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[pies]

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[goalevan]

https://www.sheetmusicarchive.net - best free sheet music site
https://www.musictheory.net/ - good music theory site, with some good exercises
https://members.aol.com/Mccc8888/chapter1.htm - Chuan C. Chang's book "Fundamentals of Piano Practice" free online. Personally this book helped me a lot.

and of course this site is a great resource

good luck

[pies]

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[pies]

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[donjuan]

..and how long do you people think it will take me to get to the level where i can play lizst's hungarian rhapsody #2? that's my goal as of now.

I tried Hungarian Rhapsody #2 before I was ready for it, and the result wasn't too good--I couldn't play it with a steady rhythm, my hands became tired, and certain passages were permanently choppy.  that was 2 years ago, and I plan to try it out again this year.  I actually was in a situation similar to your own.  I quit Piano for 3 years, and I started agian when I discovered how much I love Liszt's music.  

If you try Hungarian Rhapsody #2 now, you will probably be disappointed with the result as I was.  To work yourself up to it, I suggest you play works of Liszt less demanding.  My first work of Liszt I successfully completed was Liebestraume No.3 (VERY popular).  I then moved on to various Chopin works (eg. Polonaise Op.53), Brahms intermezzi, BACK to more Liszt (what I am doing RIGHT now) with works like Un Sospiro, Grand Galop Chromatique (which didn't turn out too well), Transcendental Etude No.1, Sonetto 104 del Petrarca, Les Jeux deu ala villa d'Este, Tarantella, La leggierezza, Soirees de Vienne No.6, among others.  I do these pieces because I want to be able to play Hungarian Rhapsody #2 some day- and when I do, I want to succeed.

Don't jump into the Rhapsody right now.  Get the feeling of the piano back...wait...pies, what kind of piano do you have- upright, Grand, digital?

When I first attempted the Rhapsody, I had a Yamaha Upright.  Now, I have a Yamaha Grand.  In my opinion, to play Liszt well, you need a piano that can physically handle a beating.  
donjuan

[donjuan]

thanks

can someone explain to me how to practice piano scales? my old teacher never taught me how to

wow, what a crappy teacher...The best way is to buy a technique book like Hanon's "The Virtuoso Pianist".  Many people don't approve of the methods, but you will find fingering for every scale imaginable.  Liszt's book of exercises is also pretty good because every technical scenario is there and will be practiced without you even knowing it..
donjuan

[pies]

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[pies]

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[donjuan]

could you  explain to me what a scale is? sorry about how stupid i am when it comes to this.

It sounds like you also need a theory book- I have Barbara Wharram's book "Elementary Rudiments of Music", which helps me understand musical notations, rhythm, various key signatures, etc...

However, I'll tell you what a scale is.  As you know, there are seven main tones on the piano. (C,D,E,F,G,A,B). When moving from any note to the adjacent note, you are doing a "half-step".  When you skip the adjacent note and go to the next one, you did a "whole-step".  For example, If you play a C, and then play a C#, you did a half step.  If you play C, and then D, you did a whole step.

In major scales, you begin on the tonic note of any key signature (Eg. if you are in C Major, begin on C), and progress up the keyboard with Whole, Whole, Half, Whole, Whole, Whole, Half.  By now, you should land on the same Tonic note an octave higher.  For example, take a C scale.  You would play (C,D,E,F,G,A,B,C).  Let me know if you are still confused.  It would be easier for you if you bought a theory book to explain these things rather than asking about them on the forum.  Barbara Wharram's book includes pictures and exercises for you to do.
I hope I helped,
donjuan    

[pies]

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[Antnee]

Pies...

you really do need to know the basics like scales an such before attempting too difficult of pieces. Knowing you rscales and being ablw to play them decently makes it mmuch easier to understand pieces. I definitely recommend you follow donjuan's advice and get a book to help you out.  

When you do understand what a scale is and what it's used for, here's a thread dealing with how to practice them.
                    https://www.pianoforum.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=stud;action=display;num=1079372061;start=11

-Tony-

[donjuan]

I don't fully understand....
Does Amazon.com have any of these theory books? How much do they cost?

It's ok. If I was in your position and read what I wrote, I probably wouldn't get it either.  Theory books are VERY common.  I only buy stuff off the internet if it is absolutely impossible to get it anywhere else.  Visit your local music store - they will have something.

but, if you really do want to buy stuff off amazon- go ahead, if you don't mind waiting indefinately.  It took them two months to finally ship Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsodies...

ohh, I was rereading your first post.  maybe you should stop being so cheap and get a decent teacher...think about it
donjuan
donjuan  

[pies]

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[donjuan]

I found a book! it's called the 'Piano Chord Dictionary'. it seems to have every chord.

i don't have the time, transportation, or money for lessons, i'm not that well off  

sorry for calling you cheap :-/.  Well, just make sure you get enough practice on the upright.  You will have great difficulty playing with evenly strengthed tones on the digital.  If your mom complains- wait, I hope you don't have the television in the same room as the upright, because that would just SUCK!!- anyway,,, If your mom cares about you and your interests, she should let you practice when you need to.  I had the same problem with my sister...she goes to university and is always studying,, she can't go to her room to study, she's so STUBBORN.  Yet, she refuses to let me play when she is studying- which can be a LONG time.  What we did is disscuss and plan when I would be able to practice.  Now I practice when she is in the shower, eating, or watching TV.  When she is studying, I type on the forum, do homework, etcetc...
donjuan  
p.s. good luck with the book.  I'm sure it will do just fine.

[bernhard]

thanks

can someone explain to me how to practice piano scales? my old teacher never taught me how to

There are several threads in the forum about scales and how to practise them.

Try this one:

https://www.pianoforum.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=stud;action=display;num=1079372061

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[pies]

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[donjuan]

practicing scales is such a pain  :-/
what's the point of practicing them anyways?

I thought the exact same thing.  some people practice scales for hours everyday.  I believe you should only do it to understand key signatures and fingering patterns.  There is no need to practice them over and over again like Bart Simpson doing lines on a chaulk board..

unless you want exercises (exhausting, painful, tedius, frustrating, that is..), understanding the notes is enough.  Now get back to working on Hungarian Rhap.2!  This might help- In that rhapsody, the key changes throughout...practice only the scales involved. (eg. begin with a c#minor scale..)
donjuan

[pies]

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[donjuan]

For Joplin, you might want to look at maple leaf rag- not too difficult, and it should prepare you for the bravura aspects of Liszt.

[mark1]

just take your time! Good luck                      mark