Introduction

[roseamelia]

How long have you been on? I've seen for quite some time now.

[perpetual_dan]

Hi,
I'm Dan, 40, living in Sussex, UK. I played as a child, reaching grade 6 around age 17. Then university and "other stuff" happened and playing fell by the wayside, although there was a little guitar playing on the way. Four years ago I got the itch to play again and bought a Clavinova, which spares the family the more tedious bits of practicing! My playing has been a little intermittent, but I'm getting back to "intermediate" pieces again and enjoying my playing on the way.

[roseamelia]

Hello Dan Welcome to the forum and hopefully you can have your problems solved on here if it's about music anyway or sheet music requests or anything else. I'm Rose I would love to make another friend not many members join very often and you'll get to know everyone pretty quick. Welcome again!

-Rose

[oxy60]

Hi,
I'm Dan, 40, living in Sussex, UK. I played as a child, reaching grade 6 around age 17. Then university and "other stuff" happened and playing fell by the wayside, although there was a little guitar playing on the way. Four years ago I got the itch to play again and bought a Clavinova, which spares the family the more tedious bits of practicing! My playing has been a little intermittent, but I'm getting back to "intermediate" pieces again and enjoying my playing on the way.

It takes longer than one thinks to get back to where we were before. That keyboard was a good choice. I have the little brother and use my own amps. The best part is using the earphones. Not only do they cancel out the distracting noises but they spare others from listening to me screwing up the same passage over and over.

[perpetual_dan]

It takes longer than one thinks to get back to where we were before. That keyboard was a good choice. I have the little brother and use my own amps. The best part is using the earphones. Not only do they cancel out the distracting noises but they spare others from listening to me screwing up the same passage over and over.

Yes, I was back to playing grade 4 pieces fairly respectably quite soon, but getting anywhere near polished beyond that is much harder.

I find the headphones a bit odd to use, but they do allow late and repetitive playing!

And thanks for the welcome, Rose.

[oxy60]

Yes, I was back to playing grade 4 pieces fairly respectably quite soon, but getting anywhere near polished beyond that is much harder.

I find the headphones a bit odd to use, but they do allow late and repetitive playing!

And thanks for the welcome, Rose.

You may need to find another route for the cable.

Pressing into that level of consistent playing exactly the way you wish has become more difficult than it was the first time around. To keep your spirits up record yourself every six months or so playing the same piece. You will hear the difference as it becomes more polished. I use the built in recorder, save the files to my computer and date the files. For intense pieces that are longer I put the tracks on my portable player.

[roseamelia]

I find the headphones a bit odd to use

I barely use mine, but I never really liked them anyway I do have a digital keyboard but don't play alot...real ones are my favorite cause they sound much better than digitals.

[newto43]

Hello Everyone,

I am not a pianist or piano teacher but a long time appreciator of piano music, as well as co-managing a young, emerging pianist. My father played piano everyday as I was growing up so I was fed a constant diet of piano - and I have never grown tired of it - in fact, I love it even more.

I am from Australia (noticed a comment way back about most people here coming from the USA), Im on the wrong side of 50 and I also have a piano interest page on fb for anyone who plays, teaches or loves piano (not just classical, but a wide variety of genres, or non genre based piano music). I love Piano Street as I have started to regularly post links from here on my page, its such an interesting site.

Cheerio

[roseamelia]

Hello newto43 welcome. well my name is Rose I'm In the level of 5 in my piano books. And have been a student for 1 and a half years. How I found out I loved to play piano was when I'd come home from somewhere with music and I'd sit on the piano and play the song I heard and then that's when I got a teacher then that teacher wanted to quit teaching to go to college and I got another teacher and now I'm to level 5 when I started I was already a 1 year student so I didn't need to go through 1 and 2 levels went right up to 3. I live in the USA. well that's all their is to know about me. Welcome to the forum and I really hope you will have a good time on here.

[db05]

Oh, there are new people!  So nice, it's getting lively in the forums again.

