Absolute(almost) Beginner

[Kilgore_Trout]

Ok guys, I'm sure this question has been asked before but here it is.  I am a complete beginner to the land of the piano.  Actually, I do not even have mine yet--I'll be unwrapping it tomorrow morning.  I know it's a Casio AL, but I'm not sure the model number.  Anyway, on to the important question:  I'm interested in knowing the most efficient ways to practice, yielding the quickest results.  I have been playing guitar for 7 years, so obviously I know that the only way to get good results quick is to practice, practice, and practice (with the occasional bathroom break).  I am sure I can transpose a few of my guitar exersises to the piano world: chromatic runs (4 notes, 3 notes, and 2 notes); arpeggio practice.  But guitar is a majorly different instrument, and I am sure I will be leaving a number of important techniques out.

I know that the next best step would be to find a good teacher, and this will be happening in the near future.  However, time and money don't allow for that at the moment, so this has to be it.  I'm sure I can manage on my own for a while.  

So what I'm basically asking is for advice on a practice routine.  What would you guys be doing if you could go back to being an absolute beginner and practice (I'm willing to put in several hours of practice a day).  

Thanks in advance for the help guys--

Thom

[Kilgore_Trout]

After surfing around the forums, I've realized just how many times my question has been answered, so I don't need too much information here.  I've been to the site mentioned being very good for proper practicing: https://members.aol.com/chang8828/contents.htm, and found it completely helpful.  It mentions that I should just get started learning some songs.  But I'm wondering if I should also be doing maybe SOME exercises besides just trying to learn a song.  I mean, I am a complete beginner so pretty much learning any song seems like a daunting task.  Also, the piano that I got (Casio AL-105), is able to take in midi files and show me how to play them by lighting up the keys.  I Think this is completely helpful, but I'm wondering if I should use this feature to learn songs, or should I just try to figure them out myself by reading the notation.  The notation route seems to be taking longer, but I'm thinking it will probably pay off in the end.  What do you guys think?

Thom

[ludwig]

Hey Kilgore_Trout,

     Welcome to the forum, hey that's a pretty cool function of your piano. Its a synthesizer right? Not just a keyboard? I'm all new ta this. Does that mean you could feed it any midi file and it'll light up the right keys on the keyboard for you? And this midi is on just a plain disk? Anyways, I do believe in notation reading, its a lot useful later on, also for understanding music. Its just like understanding another language, you would want to be able to read, write, and speak that language. Anyways, enjoy your stay here.

[Kilgore_Trout]

Yeah I agree with you about that.  It's like looking in the back of your math book to do your algebra homework, or using a calculator.  Anyway, I was mistaken about that function--it can't take in any midi and light the keys up for me.  It can take a midi file and play it for me and I can break it down into sections though which is extremely helpful.  And also there is a library of over 100 songs that do light up--plus it came with the notation book.  It's not a synthesizer--it doesn't have the modulation knobs and buttons to tweak the sound wave, but it has different sound functions like Strings, Grand Piano, Guitar, Bass, Clav, Harpsichord--you know all the basics.  But it sounds really clean.  Thanks for the welcome.