Did anyone think they were good, until joining this website?

[rachmaninov uk]

Hi,

I thought i was quite a good pianist, until i joined this site and listened to a 14 year old playin chopin in the audition room! lol. It's just made me realise how rubbish i actually am. i mean i memorised most of chopin's nocturne in b flat and moonlight sonata when i was 16, and im now 21. I had a few lessons at school when i was 14, but i found it boring. But i've been playin at home ever since. Im learning Liszt's liebestraum no.3 but theres a bit where it goes quite fast and i just can't move my fingers fast enough! it's really annoying. Maybe it's because my piano is very old and the keys are quite stiff, but a bad workman blames his tools as they say.

Anyone else feel like this?

[BoliverAllmon]

at times I do. but i get over it. I am only going to get better when I have good attitudes and good practice habits.

boliver

[dikai_yang]

i watched on TV a 7 or 8 year-old kid playing a mozart twinkle twinkle little star variation...
totally impressed... if you don't watch you'd never have guessed it's played by such a young kid....   he can't even reach the pedal not even close...
---
and after the performance when people started clapping,
he was so shy he almost cried!!
so cute!!

[brahmsian]

I thought I was good until I recorded myself playing and then went back and listened to the recording. It's wierd how you think you're doing a good job when you're playing, but when you listen to the recording you hear mistakes you didn't even know you made!

[Derek]

Piano playing for me is so completely self contained that it has never mattered to me except for brief, isolated moments that there are thousands of people who can play music by dead europeans much better than I can.

[thalbergmad]

I thought i was crap before i came here, now i know it.

[abell88]

I've always been surrounded by better pianists...I console myself that I'm more of an "all-round" musician...i.e. jack of all trades, etc. 

[BoliverAllmon]

I thought I was good until I recorded myself playing and then went back and listened to the recording. It's wierd how you think you're doing a good job when you're playing, but when you listen to the recording you hear mistakes you didn't even know you made!

that is so true.

[rachmaninov uk]

I thought i was crap before i came here, now i know it.

that made me laugh lol. You all have valid points anyway, makes me feel a bit better. I just can't understand how people can move there hands and fingers so fast. I try it, and i hit so many wrong notes its untrue.

[rachmaninov uk]

didn't mean to make that last post into one big quote!

[pet]

I think everyone is good in their own way, and I try not to compare myself with anyone.  Well, I try not to be envious anyway.  Everyone is good at something, and if you come across someone that is better than you, learn from them instead of putting yourself down!  You'll get there is no time!

[Waldszenen]

Before I joined this forum I thought I was crap

After I joined this forum I thought I was a pile of crap that's been left to fester in the hot sun for a week, covered in maggots.

[Siberian Husky]

not really...im pretty much a godly superior virtuoso amongst all the clowns on this forum...

*polishes fingernails*

i own everyone...




















i suck dude..=/

[steinwayguy]

It's inspiring, if anything. For example, listening to electrafingers symphonic etudes in the audition room was just incredible.

[happyface94]

Well as long as we are in the realm of truth (as you know, people actually lie online) I can wage that I'm not too bad. The only reason I can say this is because I'm a conservatory student and I'm actually graded toward expectations at my age/level.

I'm not better than people that are at my level/age, and reading through the forums, I am impressed with the knowledge and skill of few players here but no one seems to be in the realm of the impossible/virtuosistic.

[Bob]

There will always be people who play better and a lot that play worse.  And not everyone is posting here, so I assume this forum represents a very small glimpse of the larger world.

Don't let it get you down.  Don't put yourself down either.  Just do your best.

I sometime kick myself and work harder when I see someone doing better.  Usually I work by myself and find that works best for me.  I don't know what others are doing or not doing so I take what I see and hear with a grain of salt.  Take and learn from others.  It can be tough to be around someone who is lightyears beyond you, but you can learn a lot from them -- it rubs off (and free progress is good).

[dikai_yang]

it's always great to be inspired...
that's what drives me!!
when i listen to someone better than me...
i wanna improve myself...
if you believe you're already the best, then there's no room for improvement...
to conclude, you people are great...
push me hard!!

[Tash]

what i did discover when i joined this forum is the number of other people who are just, or even more obsessed with classical music than i am- you know i thought yeah i know a lot of music and info and composers, and then there's all these people here who just rattle of all this crazy stuff and i'm like WTH!! but it's good, because it just let me know that i'm ignorant, and am now working to learn as much as i possibly can- so it's bloody good in that respect.
in terms of playing, i always knew there were people better than me, and i don't have issues with that, because no matter where you go there'll always be someone who's better than you at something, and someone who's worse. i'm now aiming to be a top pianist, so where i am is completely fine by me. provided i'm enjoying myself and am learning all the time is what matters to me most. and to those who are incredibly freaky, then cheers to you- i have complete respect for your fantabulous talent and the effort that you put into it

[quantum]

I have always enjoyed listeing to and being around people who play better and know more than me.  I don't look at it as what I can't do compared to others, but what I can learn from being around others. 