Rose, that's amazing! And it seems you're pretty young.

[jonalexher]

hello everyone!

I've been playing piano since I was 11 I think, but with no dedication sadly, and I started seriously playing a couple of years ago finally reaching seriousness and dedication these last 2 years (I'm 20) and I also play guitar and drums (beginner)

After dropping my graphic design career, I decided I'm going to study music, and I'm already doing that on my own, but soon moving back to Argentina (where I grew up) and going to try to get into a conservatory or music school there.

the music I listen to is pretty much everything! but mostly rock, more specifically pink floyd, genesis, rush, queen, the doors, red hot chili peppers, the beatles, the stones, pearl jam, nirvana, acdc, and others, also some classical like Satie and Chopin, and a little bit of everything else

[roseamelia]

Hello,

Yay! love getting new members on here. I'm Rose and I love the piano so much. (for some reason I'm the fist person to reply to the people who are new.. That's weird) I'm glad and thankful I chose it! I think you'll like it here.

[jonalexher]

thanks for the welcoming rose! we'll probably see each other around in the forum! 

[albertus_magnus]

Salvete!

  Somewhat new here. I have been playing piano (off and on) for a number of years. As of late, I have started to take my practice sessions a bit more seriously.    ~Albert

 

[roseamelia]

Hello Albert nice to meet you! I'm Rose. I've been playing the piano for 2 years and will be going on to my 3rd year. I'm in level 5, And truly glad to have chose piano. Welcome to the forum!

[albertus_magnus]

Hello Albert nice to meet you! I'm Rose. I've been playing the piano for 2 years and will be going on to my 3rd year. I'm in level 5, And truly glad to have chose piano. Welc

Hello, Rose!

[relta]

Hello everyone - it's good to be back in PianoStreet (I left about 3-4 years ago to pursue other activities) so feeling quite nostalgic in seeing this place again.

I used to play piano quite regularly when I was younger and was told that, for someone who is self-taught, I was "quite good". Over the years I have only dabbled in piano and lost the motivation which once drove me to learn pieces not only for enjoyment but to entertain others.

However, I have a lot of time on my hands for the next few months as my university degree is put on hold during the summer months and felt that it was time to pick up where I left off and where else is better than PianoStreet to share my enthusiasm and to learn from other pianists?

I look forward to rejoining this community and incorporating myself better this time round as my younger, naive self lacked the expertise or maturity that I have today (although this message would suggest modesty is not my forté!)

Relta

[lailamp]

Welcome back, Relta! 

This is my first post ever on this forum, so I thought about introducing myself. My name is Larissa and I'm originally from Brazil, but I've been living in Australia for the last 5 years.

I've taken piano lessons when I was 8 yo until 15 years old, then for some reason I decided to quit, and only recently I've decided to play it again. I bought myself a digital piano and am self teaching (or self learning) at the moment. Of course, it has been quite a challenge to study by myself and I've been often considering to find a tutor. Nonetheless, I've been enjoying every moment of it and I'm very happy that I came across this forum. It has been helping me a lot. So, thanks to y'all! 

I'll see you all around! Cheers.

Larissa

[roseamelia]

Hello Larissa Nice to meet you.. And welcome to the forum. I love having new members join the forum! I'm Rose by the way. I been a 2/a half year student and are in level 5.

[lailamp]

Thanks, Rose! Nice to meet you too! 

[gitaristica]

Hi!
I am new in here and I would like to introduce myself.
I am a Croatian classical guitar student and I have absolutely nothing to do with the piano. Why am I here then? In order to properly interpret the piano-guitar transcriptions I am playing I will have to understand the original pieces and the composers first. So, I'm here to learn about general piano playing, history, notable players, notable composers etc etc. Please don't be mad at me if I make grammar mistakes.
I would like to hear your opinions on the classical guitar in general, technical and expressive abilities of the instrument because I noticed that pianists (atleast the ones I know) don't have a very good opinion about guitarists and the classical guitar as an instrument.
One more thing. I am of mixed Serbian/Croatian origin and I would really apreciate if you would keep your opinions on the War in the former Yugoslavia for yourself.
Thank you!
gitaristica

[roseamelia]

Hi and welcome to the forum!!!~ I'm Rose heres my info: I've been doing piano lessons for 2 years and I'm in level 6, my last book!! I'm also grateful that I chose piano as my instrument.

