time beginner, and I have recently gotten the piano bug yet again.

The first time was as a child (7 or 8 years old, I guess.) My Grandmother paid for lessons and I don't recall how long I took them, but it was at most only a few months. I practiced at her house on a J&C Fischer Upright (1929) which I have inherited and am planning to get restored.

I took up alto sax in fifth grade and was actually pretty good at it. But when I got to high school, I became more interested in other things and quit band.

When I was in my early twenties, I got the bug to play piano, so I bought a Yamaha PSR-32 electronic keyboard and a Billy Joel song book with high aspirations. I learned the intro to Piano Man and played it for my family. When they discovered I didn't know any more of the song, I was named "Intro Man." (I also learned the intro to ELO's "Evil Woman", the beginning of "Linus and Lucy" and a few more--but I never did learn a whole song)

Ten years later, I got the bug yet again, only this time, I had a career and some money, too, so I bought a Technics Digital Piano with 88 weighted keys. I took lessons this time for over a year, did a National Guild Audition and performed a recital. Then life happened once a gain and my playing became less frequent. But I did learn some complete songs this time around.

Fast forward to today. I am married and have a daughter who began taking lessons last month. She has inspired me to take it up again, but this time I'm serious! I just bought a used upright piano from Craigslist and couldn't be happier.

I have some spare time now and am devoting much of it to playing and improving. I would like to think that I am almost to the point where I left off over a decade ago. I have already gotten much inspiration from all of the supportive folks here on PW..I think with the advent of youtube and these types of forums my chances of sticking with it this time are much better.

I'm new to PW, and I like what I see!

I'm 42 years old and a SAHM of 5 kids, ages 8-19. I was widowed in 2008, but have since remarried. The youngest 3 of my kids were adopted from other countries.

When I was 8 or 9, my aunt paid for a year of piano lessons for me as a gift. We had a piano in our home, and my mom was very good, but being a divorced mom of 4 kids she couldn't afford lessons for me. I liked the lessons well enough, but when the year was up, I was on my own. From then on, I practiced a lot from my mom's repertoire of sheet music. I learned part of a Chopin piece...my mom was always playing Chopin, among other composers, but I learned to love him the most.

When I went off to a private university after graduating high school, I was asked to accompany our Sunday school group every week. I bought a hymn book and practiced like mad in my spare time, and I know my practicing drove my roommates crazy! Oh, also, in high school I played the flute, but I loved piano most. I bought my first digital piano about 12 years ago. I don't remember the brand, but it wasn't nearly as fun to play as my mom's old upright. I went back to church and soon was called to accompany the children's group. I bought the big book of approved songs and once again practiced my butt off.

After my husband died, I decided to sell my piano. I just wasn't that attached to it, and there was a very musical friend of my daughter's who was dying to buy it. I sold it to him for $200 bucks, knowing he would get more use out of it than me.

I picked it up again when I remarried, as my hubby had a piano in his living room. We separated, and it wasn't long before I wanted a piano of my own. Not just any, but a grand piano! So, recently I bought a Young Chang Pramberger, and I couldn't be happier. On Amazon, I bought a bunch of piano books and sheet music, ranging from adult beginner to late intermediate. I want a good solid foundation which I feel I missed only having one year of lessons.

Anyhoo, this seems to be a great gathering place for piano enthusiasts. I have really enjoyed reading the posts!

Hello everyone!

I am not entirely new to Pianoworld. Last year, I’ve posted a few queries at the ‘Piano Forum’ while in the process of deciding and purchasing my first acoustic piano. I’ve also been reading the various posts here at the ‘Adult Beginner’s Forum’, learning from many of the suggestions, listening to several of the recitals, identifying with people’s experiences (frustrations, joys, motivations, etc.), and finding inspiration. My experiences in these forums have certainly been very positive and I thought that is high time to introduce myself.

I learned to play the piano like many children did in their early years, but stopped lessons when I was about thirteen years old. I suffered the fate of many who have probably grown up in far flung areas where the prospects of improving one’s piano skills or even simply appreciating or being exposed to classical music were minimal. Since then I’ve also lived in places where I had no easy access to a piano and college, graduate school, and career as a professor eventually took over. Thirty-five years after, however, I reignited my interests. I bought a Yamaha Clavinova in August of 2008 and have been learning a few piano pieces here and there on my own. When I realized that I have been taking this journey much more seriously for two and a half years, I traded in the Clavinova and bought myself an acoustic grand piano (a Kawai RX-2 Blak). I wish though that I could have the time to take formal lessons but my workload keeps me from doing so these days. The progress can be slow at times and there can be many interruptions, but I've found joy in learning to play the piano once again. It is, in fact, now a passion. My goals these days are to continue learning new pieces as well as to start studying music theory using several books and an instructional software package I bought a couple of months ago. I’ve never had music theory! I hope to also continue learning and gaining inspiration from people’s thoughts and experiences in this forum.

Thanks so much for taking the time to read my intro!

Congratulations on your grand, lyricmudra - what a wonderful gift to yourself. It's such a treasure to have music in one's life.

