singer learning piano . . . HELP!

[Essyne]

So - - - I am a 17 year old who is studying to be an opera singer, but I NEED piano. I was taking lessons from a former voice teacher, but recently switched studios and now am on my own. I have been playing for only about a year now, and I really don't. know. where. to. start. on my own. I need a teacher, but w/ my schedule it's simply impossible @ the moment. I mostly just review scales/practice all my chords, etc., and play whatever music I'm working on w/ my voice. I still don't feel like I'm doing all that I could be though. I love piano, but am frustrated because I see little kids 1/2 my age playing crazy stuff that I couldn't even begin to plunk out.

Any advice is GREATLY appreciated . . .

[m19834]

I NEED piano.

What do you need it for ?

[thierry13]

So - - - I am a 17 year old who is studying to be an opera singer, but I NEED piano. I was taking lessons from a former voice teacher, but recently switched studios and now am on my own. I have been playing for only about a year now, and I really don't. know. where. to. start. on my own. I need a teacher, but w/ my schedule it's simply impossible @ the moment. I mostly just review scales/practice all my chords, etc., and play whatever music I'm working on w/ my voice. I still don't feel like I'm doing all that I could be though. I love piano, but am frustrated because I see little kids 1/2 my age playing crazy stuff that I couldn't even begin to plunk out.

Any advice is GREATLY appreciated . . .

Explore the litterature. Practice.

[Essyne]

Yeah, I kind of knew it was just going to come down to that "P" word - - -

Stupid question (but I'm willing to ask it anyways), but what do you mean by "literature"?

As for the "needing it," I need it because I'm always asked by professors, etc. whether or not I play.

Also, Beyond the "I don't want to get into a major rehearsal guessing my part" thing, I really feel like it's something I need for myself. . . It's fantastic! I never thought I could sit in a chair for hours on end and be completely immersed in music if I wasn't singing it. Besides that, it's an entirely different experience. I'm just not gifted in piano and that makes me want to play it more.

[m19834]

I'm just not gifted in piano and that makes me want to play it more.

That seems like an odd thing to say and think !

Anyway, literature is another name for the repertoire written for piano.  I will admit, I can't imagine being a singer who doesn't know how to play the piano; it is certainly a very useful skill when it comes to learning music !

[Essyne]

That seems like an odd thing to say and think !

What do you mean?

[jlh]

Not only for your own enjoyment and ease, but also practically speaking, if you are training to be an opera singer, you will be going off to a conservatory or college BA or BM program, right?  Well virtually all of these programs have some sort of piano proficiency requirement for every music major, including voice.  You'll be required to know how to harmonize and accompany melodies, transpose, know your scales, etc., in order to pass those requirements.  If you are not proficient when you begin your program, you will be required to take a piano class for a number of semesters.  Granted, this is usually beneficial to non-piano majors, but if you can avoid it by playing well at your diagnostic exam, that would be optimal of course...

If I were you I would see if I could convince a knowledgeable piano teacher to sit down with you and find out where you are and where you want to be and give you advice.  Even if you don't take continued lessons with that person, it would be better advice than what a piano forum could give, since we're not there with you...

Good luck!

Josh

[Essyne]

yeah, that's where it gets interesting. . . I want to go to Rice University. I don't mind taking a piano class, but would like to spend my time (and money) on my voice. The college thing is kind of intimidating to me . . . I'm afraid that I got into this too late. My theory is good, but I just freak out when asked to play anything.

Thanks for your help, guys. I really appreciate it.

[m19834]

What do you mean?

Well, I just find it odd that the feeling of being "ungifted" would light a fire in a person and make them *want* to pursue something that they think there is no potential for actually achieving.

[jlh]

The college thing is kind of intimidating to me . . . I'm afraid that I got into this too late. My theory is good, but I just freak out when asked to play anything.