[pianotrio]

I found the introductions thread here! Yay.

(I already wrote something similar on pianoworld, but anyway. Different forum.)

I'm a returner, meaning I took piano lessons as a kid for a total of 11 years, though I wasn't anywhere as advanced as I should have been due to lack of motivation to practice. I have always loved music, it's one of the most important things in my life, but when I was young I viewed it in very black and white terms - I didn't have what it takes to be a (solo) pianist and I didn't think I'd want to teach music, so I stopped lessons aged 17-18. Silly, I know. 

anyway I kept my piano and played it quite a lot over the years - then had to give it up as I moved abroad. for various reasons to do with living arrangements, money etc. I never got round to acquiring another piano.

Until now.  At the mature age of 40 I've finally purchased a piano of my own again , and am waiting impatiently for the delivery - hopefully in the next week or two. It's a Kawai K5 ATX (acoustic with a silent system so I don't torture the neighbours and can play it in the middle of the night if I want to!)

I have to say I've never been so motivated to practice - it's so important to be able to again play the music I love. It'll take some time to get there for sure and I'm absolutely certain that once I get back to daily practice, I'll be bugging everyone with questions about this and that.  What I have found already has been really helpful and encouraging.

What else. I work in an NGO as an EU health policy adviser, I live in Europe and I adore classical music, particularly chamber music as well as Italian opera. I also like jazz etc. but it is not the kind of life-blood for me that classical is. Other than that I like visual art, photography and the outdoors. Love animals but I'm allergic to them unfortunately, especially cats.

So pleased to have found this forum. 

[roseamelia]

Hello pianotrio, Love getting new members on here! so I'm Rose and I'm Actually a 9 month piano student NOT a two year student!! I just counted. ahem... anywayyy I am in level six I just started.

[juststarting]

I'm a beginner.  Trying to learn as much as I can so hopefully I can learn tons from every one!

[wilsonl]

Hi! Nice to meet you, I'm also new in here.
Okay, I'm still a student, 8th ABRSM grade. But I'm part-time work as senior organist on my church and also a organ teacher (currently teach 8 pupils).
I'm also learn writing and composing music.

[lovetheboywiththebread]

Hi I'm new here...  I've been playing piano since I was young and I'm currently in level 9 rcm piano. I don't practise as much as I should... but hopefully that'll change. I'm a competitive swimmer and I do some cross country too.

I like baroque music. Aside from piano music, I enjoy listening to Eminem (his old stuff) and Skylar Grey and Relient K. (Don't judge me. ) And I like the Hunger Games, that explains my username I've read the books at least 10 times.
Nice to meet you!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ruvidoetostinato]

Oh, I've been posting for a week but failed to introduce myself!

Hi, I'm Ruvido  !

I've been playing piano for 14 years since age 9.  I've only just become serious about the instrument about two years ago (sadly and regrettably).

I'm pursuing my MM at a CSU uni.  I used to hate Baroque music, but now enjoy it a lot.

My favorite pianists are Evgeny Kissin and Vladimir Ashkenazy.

My favorite composers are Bach, Scarlatti, Beethoven, Prokofiev, and Ginastera.

My biggest inspiration (though I've never met the guy) is Gyorgy Sebok.  I recommend some of his Masterclass videos found on Youtube.  Love them.

I enjoy watching Anime, watching movies, stand-up comedy, looking through Scarlatti sonatas, and smaller/shorter works.

Nice to meet you all 

[roseamelia]

Hello! Nice to meet y'all I'm Rose.

[albertus_magnus]

Hello, Ruvido!

