Any recomendations?

[pytis123]

I been playing piano for a few months now. My sight reading is  HORIBLE!!! but im getting better slowly... I can play Fur elise,Arabesque,Canduer, and Canon in D. I learned em throught listening and no sheet music and now there getting too hard throught listening.
I got some sightreading books and im a fast learner,the thing is i havent realy tried... But il get these soon enought... so any recomendations for pieces at my level? No rush I got lots of time...

PS. you must be tired of noobs posting stuff like this...Im sorry...but its kinda hard to search for something like this with the search function...

[pytis123]

Ima try Minuet G today...see how that works out... Moonlight sonata was too hard to sight read..

[steve jones]

When you say sight read, do you mean read the music from the score? Because that is different. Sight reading is when you can read and play a piece instantly from the score with knowing the piece. This is difficult to do and takes loads of practice. Most people will go through the score bar by bar learning it in short passages.

Are you able to read music at all?

If not, then try 'ABSRM Guide to Music Theory' pt 1. Great little book, tells you all the fundamentals.

If you can read music a little but cant sight read very well, then I suggest you take your time and learn the piece from the score at your own pace. I wouldnt recommend transcribing from recordings, as this is extremely hard to do (to get it right at least!). Its excellent ear training, but not the best way for a beginner to learn pieces.

Hope this helps, and let me know if I can help you out with anything else (us noobsters gotta stick together, right?  ).

[pytis123]

Sorry... I meant reading music from the score! I have trouble reading notes. I can read a little but very slowly.Im trying minuet in G and its hard to sight read... I have lots of piano books that have been passed on to me. Im trying to learn the piece. any other recomendations?

[steve jones]

If I were you I would take it slow for a while. You need to get used to reading music before you can start tackling more difficult pieces. I couldnt recommend any particular pieces, but I remember selling the 'Romantic Sketchbook' series in quantity at the shop! Try book one, loads of nice easy romantic tunes to go at. Most every short. Be great for practicing your notation reading.

You mentioned Moonlight Sonata? The score is available on this very site. If you have a recording, then you could go through it bar by bar. I find this a great way to get a feel for a piece - reading the score as I listen to the piece.

But seriously, first thing is the learn the fundamental theory. Without this you really cant continue.

[pytis123]

I was trying to play some pieces today and i didint know what a key signiture was and i was so pissed off becouse the piece didint sound right! I coulint continue and than accidently did a sharp and souned right im like what!!! than i quit that song...opened a beginers bok and did the exersises and learned about key signitures!It was so frusturations!!!!...who says ignorance is bliss...Ima finish the 2 beginer books i have and than try something harder. Still any recomendations after i finish em?

[steve jones]

Not really. Im pretty new to this myself, probably not the best person to be recommending pieces. Iv just been going through the graded music, and a few books I nicked off my sister.

Maybe you could ask in the Rep forum. I know that guy Berhnard knows alot, and he will usually give people some pieces that they can work up to.

[abell88]

There is a thread entitled "Beautiful music that is not hard to play". I think it's in the Teaching forum (not quite sure about that). Just take some of it with a grain of salt; there are a few people who didn't understand what the post was about and suggest stuff that is not easy for a beginner.