Is my progression good?!

[sina_eftekhari]

Hi everyone,

Its my first post in this forum,

Im 22 and I've started playing piano 4 month ago and
right now Im at lesson 65 of beyer and 20 of Czerny(op 599).
considering my age, what do you think about this rate of learning? and as another question what would be my grade after finishing this two books?   
Im realy sorry for my awful english, its a long time Iv not written anything in english! 

thanks.

[shortyshort]

Hello, and welcome.

Sorry, but finishing a book does not give you a grade.
Don't worry about grades unless you are taking them.
Just enjoy your playing and progress.

Also, your English is not bad at all, much better than some.

[sina_eftekhari]

Thanks for your reply shortyshort,
unfortunately we dont take grades here, so I have to estimate my grade somhow.
any opinion?
thanks

[shortyshort]

I'm sure if you post a list of Pieces that you can play, someone will make a guess for you.

However, 4 months is not very long, so I don't know.

[rc]

Why worry about grades?  the only reason I did anything with the grades was because I've been told it would help my application for the university music program (though, it seems my highschool math classes don't count so I have to upgrade, go figure).

I think that having grades on the mind is more of an obstacle to progress.  Wouldn't it be easier to just focus on sounding good and always working at your weaknesses?

The other day I was watching a video of Hamelin playing these amazing virtuoso pieces, I thought "what I would give to be able to do that"...  But then I had to think too of my modest achievements, and that even if I couldn't get up on a stage and perform a Godowsky etude, I could at least get up and make a Bach sinfonia sound good and give people enjoyment.  Further, a beginner could get up and play easy pieces in a beautiful way and give people enjoyment.

So, it's good to always be working hard to be able to play more difficult pieces, but I think it's also important not to become unhappy or discouraged over what we aren't yet able to do, but to have an attitude of sounding good at whatever level we may be at.  I've heard a lot of young kids play easy pieces with such great expression that I enjoy it just as much as some virtuoso performance.

[sina_eftekhari]

rc, thanks for your reply.
  yes Your right, I think its very important to have a good musicality even in performing simple pieces. I knew many players who had a unblievable speed and Technique and unfortunatly very poor musicality(what we call "feeling" here). so Im completely familiar with this problem and I care about playing expressively. I just wanted to see if my progression is normal and well... maybe it was wrong to ask this question.
 thanks very much for you nice comment. 

[pianochick93]

Studies like Czerny are perhaps not the best thing to be graded on. Have a look at some early Mozart or some easy Bach/Beethoven and get started learning those.
For you having just been learning 4 months, and having the discipline to just play studies...You've got my respect, studies bore me.

[sina_eftekhari]

well, studies and etudes dont make me bored just because I had experiences with my previous instrument that serve me as an example now. I didnt practice regulary and once I decided to begin practice I waste most of time improvising, playing beatiful pieces I learnt before,... in one word I hadnt a purposeful practice.
anyway, right now Im intended to try bach Invention No. 1 . I tried its first measures ,also it wasnt very easy for me but I know I can do it, of course I know my musicality is much worse than an experienced pianist! 
but I think its better to inform my teacher about doing that first, do you agree?
after I could play it I would take a record and upload it here.
thanks.

[guidofellini]

Excellent idea ! Bach is the best for technique (much better than Czerny or Hanon, in my opinion, but maybe that's just me). The inventions are delightful pieces. As a matter of fact, I'm working on these too. Have fun and good luck.

[keypeg]

Pianochick, in what way is it adviseable for someone who has been playing for four months to start playing Bach and Beethoven?

[gyzzzmo]

Firstly, go have fun in playing and study your weaknesses instead of worrying about grades

For keypeg: Bach's inventions are quite good for somebody's technique.

[thierry13]

Pianochick, in what way is it adviseable for someone who has been playing for four months to start playing Bach and Beethoven?

What your point, it's too early? I don't think so, four months looks more than enough to me.

[keypeg]

I have no point, I'm asking. 

[pianochick93]

Pianochick, in what way is it adviseable for someone who has been playing for four months to start playing Bach and Beethoven?

I did say some of the easier stuff.
And personally, I find Bach and Beethoven more interesting that studies.

[keypeg]

Thanks, Pianochick.  Basically I was wondering whether this was something you recommended for a particular purpose, and if what the asker was currently doing was considered not to be a good thing.  I'm playing Czerny too, which is why I wondered.

So basically, because you enjoy some of these pieces and find studies boring, you thought the asker might enjoy them too and enrich his experience.

[pianochick93]

So basically, because you enjoy some of these pieces and find studies boring, you thought the asker might enjoy them too and enrich his experience.

Yeah, that's pretty much it.

[keypeg]

That's good enough reason for me, then.