[lovetheboywiththebread]

Ruvido, I like your siggie. My mom likes to say that "practise makes perfect possible"

Hi Rose!

[scherzo123]

Hi

[kotoko]

Hello! :3 Just joined today and noticed this thread, so here I go~

I'm 24 years old, female, and live in Canada. I've been working as a registered nurse for the past 2 years - it's a crazy, stressful job but it's something I enjoy to an extent. I can't picture myself anywhere else, anyway xD

I started playing the piano at the age of 6 and took lessons for 12 years, kicking and screaming just about the whole way. I did manage to complete my grade 10 piano exam with the Royal Conservatory of Music, though, and to this day I am immensely proud of that fact. Then, life happened and I moved away from the comfort of my parents' home and away from the piano. I was glad to be away from the piano for a while, because I wasn't all that into it.

Now, 6 years later, I've been feeling a peculiar itch to play again, both modern pieces and classical. I just bought a compact digital piano - not the best but it'll do - so I can practice again. I'm rusty, of course, but perhaps with some hard work I'll bring my skills back up somewhere close to where I was before I stopped playing. I'm not a very patient person, though, so it'll be a rough road ahead!

My favourite Classical composer by far is Chopin. I've always favoured artistry over technique, and was complimented several times for my expressiveness when I was a student (hence, my partiality towards Chopin and the Romantic pieces in general). I'm also a huge anime (Japanese animation) fan, so I'd love to try some anime soundtrack transcriptions because there are some really brilliant ones out there (for example, I'd love to be able to play this, this, or this someday!)

Aaaand that's about it

[49410enrique]

Hello! ... that's about it

welcome! i'm quite the anime/game music fanboy myself. glad you're here. do try to post some stuff to the 'audition room' soon, the forum has some very kind and gifted piansits that are really great and giving positive and CONSTUCTIVE feedback on where we can improve. overall we try to be  jolly/jovial bunch here.   

[kotoko]

welcome! i'm quite the anime/game music fanboy myself. glad you're here. do try to post some stuff to the 'audition room' soon, the forum has some very kind and gifted piansits that are really great and giving positive and CONSTUCTIVE feedback on where we can improve. overall we try to be  jolly/jovial bunch here.   

Glad to find another anime/game music fan! One of the reasons why I wanted to pick up piano playing again was because of all the amazing transcriptions there are out there.

Ha! I'm far, far from being able to post anything listenable online. I only just started playing again today!

[cvp1796]

Hello!

I'm Catherine and I'm just a 16-year-old high school student...I have played piano since the age of 9, but unfortunately, I stopped taking lessons when I was 15. Strangely enough, now that I don't have a teacher, I practice more; it's odd. I've also been playing the violin since the age of 9.

I do listen to a lot of classical music. Glenn Gould and Evgeny Kissin are *currently* my two favorite pianists, but I have a LONG list of musicians I enjoy. My favorite composers are Bach, Chopin, Liszt, and Brahms.

Aside from classical music...I'm a huge fan of the Beatles.

I joined the website in order to get more advice/opinions when it comes to everything piano. It's fascinating reading what you all have to say!

Um. I don't really know what else to add here. I'm quite awful at introductions, sorry!

[m1469]

Hi Catherine,

You're not awful at introductions, that was good!  I give you a 10! 

*holds 9 fingers up and one toe* 

Welcome 

[outin]

I actually never properly introduced myself here, how rude of me... I am a 45 year old happily unmarried spinster (AND a crazy cat lady ) from Northern Europe, who started piano again after several decades at 44. My piano journey is probably quite common:

I first started piano sometime around the age of 6 (can't remember exactly). We lived in a small village so I was first taught by a neighbor (who wasn't a qualified teacher) and then pretty soon started lessons given by a local teacher. What I remember about lessons was that they were not pleasant. It was physically exhausting (I was not a robust child) and since I rarely practiced I couldn't play what I was supposed to. I never learned to sight read properly, had bad memory and I guess it didn't help much that I couldn't see properly, something I was able to hide pretty long (who wanted glasses at that age?). I was coerced into performing a few times but always felt inadequately prepared so it was a very unpleasant experience. I never really got that far with piano, just a couple of methods books. I also didn't have tiger parents, quite the opposite, I was pretty much allowed to use my time the way I wanted. So I did what I loved best, read books. I read all the time and by the time I was 10 I probably read at least 5 books a week. At least that opened my mind pretty well I guess.

