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hello, i'm Jeff, 20 years old student, i got some piano lessons around 8, for about 1 year( don't reallt remember), which i completely despised(remember totally). I hated the music and also having to practice, so the only time i practiced was when i had the lesson itself (thinking about it, it's a miracle i managed to start again with some base).
How i got back to piano is pretty weird, since i didn't like listening to ANY music in my childhood. the only "music" i was listening to was the music from the video game I was playing, and that started all . . . i started to listen to some video game music one day, and i was rather interested in the piano interpretations. Finally i decided to go back to piano, playing mainly classical for now, and maybe some game music later on.
I got some lesson with some interruptions because i study abroad, playing on my old piano home and a DP abroad. i'm hoping to be able to play some rather advanced pieces one day, but for now it's la chevalresque of burgmuller.

Hi Jeffreyl,
Welcome!
You may be interested in this thread where ABF members play various video/anime music (click) . I never knew about anime music either until I heard it in ABF. It is a wonderful genre.

Hello everyone!

I am absolutely new to the piano playing world. In fact I've hardly begun and haven't even got hold of a piano or a lesson yet, but! am in the process of figuring out how to make it happen for me. The only pianos I've ever toyed with have been other peoples but like so many of you I've wanted to learn since I was young and was always jealous of my friends who had pianos in their homes and hated their lessons. Like Laura above I played in school band throughout elementary and high school, the clarinet. Even though I never quite felt like I was playing the right instrument for me, I always knew the very fact that I had the opportunity to have an instrument and learn to read and play music was very special. I am now 28 and have barely picked up my clarinet since I graduated high school. I have lost a lot of my musical knowledge, not to mention the ability to play, and dearly miss it. About five years ago I was introduced to Debussy. Pieces like 'la cathedrale engloutie' and 'la plus que lente' just do something indescribable to me, and in agreement with Fred above, I too get deeply affected.
This is the first forum I've ever cared to join. I've been reading different sections especially the advice on digital pianos and everyone is so incredibly helpful and supportive and thorough in their replies. Anyway it seems like a great environment to be a part of and makes me excited for this otherwise solitary endeavor. I can hardly wait to purchase my first piano and begin my first lesson and hopefully all those years of clarinet will serve to help me along in some way.

Hey Hey!

Figured this would be a good place for a first post. Ive been browsing these forums for the last month learning everything I can for people just starting to play the ivory's. Gotta say, Im really impressed with these boards and the music people post here, makes me excited for whats to come in my piano endeavor.

Been playing for about 2 months now and taking weekly lessons, trying not to get frustrated with my lack of finger dexterity and everything else newcomers have trouble with. I'm 28 and only have my middle school years playing percussion to fall back on for help(lots of help there.... haha)

Yup, thats enuff for a first post,

Cheers!

-Jay

Hi!
I'm getting back into Piano after a break from lessons of errr hang on....lemme think - about 15 years (I just turned 31). I had lessons when I was younger, but then school/University/Life kind of interfered. I still fiddled on the piano, but no formal lessons. I then moved to the UK for a year to do my Masters, and while I was surrounded by the most amazing musicians in halls, I did not do more than ocassionally lock myself in a practice room and thump out the alto line of my choir music to practice.
Cue a move to Tasmania for work, and a tiny flat that you couldnt swing a mouse in, let alone a cat. I moved from there, and ever since I have wanted a piano - but I'm picky. As I mentioned in the Digital piano forum, I grew up with a large upright, ironframe German with ivory keys and a wonderful sound (it still sounds amazing, as my mum has started learning and practices on it). However space here dictates small, so I have bought a Casio AP-200 and intend to move the dining room furniture to make it fit.
The Casio is the first DP I have found that feels/sounds right to me. (My ear is very odd, and picky). As I progress towards the evil part of the PhD (ie the writing/editing bit) I need a distraction - so piano it is!
I am very much looking forward to getting out all my old music and seeing how much I have forgotten!

Welcome to all the newbies! (Fielden, accidental, Glock fan, beckaboo71, fbieler47, Mekarual, ahvat, jeff88, one of many, Farkle, Tassiegal). I've really enjoyed reading all your journeys to piano... they're all different, but they all share the same common core: a deep, almost irresistible longing for the keyboard.

Hope you all stick around and join in on some threads soon.

Hi, I've just found this forum site.

