Timetable?

[SilverLiner]

Hi
I've recently got into classical music and although I've been playing piano on and off since I was a kid I want to take it seriously now and get involved with it (I'm 21 now).
I know a few basic chords but that's about it. I've been trying to play a piece by Chopin for about a year now (piano concerto no.1 in E minor, Op 11 - Romance Larghetto). I fell in love with it when I heard it on The Truman Show and I guess that's my big target. I can play about half a minute of it but I know that it is well out of my reach, since I don't practice any scales or anything, I just launched straight into it.

So I wanted to ask what I should be learning every day? I've just bought some grade 1 and 2 books with some scales and arpeggios in and so I've sat down with them tonigt. How much should I set aside for exercises and then practicing pieces (tho going for something a bit easier than Chopin!). Apologies if this has been brought up millions of times before. I just want to kind of set myself up a strict timetable to know what I'm doing and keep to it. I'd really appreciate any tips or advice.

Thanks  

[comme_le_vent]

getting a teacher is the best method for most people.

without having a teacher you must, in order to achieve a good standerd of playing, have a very intuitive mind, and a natural grasp and understanding of piano technique and sight reading.
also general advice for anyone - get as many good piano instruction books as you can, and amass an enviable knowledge on all things piano...

i also love that piece, did you know there is a solo piano transcription by balakirev? i prefer it to the original.
hamelin has made a superb recording of it too, i recommend it wholeheartedly.

[donjuan]

i also love that piece, did you know there is a solo piano transcription by balakirev? i prefer it to the original.
hamelin has made a superb recording of it too, i recommend it wholeheartedly.

Hi comme_le_vent,
WOW!! really? where can I get the sheet music and the recording?
donjuan

[bernhard]

Comme le vent is right: a teacher will be a great help.

However, with or without a teacher, you should be aiming not only at playing a specific piece, but at having a well rounded musical education.

You will need to train yourself (or be trained) at least in the following major areas:

1.      Sight-reading

The best reference I came across is Howard Richman’s “Super sight reading secrets” (Sound feelings). Just follow the suggested course in the book.

2.      Ear training

An excellent step-by step course is given in : Colin Aston – How to play by ear correctly (39 Church Way, Longdon, Rugeley, Staffs, UK)

3.      Theory and harmony

You will need that to figure out how music works. Three very approachable references are:

Eric Taylor - The AB guide to music theory (ABRSM – 2 vols.)
Robert Jacobs – Understanding harmony (Oxford University Press)
Ward Cannel & Fred Marx – How to play the piano despite years of lessons (Chappell)

4.      Technique

Try Seymour Fink – Mastering piano technique (Amadeus). Make sure you get the accompanying video.

And Gyorgy Sandor  - On playing the piano (Schirmer).

If you find these a bit advanced (buy them anyway, you will need them eventually), a good beginner’s primer is

Seymour Bernstein – 20 lessons in keyboard choreography (Hal Leonard)

5.      Repertory

Acquiring technique and learning theory is not that time consuming actually. A determined individual with correct guidance should be able to master everything in one – two years. What really takes time – especially at the beginning – is the acquisition of repertory. So, from the very start you must familiarise yourself with as much of the piano repertory as possible. In the beginning this means listening to a lot of CDs, surfing the net and reading Piano forum! Eventually you want to start getting the scores for your favourite pieces and sight read through them, as well as have a systematic plan to learn them. Consider this: if you learn five pieces a year (a very under ambitious goal), at the end of 25 five years (you will be 46) you will have 125 pieces in your repertory! Alfred Brendel in an interview said his repertory was around 150 pieces. And he is in his seventies!

Also, 90% of the piano repertory is actually not that difficult to play. So make sure that your pieces follow a reasonable progression in terms of difficulty: amongst your favourites, learn the easy ones first.

Add to that composition and improvisation later on.

Make a long term plan (what you want to achieve in say, 5 years time), then map what you will need to accomplish in a medium term (months) and short term basis (weeks/days) that will add up to you long term goals. Then be very consistent about it.

I hope this helps.

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[comme_le_vent]

you can get the recording on hamelin's live at wigmore hall cd.

i dont have the sheet music, id imagine ed has it though, he has just about eveyr piece ever, go bug him!

[SilverLiner]

Thanks everyone for your replies, and thanks Bernhard for such a lengthy reply

It looks like a teacher is the best way to go. And I'm glad I'm not the only one who loves that Chopin piece