I was 11 when we moved to a city and it was finally possible to get to a music school. EVERYONE (mostly my dear cousins who also played and were very hard working kids) told me that I had no chance of getting in to play piano since I was so far behind for my age (yeah ) so I decided to play the flute instead. I did that for a couple of years. But other things soon took over, I was now living in a city and finally able to explore real life outside the books, so I did I was also finally able to make more friends. I had always been a bit weird, but in the late seventies/early 80's being weird was suddenly cool

I soon decided that playing the flute was silly and boring, so I got an electric guitar at 14. I learned the basics by myself, but never really learned to play music. I also wanted to be a singer above all. So I kind of forgot about the piano, which stood in our living room and I rarely played, mostly just songs with chord accompaniment and sometimes visited my old books. But never felt like I could play anything real.

I was about 20 and already moved on my own when my mother asked if I wanted the piano, if not they would get rid of it when moving. I was living in a student facility, so I just told them to do whatever they wanted. After that I never touched a piano again. Whenever there was one available I simply couldn't play anything. Anyway, for 25 years most of my free time was taken up by my hobby, pedigree cats. I got into breeding, showing, arranging shows and "politics", so always busy. That also ate up most of my income...

I almost never listened to classical music really, just a few CD's that I happened to have on my shelf and liked. Chopin, Schumann (yeah ) Rachmaninoff, Berlioz, Scarlatti, some ballet music...

But something happened a couple of years ago (at the age of 44)...I listened to some piano concertos and suddenly got an urge to listen to more. I stumbled onto this site and started exploring the composers mentioned here. I managed to get myself occupied by just listening to piano music for a year or so, but then someone gave me an old digital and after keeping it under my bed for a few months I thought maybe I should actually try to play again. I think this site was an eye opener for me, I actually realized that it may not be too late to learn. So I have you guys to blame for everything  This time I wanted to play music I liked, so I tried to learn a nocturne by Chopin... Didn't go that well really, it sounded much easier on the record, was quite a shock to actually read the notes and fingerings

So I thought I should start from the beginning and started playing the easy pieces I downloaded from this site. It got me a bit frustrated though, I wanted to play something more interesting. And I wanted a better instrument too. So I just suddenly decided that why not buy a piano and start lessons? I could now afford it. I didn't know about silent pianos before but when I read about them I figured that would allow me to practice as much as I want. So I picked a teacher from the internet and bought a U1. I thought the teacher would teach me the correct technique so I would be able to play that Chopin nocturne one day. It wasn't quite like that, he seemed to be fine with my inadequate finger work and concentrated on teaching me pieces that I didn't think were worth learning.

Disappointed I was wondering if it was even possible to get a teacher like I needed at my age when music schools were out of the question. I however did a new internet search and found a private teacher who was clearly classically oriented and tried again. In the beginning it was a humiliating experience, because I had to unlearn almost everything... But now a year later I couldn't be happier that I did not give up 

I still seem to struggle with the same things I did as a child, sight reading and memory issues, but I have a little more discipline now and being able to play pieces I really like helps with the hard work.

Any regrets? Well, I don't really think that I had what it takes to be a good piano player in my teenage years. I am now older and have just a little more patience (still not as much as I wish) so even if some things may have been easier to learn back then, I still think I am more equipped now. I've read about studies where they've seen people's intellectual capacity begin to decline after 45. So I'd better hurry, maybe I manage to learn something before I become a vegetable 

[oxy60]

Just keep practicing. Those techniques will get better. At an older age it will take longer. The important thing is to touch the piano every day even if for only 15 minutes. Those two and three hour practice sessions we did as kids aren't that useful in later years.