Welcome to the ABF -

Cathy

Thank you, Cathy! It was, indeed, a gift to myself when I reached that big Five-O! :-)

lyricmudra - welcome to the forum. I visited your channel and listened to your Scarlatti. You play very musically and incredibly well. i cannot believe you have been self studying. Good for you.
I have very similar piano back ground like yours. I also quit when I was 13 after 7 years and came back to piano after i became an adult. Once when I was in college for a couple of years until life took over. I re-restarted 3 years ago. This time it's for life. I also got myself a grand piano a couple of years ago:) Mine is an old baldwin R. Good luck to both of us

Thank you for your kind words concerning my Scarlatti, FarmGirl. Yes, we do have the same history -- about seven years of learning as a child. And like you, piano playing will now be for life! I am really hoping I can take lessons with a teacher in the near future. I am just a tad hesitant thinking that maybe the fun of it might go away when now I have to meet someone else's expectations. I should really reframe my thinking of that. :-) Best of luck in your own journey!

Hello everyone. This is my first post on the forum. I have been reading this section for about a month now.

I am an adult beginner. I recently bought a Yamaha NP11 keyboard (61 keys entry level digital). While I am new to piano and keyboard, I have been playing whistle (recorder-like instrument) and Irish flute for many years. Going from chromatic melody only instruments to a keyboard is a big step. I am self-taught on flute and will do the same for the keyboard.

I struggle with sheet music, so that will not be my main avenue of learning. I have a good ear for music. Watching, listening, and trying things are better ways for me to learn. I have downloaded some YouTube piano tutorials that show hand positions and posture, basics such as scales, chords.

My goals include original compositions and to cover some popular contemporary tunes. On the whistle, when I have done covers of popular tunes, I often simplify the arrangement. I expect I do similar on the keyboard.

That's it for now. I can already say that the forum has been helpful in my choice of instrument, and what I have been looking at in terms of getting started.

Hi, Sand Tiger - yea whistles! I play with a band that does some Irish stuff and we have a very good whistler. She also sounds terrific on some Balkan tunes,

Hope you enjoy your piano as much.

Cathy

Hello everyone. Another new member here.

A little background: I must have been about 4 or 5 when I started music lessons. I began with the recorder to learn notes and sounds and then moved on to the piano. I don't think I played the piano for very long though, probably about a year. I just remember playing scales and chords and doing a few recitals. Like most children, I never practiced and after awhile I just lost patience and became bored when playing some notes, not actual music.

From time to time I would sit down and play chopsticks or the pink panther intro, just stupid stuff, but I always dreamed of being able to sit down and play Moonlight Sonata. But as a youngster, I figured I could just do it when I got older. It wasn't like the piano was going anywhere. Then when we moved out of our old house, my parents didn't like the prospect of lugging a piano around so they got rid of it and my desire to play fell to the wayside. I dabbled with the idea of buying a keyboard in my late teens and early twenties and fulfilling my dream, but I was not impressed with any keyboards in my price range (Casio at department store) and taking time to study piano was low on the priority list of a young man leaving the nest and heading off to college. After awhile, the dream just stopped.

Now - I am 30, single, with a good job and a LOT of extra time on my hands. I got the piano bug again late last year after listen to, well, Moonlight Sonata, and I was resolved to buy a piano. Well, I live in a land locked town in Alaska. There isn't much in the way of selection here. So I kept browsing craigslist for ANYTHING. Lots of old uprights for 500 bucks....hasn't been tuned in 10 years....sigh....more $100 casios....sigh....Then, mid last Month, March 16 to exact, and Roland EP-9 appeared. And everything changed.


After 3 weeks of practice I have memorized and can play steady the first 16 measures of Moonlight Sonata(THANKS YOU TUBE!!) Just yesterday I started to work on Satie's 1 Gymnopedie and Chopin's Waltz in A minor.

I bought Faber's Adult Complete Book 1 but I find the elementary material boring but I know I need to stick with it for the theory. On this forum I did stumble across the Leschetizky Method which I think is excellent. The finger exercises are really helping my dexterity and ring finger and pinky independence.

I practice for about 20-30 min in the morning, 20-30 on my lunch break, and for about 2-3 hours after work every day. I find playing Moonlight Sonata has really helped develop my stretch, I can now do a 10th when just holding an octave caused my figures to cramp 20 days ago. I use Leschetizky for practice drills and I hope that by picking up Gymnopedie and Chopin I will develop more left hand memory (First 4 measures of Gymopedie with eyes closed takes awhile).

My piano is a Roland EP-9. Its in great condition but I know it is a relic of past digital pianos. I dont want to mess around with another entry level piano, so I am looking at a Kawai MP10 or a Roland FP-7F. I am a computer guy so the Kawai MP10 has my eye currently...just none available in stock or I would have bought yesterday! Any other suggestions?...budget $2,000-2500 and I want it to feel as close to an acoustic as possible.

Welcome to this forum, Joe!

I have a Kawai CN 33, which also has RH action. I’m very happy with it, although you may ask for advices in Digital Pianos forum; there you can find very helpful responses.

Welcome Joe!