Very Late Beginner

[RappinPhil]

Hey guys, I'm 17, been playing for about 7 months. Right now I'm learning Raindrop Prelude at my own behest. I'm entering my last year of highschool, with the specter of college looming just over the horizon, I'm beginning to worry about how college will affect my piano. Will I be able to effectivily continue my desire to become a skilled and competent (dare I say virtuoso) player? Some advice would be appreciated, for I fear the weight of college will bury my chances.

Oh, and one more thing. Since I'm starting late, its easy to fall into that pit of playing a pretty song, but pretty much sucking in terms of all mechanical abilities which screw you over in the long run. If I want to become a sound player, what advice do you have to achieve this goal? Thanks

[goalevan]

I started playing piano this year, as a freshman at a major university and I can tell you 100% - if you have a genuine interest in the piano, a university is not a bad place to be at all, you can make the most of it. Go to the music building and use their practice pianos, or invest in a portable keyboard for your room. Visit the library for sheet music and recordings. Take a piano course at the music college. I never had a problem keeping my interest and practicing while living on campus, and doubt you will either. Good luck

[donjuan]

Learning to play the piano is never a bad thing.  You will enjoy it, and it will enrich you in everything you do.  I found it helped my memory, logic, math, aesthetic awareness, and ability to make quick decisions.  So, it is quite possible piano will help your college studies.  As for the last question, you are the only one who can really answer it.  How to improve and be more consistent is different for everyone- I am far from reaching that point.  Only very good teachers know how to teach you to find a way of improving that works for you and you alone.  and I believe the Raindrop prelude is impressive for someone who has only been playing 7 months.  

Ill be honest with you- It would be quite miraculous for you to have a career as a concert pianist, but you still have the potential for a career involving music, like being a music teacher, or maybe a musicologist.  

What are you planning on studying in college?  What career path are you leaning toward?

Stay motivated,
donjuan  

[Clare]

I played piano all through my rather demanding architecture degree, up to three or four hours a day (except in the scary bits when everything was due and I'd have to stay up four nights in a row). I was always hanging around the music library at university instead of studying. As soon as I finished my last exam, I auditioned for a music course, and now six months later, I'm working as an architect but doing music majoring in piano part-time. I can still find time to practice four hours a day, though I have basically no spare money.

I found that even though a degree like architecture is extremely time-consuming, if you don't have to work as well there will be sufficient spare time for piano practice. Think of all those obscenely giant slabs of vacation you get! Yay!

Answering your second question, I'd say learn the pieces you really want to, but at the same time give yourself a very solid musical grounding. I remember when I was younger, I would play everything the teacher told me to play, but I would always have secret pieces or compositions I'd be working on. I still kind of have the same system - I will practice all the pieces required for my exams, but I will always spend about half an hour every day playing whatever I feel like learning. I think that's important, whoever you are.

[donjuan]

I dont see why you have to keep secret pieces from your teacher, though...

[Clare]

Oh, no - secret pieces is a bad idea! I only used to do it because my old teacher was terrible and didn't know how to teach properly. I just meant you should always be trying out new things on your own. They of course shouldn't be secret things though.

[Motrax]

Spring the secret pieces out at crucial moments when you want to bargain later! I learned a Scarlatti Sonata, a Brahms Rhapsody, a Rachmaninoff Prelude, and the 3rd Movement of the Moonlight in secret. It's always fun to come to a lesson and just pour out some music your teacher's never heard you play.

[RappinPhil]

Yeah lol that's exactly what I want to do. Just surprise the socks out of the old man (bless his soul)

[RappinPhil]

Hm I think I forgot to click post or something (it's late)

DonJaun, I am thinking of majoring in History.

And Clare, I also share a that technique you use. The prelude I spoke of is it. I am only trying to hold back my excitment at showing him what I've learned!

[RappinPhil]

Oh yeah, I dont really have any ambitions to make a career out of it. Just something I'm passionate about, but realistic in terms of ablilty and time.

Thanks Donjaun for the compliment, but I wouldn't be so sure! Right now I am practicing the C Major scale in my Hannon book, which shows I have not gotten that far.  

[jbmajor]

Remember that all major/minor scales are dependent on their intervals, which are the same for each.  So if you know C major, just apply the intervals of half steps(2-2-1-2-2-2-1)to all the other major scales; the same goes for the minors(2-1-2-2-1-2-2).   Have fun.