[Dazzer]

i suck.
i've always sucked.
and i'll always suck.
and i will suck.
but at least i'm good at sucking.
tiring on the jaws though...sucks...

[Siberian Husky]

i suck.
i've always sucked.
and i'll always suck.
and i will suck.
but at least i'm good at sucking.
tiring on the jaws though...sucks...

dont mind him hes going through a phase..carry on your business you mindless humans

[Dazzer]

awww gimme some credit there's some humour there at least.

[drjames]

Actually the opposite for me.  I thought I was worse than I really am but reading this forum inspired me to try to learn pieces that I previously assumed I could not learn. I'm still bad but now I'm bad at a higher level and I enjoy playing much more than I used to.

Jim

[thorn]

As long as im good enough to play pieces i enjoy to the best i can expect from myself, i dont care what standard anyone else is at. I see others as an inspiration rather than to compare to and say one of us is a better pianist.

[i_m_robot]

 

you all make fun of yourselves

if you all sucked as bad as you say

you all wouldnt be brave enough to post on the internet for all to see



quit yer lyin and get back to yer pianos

[super5james]

I thought that i was a good pianist as well there are so many gifted pianists here.We are all very seirous about this some of us would like to play Caringe Hall others for self amusement.We all share the same thing in common we love the Music.Im very seiorus about this i practice 12 Hours a day when schools out.Im Deterimined to get ahead.

[ronel]

Actually, I hope I can mention this, it  happened at Piano World Forums, which is basically the same as this...

In South Africa, there is like a huge thing of passing grade 8 Solo Piano - the highest there is, and so, when I got it, I was like: NOW i'm good. But that's basically just the start of it! And I learned the hard way...

So now I'm very humble, all of a sudden!

[tds]

hhhmmmm......actually....

i feel like i am surrounded by people who cares exceedingly so much about speed, about what the hardest pieces ever written, about can-you-play-chopet-10/1-in-30-seconds?, about how-many-hours-do-you-practice?, and about....well, God knows the rest....

now, do i feel less good?

yeah, in a way. i feel sad. tds

[celticqt]

I try not to compare myself to others, because it just leads to discouragement.  I try to do the best I can with the talent God has given me, and not stress out.  Music is an awesome blessing and an awesome responsibility.  Hopefully at this point in my life I'm beyond the "I'm-better-than-you" stage.   

[doctop]

I knew I was good when I was 9
Now that I am 57, I know that I am better than average, but not great....
But I can Dream can't I

[alzado]

There's a maxim in Suzuki instruction, "don't compare."  At Suzuki music camps you hear this a lot.

Playing music should not be a competition.  Just because Joe Schmo can play a difficult piece at blinding speed, doesn't mean your slower attack on a less challenging piece is any less good or bad.  Where sponsors try to make performance into a competition, I am not sure music is well served.  St. Cecilia would shed a tear.

Some of us are in a competitive environment, such as a music department of a university, where it is very difficult to follow the suggestion, "don't compare."

But it is still good advice.

[rob47]

i'd say im ranked 1 000 034th in the world.

[i_m_robot]

i'd say im ranked 1 000 034th in the world.

dont push it

[Skeptopotamus]

actually I didn't think I was too special but then everyone thought my repertoire was impressive so I felt kind of the opposite ^^

[lostinidlewonder]

If you think you're good, then you're good. If you think you're bad, then your bad. If you think nothing but enjoy the fact you are making music, then you are making music. There is no standard to music, whatever you create is unique. Whether one this is better than the other is of course subjective when it comes to music. Something is good when YOU are satisfied with it, that is the only person you have to convince. Don't find that satisfaction through comparisons with other people it isnt an accurate measuring stick for your music.

[Tash]

people move on from being bad! like serioulsy who cares, as long as you enjoy it and you're not planning on becoming a concert pianist (sure it'd be a great thing to do but we have to be realistic sometimes) then there's no point in worrying over not being the best. if you're not the best and want to be then you should bloody well put in the effort it requires and stop having a whinge about it.
if you really cared you'd stop being lazy

[pianowelsh]

1 000 034! Wow im impressed! i think i am currently somewhere around 60 000 097 so i clearly have a LONG way to go! Seriously i think every pianist/piano student feels like this sometimes we have to recognise that we are in a field where there are a high percentage of genius class people statistically and this manefests itself very young. I thought i was quite reasonable ( i wouldnt say great) when i auditioned for conservatory but on arrival i fairly quickly changed my opinion - there are thousands upon thousands of fantastically talented people out there frankly if you decide to start comparing yourself to them all you will worry yourself to death! or give yourself a break down - then your talent is wasted (mind you there will probably be some secret rejoicing in some corners of the world because soemone will progress from 1 000 034 to 1 000 033?!) Enjoy studying and enjoy music. It is always my advice to keep broad - dont get so narrow its only you and the keys because in doing that music dies! There is dedication but dedication to what if your have nothing to express but frustration and desire you will be a very boring pianist  - Live a little and do the audience a favour!        I cant say to you dont compare and pretend that sometimes it doesnt sting when someone obviously outclasses us - we are naturally quite proud - which probably stems from the fact we spend so long on our own working hard - we want in a way people to recognise that even if its not our main motivation and it can be a downer to realise that someone obviously has more talent and or luck but at the end of the day thats life and we have to get over it or it will consume you. There are so few really full time pianists anyway its rare that more than about 2% of a year of conservatory students actually get full time employment after graduation never mind super star celebrity so for most music is a more placid affair but no less enjoyable!