I'm 52. I started the piano two years ago. I had always wanted to play, but it just never happened...too much moving to lug a piano around when I was a kid, and life just seemed to busy during the first half of my life.

However, a couple of pianos made their way into our house for one reason or another and my kids and I all started lessons.

Other than the usual whining about practice, they are having fun. On the other hand, I have sort of a love/hate thing with it--love playing, hate that I can't do more. What with my late start and hands quite bashed up from sports (hard for me to stretch them far), I knew I'd never be able to play everything I wanted, but impatience sometimes has turned to frustration. Still, the bug has bitten me and I can't imagine not pushing onward regardless.

My goal is to be able to play Bach's English Suites, particularly #5 in Em. I don't know if it's a good/bad, reachable/ridiculous goal...but I love them, so there you are. :-)

Hmmm...about me. I'm 38.

I grew up playing the piano. Okay, organ lessons for quite a few years and then switching to piano and having lessons for about six years. After that I moved around a lot. Lost touch with the piano and picked up the guitar. After more than a decade away from the keys I broke down and bought a digital piano that could move with me. Back at it for about three years now. I'm at about the spot I left off at. And I struggle with a lack of attention span to get pieces to an actual reasonable quality level. I hack things about 70% and never put the the diligent effort in to fix things properly. I'm working on changing that and building up at least some repetoire so I don't have to be so embarrassed when people ask me to play things.

Guitar wasn't all bad though. I seemed to have picked up some improvisation skills that have transfered to piano.

Other than fixing up a few pieces, I've got no grandiose goals. I'll probably never play that Beethoven Sonata my teacher wanted me to learn.

Partial list of what I'm working on fixing:
Chopin Mazurka Opus 63 No 2
Chopin Mazurka Opus 67 No 2
Chopin Mazurka Opus 67 No 4
Chopin Nocturne Opus 55 No 1
Chopin Polonaise Opus 40 No 1
Chopin Prelude Opus 28 No 15
Satie 3 Gnossiennes
Satie Quatre Preludes

The Polonaise and Nocturne are probably beyond my attention span to play well, but I can dream.

I'm 24, a Pharmacy Manager in NE England, where the sun never shines I am new to playing the piano but I love it so far and have always wanted to play - I used to play brass back in school but didn't enjoy it.

Now, I spend my time stressing at work, writing (fiction) learning piano, and gardening. I grow roses and citrus fruits...Limes and lemons produced are great for gin and tonics

Oh, and I'm male

Hi. My name is Adam. I'm 39 and just bought my digital piano (Casio CDP 100) and began playing on January 15th. I grew up with a piano in my house but NEVER touched it. I also never had music lessons of any kind but wish I had. I deliver pizzas for a living (that's right) and have never had an actual career. As quickly as I'm picking this up, I probably should have been a musician. I have not had any lessons yet, but I'll probably start them soon just to see if I've gotten myself into any bad habits yet. I've played at least 1 hour a day (sometimes 3) every single day that I've had it and am absolutely thrilled with my progress so far. I've also spent hours reading posts here and have gleaned some great information. I'm learning from Alfred's so that's where (forum-wise) I've been spending most of my time.

I look forward to interacting with all of you and can't wait to see where this hobby of mine leads.

^You also have a great avatar. Statue of Liberty might be my favourite song ever.

Hey Adam, I too am learning from Alfreds, and I too have just bought a digital piano...also a Casio CDP 100

Hello there. Some of you already know me, but many others don't, so I'll introduce myself.

My name is Álvaro, I'm Spanish, from Alicante. This is the South-East coast of Spain, where we have very nice beaches and fabulous weather, usually! I'm 21 years old, by the way.

I'm currently a Piano Student, preparing myself very seriously to become a professional Pianist. I'm studying in London at this very moment, in a wonderful music academy, where I get access to practicing in three pianos, as long as I want, plus, there will be more pianos available in a few months, so I'm really pleased about that! My current objective is to enter the Royal Academy of Music, here in London, or any other similar conservatoire; since the preparation is superb. So I'm working towards that.

My favourite composers are Bach, Beethoven, Chopin and Rachmaninov. And I'm falling in love with Prokofiev and Debussy too.
Favourite Piano Concerto? Rachmaninov No.2, or any of Beethoven's or Chopin's, really. They take my breath away.
And my favourite Pianists... Mr. Rubinstein and Mr. Gould. (Plus I also like others like Arcadi Volodos, Yundi Li... not Lang-Lang though).
I own a Schimmel, but I have three dream pianos... Steinway, Bösendorfer and Fazioli.