You freak out when asked to play anything probably for the same reason non-singers freak out when asked to sing something... right?  Why do you think that is?  It's a confidance thing more than anything.  If you know you're going to sound good, you won't freak out...

As far as it being too late, well you're only 17.  Sounds like you have a head start on most college freshman I know!

[Essyne]

yeah . . . not many people understand that one - I am first and foremost a singer, but I strive to become masterful at MUSIC. My voice is my primary instrument, but I am passionate about musical expression in any form. . .

EDIT: I was responding to karli 

[m19834]

I am passionate about musical expression in any form. . .

Then I guess music is your primary instrument .

[Essyne]

You freak out when asked to play anything probably for the same reason non-singers freak out when asked to sing something... right?

makes sense, josh. . . it's funny how i've never thought about that before.

[Essyne]

Then I guess music is your primary instrument .

Wow, I like ya'll so much better than the kids in high school

[Essyne]

i like what counterpoint had to say in the teacher's corner of the piano board that falls along the same lines of what you said, josh . . . he said, "I'm convinced, most of the pianistic difficulties are not real difficulties - but we struggle, because we think something is difficult, which otherwise wouldn't be." Obviously, I need technique, but I like his statement

[faulty_damper]

So - - - I am a 17 year old who is studying to be an opera singer, but I NEED piano. I was taking lessons from a former voice teacher, but recently switched studios and now am on my own. I have been playing for only about a year now, and I really don't. know. where. to. start. on my own. I need a teacher, but w/ my schedule it's simply impossible @ the moment. I mostly just review scales/practice all my chords, etc., and play whatever music I'm working on w/ my voice. I still don't feel like I'm doing all that I could be though. I love piano, but am frustrated because I see little kids 1/2 my age playing crazy stuff that I couldn't even begin to plunk out.

Any advice is GREATLY appreciated . . .

So what kind of advice are you looking for?  Are you looking for change?  Change comes from within.  Are you looking to get rice?  Go to the supermarket.  Really, what are you asking for?  Moral support?  Sounds like. To me.

[Essyne]

haha- hardly . . .

I'm not looking for "moral support" I just don't know where I should begin. I know that I should "practice" but it's what I should actually be PRACTICING that's the problem. . . I guess I never really made that clear at all.

[wotgoplunk]

If you're looking at using it as a supplement, you're going to need to get used to technical things as well as musical ones.

So that means you'd need to know how to play scales, arpeggios, harmonizing a melody, transposition, etc.

All the lovely not quite as fun stuff, but the stuff that will help you more in the long run. If you just play pieces, it's not going to provide as much technical benefit as you might need. Of course, don't entirely neglect playing pieces of actual music.

[slobone]

It's hard to advise somebody in your position when you rule out taking lessons right off the bat -- that doesn't leave many options.  As somebody else pointed out, if you're going to be a music major, you're going to have to learn piano at some point, and definitely the earlier the better.

How about this summer? Any chance you could take lessons at least for a couple months? That would move you along a little so it won't be such a chore in college.

Otherwise, since you already know how to read music, why not try to play some easy classics -- Bach 2 and 3 part inventions, Schumann's album for the young, Bartok's Mikrokosmos. And see if somebody publishes an anthology of sonatinas from the classical period -- Mozart, Beethoven, Clementi, Kuhlau.

Beyond that, by all means spend some time learning how to play by ear. Just sit down and try to pick out songs you know, pop songs or whatever, then see if you can come up with the chords that go with them. And obviously try to play as much as you can of whatever accompaniments go with your vocal music.

And good luck! You've got a good head start from your singing. If you ever get to the point with piano of really wanting to sound good, at least you've already learned a lot about phrasing...

[Essyne]

Thanks guys - - - duly noted and greatly appreciated

[guendola]

You won't get anywhere fast if you don't take a teacher. You simply have to find a way to get the time. Practising piano also needs time, where does that come from? Dedicating a bit of your time of practising piano is certainly more efficient than not taking lessons at all.