I am in my 20s and decided to learn to play piano .I was just wodering how long does it take ? I do have a neighbour who beeen doing it for like 5 years and still playing terrible so I was just wodering if in One year I would be able to play some song or so ..I have no musical experinces and cant read notes so far ..[/quoteStarted with a keyboard, then an electric piano as my wife showed some interest. Tried lessons with a wonderful person, very patient, but I refuse to try achieving levels??. This music is for the only person likely to be interested. ME. Marie recognises some music - she must do I hammer it out often enough. Enjoy what you play now, record it, I guarantee in 5 years it will sound much better when you played it first.Music, the best end to a stressful day!
I have no musical experinces and cant read notes so far ..
I don't quite understand why there should be an age limit to learning notes.I'm 56. I started learning piano about 9 months ago, had been singing in two choirs from 6 months before that.I have no problems with reading notes, a bit slow progress maybe, but no problems!And I can play basic hymns at this stage. And I am quite a dunce at learning!Best wishes to everyone on this forum.
Hi timothy.When I say play hymns, I mean the very basic"The easiest book of hymns" type keeping the left hand where it is!No complicated chords!
For playing Chopin and Rachmaninoff concertoes with orchestra - well, minimum 8 years but more likely never.
Is this really the case for a person starting in their 20's? I've just started playing (learning) at 31. I must be doomed to never play any of the great composers. Has anyone out there started late and progressed to a level of being able to play Chopin? Please don't tell me I'm doomed to bang out Billy Joel tunes at parties.
In my experience people over about 25 make poor first time instrumentalists because they are afraid of looking foolish. That's the number one obstacle as I see it: pride. They feel stupid having to learn from scratch like a five year old, and having to play childish pieces, and... do homework! After a few weeks they find an excuse that will allow them to save face and bow out.
If both fails, it will be a hard struggle if you plan on playing some of the advanced stuff. I've seen A LOT of people at age 45-50-60 who practise hour and hours and they never progress a bit. Its a bit sad to see, really. But I can't see why shouldn't give it a try.
I think there are two parameters you need to consider:- Are you young?- Are you intelligent?If both fails, it will be a hard struggle if you plan on playing some of the advanced stuff. I've seen A LOT of people at age 45-50-60 who practise hour and hours and they never progress a bit. Its a bit sad to see, really. But I can't see why shouldn't give it a try.
I suppose it depends on how much you practice..."Practice makes perfect!"G.W.KHowever...I practice a lot and I am still...rubbish! LOL
You have to find ways to enjoy practicing, cause that's all piano playing is really. Even a performance is just another opportunity to work on a piece. If you're playing great music, you're never really done with it.
Some very interesting points here. I am not sure if I would agree with some, but I would like to jab at a question. What does age has to do with anything? In my opinion, adults have more logical capacity and want to learn, whilst the child may not have the passion for learning and may not follow the teacher's advice on practicing.
The only thing that could possibly suggest that children learn faster is that they simply have alot more time on their hands. Adults have work, family, friends, hobbies, etc.
Kids pick them up far, far easier than adults do. Period. How do we know? From kids that didn't learn them as kids.Where's your adult logic here? Some adults are busy, some aren't. Some kids are busy, some aren't. You can even be busy for a period, then not for a period, as an adult or a child. I'd suggest that there are many things that could show children learn faster than adults.As an adult, I pretty much have spent the last 5 years or so doing nothing other than trying to play the piano.From this, as you note, you get myths and assumptions - but I'd say myths that paint a rosy picture for any adults that ask.By contrast, having tried to learn as an adult, my playing is 100% crap and 100% learnt as an adult.Contrary to your own stereotype and ingrained assumption - I'm not busy. I wish I was, because although over the past few years ago I've often enjoyed trying to play, I hate the £$%$ing thing with a passion now. I wish I had something better to do, and should that happen I will gleefully smash the £$%£ing thing into a lot of pieces and then set fire to it.But, to reach this point, I've had the time, lots of time. I've used that time and played for hours and hours a day. Quite literally, sometimes all day.Of course, I can a few bars of mostly the right notes in roughly the right order of a lot of pieces. So long as I take enough painkillers.Along the way I've kidded myself a couple of times that I was getting better, that the pain was going, that I was playing notes with my right hand correctly [whatever 'correctly' is] but that doesn't last.The latest futile attempt is this :- https://www.thefundamentalaction.com because I can't play pieces anyway, so I don't even bother. I basically just sit now playing C G in both hands as he describes [or perhaps as he describes - I've no more idea if I'm playing the piano correctly than I have of how to perform brain surgery - except for the fact that my playing always sounds crap and it hurts, 2 things that suggest I'm not.]I usually play that C G or sixths in both hands for four or so hours a day, avoiding the right hand when it's too painful. Hoping that eventually the pain will go and I will be able to start learning to play pieces. As an adult, assuming that I get to the next stage, I'll have spent 5 years to get to the beginning, to the stage where I can sit down and learn to play a piece, comfortably.Now, of course, I might just suck irrespective of my age. But I doubt that very much.
Most kids do have alot more time on their hands and that is undeniable. Even if you have alot of time on your hands, most adults don't.
I think the right teacher is really crucial. That and really committing to putting in a lot of practice time (at least an average of an hour a day, preferably more) -- and making sure you use the time well.You need to find a teacher who understands that adults have different priorities and problems than children do. If at the end of the lesson you feel worse than you did when you came in -- you've got the wrong teacher.
(...)Besides, even if it is irrespective of my age, it doesn't suggest the mere act of really, really wanting little else other than to play and, the important part of devoting lots and lots of time to it because I'm not busy, is enough.
I've been told time and time again that past age 30, one should have done what it is they have really wonted to do. The reason for that is, once you are over 30, then things get a little tough. Though i do recommend investing some time in learning how to play the piano.
leahciM: That's a rough ride, I imagine our idealism about learning piano gets on your nerves.
I wonder if you might be setting too high of expectations for yourself, trying to force it too much? You talk about adults who suck, but I figure we're allowed to have a crappy playing stage, when approximations are acceptable (with appropriate rep)
Well this is a late reply because I haven't read here for ages, but it doesn't get on my nerves.I guess it's a case of whether you read the typical response as "It's possible for some people, of whatever age, who try hard to learn the piano and get to a high standard." which is true.
How about this: It is possible for most people with sufficient effort to play with basic line level competence.