I have several hobbies too, I would say Music, but Music is actually my occupation! hehe, and the thing I love most in life!
I love literature, cinema, nature (I love London's gardens and parks) and being with my family and friends. But that's a little bit difficult right now, because they're all in Spain, and I'm in the UK. But then again, there are many cheap flights out there, so I have no excuse to go and visit them more often!

And... that's about it, in general terms I mean.

So, I hope to have a nice time with all of you guys.

Cheers.
Álvaro.

Well then you sir, have excellent taste. They've been my favorite band since I was 18. Unfortunately they stopped touring when I was 12.

And Danny, it's a nice little piano for the price, isn't it?

Hello,

I already kinda introduced myself in a different thread, so sorry if this counts as cross-posting! I'm 46 and I just started playing again late in January. I took a two semester piano class at the University of Minnesota around 1991 or so (back then it was "quarters"). I've played guitar and some wind instruments in the past, so I'm really actually just a re-starter on piano, but not really a beginner musically. I like a wide range of music, but I'm concentrating on classical for now because there just seems to be so much more going on in the music itself. Even in the classical world there seems to be more than enough challenging material to keep me occupied for the forseeable future.

I'm particularly curious to see how far I get with this. I am amazed at how good proficient some so-called late-starters can get, so there seems to be no reason to believe that starting late is a barrier to anything (except maybe maintaining a rigourous recital and concert schedule. I already have a day job! I want this to be fun.)

I'm glad I found this forum. I had been lurking for about a month before I posted anything. Lots of good advice and inspiration here. Keep it up!

Hi! My name is Crystal and I have been a member of the forum for a while but am just now able to start back on the piano. I have 6 kids(the reason for my absence recently) and homeschool. I took 10 yrs worth of lessons as a child and then quit because of one bad singing/playing performance. My goal is to get past my fear of singing while playing in front of others. I am extremely rusty so I am going to start back slow by going through Alfreds adult book 2 and 3. I am looking forward to making progress now that I am not pregnant and my littlest is 1. It seems everytime I wanted to start back, I had a baby! I am also excited about getting to know you all!
Crystal

Hello,

I am into the 10th month of my piano studies (my first instrument) with a teacher (excluding those years that I self learn). Currently I am in Grade 1 and I own a Hailun piano, which I spend a lot of my time with. Glad to know there are also many adult beginners out there! Anyone planning to take Grade 2 practical exams? Or have taken it? Care to share your experiences? Coz my teacher plans to let me take the practical exams next year. I am happy & nervous though.

Hi, I'm 36 y/o and I started playing piano some 20 years ago. I took 1 year of jazz lessons and mainly play by ears. A couple of years ago I started to revamp my jazz skills by studying Barry Harris' workshop videos. I'm currently learning sightreading and building up my classical repertoir. I find ABF very inspiring and give me motivations to learn more.

Hi Everyone! I'd like to introduce myself too. I am a 31 year old getting back into piano. I took lessons from aged 8 to age 14 and kind of punted it in favor of singing from then on. I went on to get two degrees in Voice. I stopped singing completely after I got my Masters Degree because I didn't think I was talented enough to do it professionally. I went back to school for pre-med/vet and started teaching horseback riding lessons for a living instead. But about a year ago, I found that I missed music so much and I was sick of spending hours in the lab instead of on stage, so I started singing. So far, I've done pretty well and I have a lot more confidence. I've been performing a lot! BUT...my piano skills are really holding me back! So...I've decided to give it a real go. I am determined to no longer be handicapped by my lack of piano skills. My real challenge will be learning to sightread so that I can teach. I hope being a part of this forum can keep me motivated. I am very intimidated by piano!

Wow! Welcome to the flurry of new members and thanks for introducing yourselves. It's always fascinating (at least to me) to read how others have either come back to the piano or are starting for the first time.

I'm particularly impressed with those who can play and sing so props to DumbSoprano and Crystal! I find that even with a piece that I know well and play regularly that trying to do anything other than focus on my playing to be a disaster (but yes, I can walk and chew gum ).

Welcome again to all of you and look forward to "seeing you around".