[jeremyjchilds]

I thought I was good before I went to college...

Now I think that I am somewhere between the two points of beginning and mastering the piano.

I have noticed that people on this forum always bring up really difficult pieces...La campa this and revolutionary that...chop-etude this and transcendental that...

I hope nobody would be "name-dropping"...so I never make any judgements about the skill of people playing from what they write, althiough I am impressed with the general quality of the playing in the audition room

[Bouter Boogie]

Actually I never thought (and think ) I was (am ) good

[phil13]

To be completely honest, I don't give a f***  I love playing the piano just as much as anyone here, and that's the ONLY thing important to me. Some people believe that they are bad because they didn't start early enough while some believe they are the best because they touched the keyboard at age 2. Others feel peer pressure (knowing what others think of themselves) makes them bad or good. While I truly believe that there are some people with true gifts amongst us, I think I have to take some things on this website with a grain of salt. True, I didn't start when I came out of the womb, or even when I was a little kid. But I say if you're determined to do what you want to do, and you're willing to put in the work ethic to DO it, then it doesn't matter whether you THINK you're good or bad. Because such things either bruise the ego or overinflate it if you truly believe that you are simply "good" or "bad". What do I believe? I believe in myself, the keyboard, and the music, and there's no stopping me if I just put my mind to it.

Sorry about that. I'll remove myself from the soap box now.

Phil

[fredo]

Dont know what im suppesd to think after i joined here, cause i cant see how you guys play. I can just read that someone would learn campanella in 2 weeks, and if thats the case i would be not very good in comparison to him/her. On the other hand after practicing 4 months i would be able to play it too, and it would even sound good. Makes that him/her to a better player ?

What would make you say someone plays better than someone else ? I could tell that guy has got better technique than this guy, and after that it becomes difficult to tell anything.

[silverpeal]

Visiting this site made me realize what a casual piano player I am.  I thought that with working a full time job and practicing piano about 5-7 hours a week, that I was dedicated.  But then I read about many of you practicing 3 plus hours a day!!

I also notice that you all often list pieces that I would consider among the more advanced rep as "easy."  I think it just goes to show how perspectives vary.

Compared to 99 percent of the population on this site, I'm sure I'd be considered an extremely inferior pianist and yet most people I know couldn't tell you where middle C is located.

Bottom line, I'm just glad I have the piano in my life.  It's brought me a great deal of joy and continues to excite and challenge me as I continue to learn new things.

That being said, I fully acknowledge that I am lower than the navel lint belonging to the rabid dust bunnies that are breeding, as we speak,  under my bed.

[keys]

I actually thought I was bad before I joined this forum! I’m from a small center, so there are very very few pianists my age to compare to – so all of my comparisons were made from listening to Argerich recordings! It wasn’t a favorable comparison for me..

[thierry13]

I tought I was normal before joining this forum.

[dinosaurtales]

I practice like a dog in the hopes I can actually think I'm good at it!  Hasn't happened yet!

[c18cont]

I actually play at a very high level....Compared to those I know who cannot play at all. In the end it may be the most important measure for some.

If we are going to compare with other am./prof. people, it may well be that many will play better...In my case it's not too hard...I am growing old, and am certainly no Horowitz...

I do not allow my slowing down  to damage my ego when possible, and I avoid dwelling on past glory....Those times will not be again...I am pleased I can play well enough that some enjoy listening....

I am reminded of a headstone phrase in a local cemetery..."Where I am soon you will be, So do your best, and follow me...".. (Maybe kind of Macabre...)

John Cont

[ted]

I don't think I've ever thought in terms of how good or bad I am, either before or after joining the forum. The fact that I see many things differently, in music and outside it, from many people, has certainly been reinforced by the forum, but that's been reinforced everywhere since I was a kid anyway so it's hardly a surprise. 

[superstar]

most of u guys ....a lil bit more confidence !!!!!!!!!!
this is not the way ull enjoy urself as a pianist .... last year was the very first year ive entered the piano society for good ... and was always thinking im much worse than the others ... but as i love the thing i do  ... and i do it for music not for me totally .... thats y ive been sent to do several performances in Germany and Poland ... and a lot of people told me there the loved my playing and asked me if i ever recorded anything ..... u cant blame urself and say that u're worse just because u play Mozarts piano concerto(with my whole respect) while other plays Rachmaninov .... u decide weather ur good or nay ... then the audience ... and finally the JURY !!

[nick]

I thought I wasn't good until joing the web site.   Just kidding.

Nick

[hodi]

i thought i was OK-
but i joined this forum and i realized how bad i am