[outin]

. Those two and three hour practice sessions we did as kids aren't that useful in later years.

I guess I should have had some of those back then... I think it was more like half an hour a week in panic before next days lesson...

[oxy60]

I guess I should have had some of those back then... I think it was more like half an hour a week in panic before next days lesson...

And if your teacher was happy then you should have been challenged more.

[outin]

And if your teacher was happy then you should have been challenged more.

Oh, can't ask but I doubt she was happy... Probably just given up... 

[unholeee]

he seemed to be fine with my inadequate finger work and concentrated on teaching me pieces that I didn't think were worth learning.

AHAH

[outin]

AHAH

It still puzzles me today though...If I specificly say I am only interested in classical piano when I book the lessons and several times after that, why would the teacher still insist on giving me something else to learn? I would have been very happy with some grade 1 studies, as long as they were classical. I just got the feeling, he didn't think it was worth studying classical? Maybe because of my age? Or maybe he didn't like it himself? 

Well, I'll never know, but problem solved now with my present teacher...

[unholeee]

I guess some teachers / artists are just odd. It's probably not worth knowing.
Twice, I've seen ones with completely out of tune pianos, one being particularly run-down - and cant say I've been back to seen them twice.
I moved away from one I liked recently, and in trying to find one closer, had been prefacing the emails asking what their favourite composer is, and would just dismiss them right off the bat. (Theeya, Beat-hoven! - lisp and bad pun for added effect) irrespective of whether they were genuine or not. Turned out to be good intuition the first time, another one I think detected my ruse and chose not to respond. I would think a fair amount of teachers would be comfortable teaching or beginning with classical if that is what they themselves inclined to begin with, maybe not the case with your former sensei.

[m1469]

Welcome, outin  .

[outin]

Welcome, outin  .

Thanks! Nice to meet you 

[xavura]

Might as well join in on the fun, hello. o/ I'm 23 and from England.

When I was 3 or so I had one of those little 1-octave keyboards and apparently I worked out a few little songs (I say apparently, I don't remember yesterday let alone 20 years ago). So I got a "proper" keyboard a few years later and had lessons up until about 12-13 when I became a rebellious teenager and lost interest.

Got myself an upright at 16 and a full-size digital at 18 and have been playing on and off since then (sometimes with huge e.g year long breaks).

Lately I've decided that since this is one of the few things I'm actually good at I should focus more on it. I plan to start piano (and violin) lessons soon and do my grades through to at least 8.

[roseamelia]

Who have I missed? Hello who ever is new here! I'm Rose and I have an announcement to share with ya'll in "Anything but piano"! 

[mahlermaniac]

I am brand new to the forum so I thought I'd introduce myself!!!
I am a 30 year old female, I am a physician assistant and work in a small family practice office. I am married and a mom to two small children (2.5 year old boy, and a 2 month old baby girl). Needless to say I am very busy!

I have been really into music over the past 7 or 8 years or so. I've always enjoyed piano music, it is my favorite instrument. I've become a serious classical music listener in the last year or so. (I know there is some irony in my username for this forum, as Mahler has very little published piano music!)

I really have had no musical talent to speak of. In the past I was interested in picking up the guitar or flute, but both endeavors flopped. I wanted to get to the  "end result" and didn't have the desire to put lots of practice time in to get there, or to take lessons.

I think that was because neither instrument was "right" for me. I've had a desire to play piano for a couple of years which I smothered due to my previous failures. But as I got more and more into classical that desire won't go away. So I've decided to follow through this time. I am putting money into savings for a piano lessons and a decent used upright for my home. In the meantime, I'm starting to study music theory on my own, and noodling around on a borrowed keyboard. Though classical piano is my favorite variety, I also really enjoy piano in blues music and love Tori Amos. I look forward to sharing all of my piano endeavors with everyone here!