Best way to get started

[veiled_aiel]

First of all, hey everyone!  Great board you've got here, lots of resources for an aspiring piano player.  I just bought a keyboard today, which is currently in the mail.  I have been wanting to learn piano for a while, and finally took the leap!  I was browsing around the student forum to get ideas of how to start, but almost all the topics seemed to be for people already learning, so I hope it is ok to post this (I know how touchy some forums can be).  I know having a tutor would be the best way to go about learning, but right now I am unable to do that due to time and money restraints.  I was wondering if there was a general consensus of a good book series to use to learn with.  I have a basic knowledge of music theory, but may as well be considered a complete neophyte.  I am mostly interested in playing classical music, so a program geared towards that style of play would be good, and something that moves at a decent pace as well (I consider myself a quick learner, and have the awful tendency of getting bored if something easy to understand takes too much time).  So yes, sorry if that is still too vague, but I was really hoping to get a recommendation or two of the best book to get.  I am open to all suggestions, and more than happy to answer any questions. Oh, and I am 23 if that adds to the book selection.  Thanks a lot, and I look forward to your replies!

[jimbo320]

Veiled,
Welcome to the forum. What kind of keyboard did you get?
I have been teaching myself for around two years now. I play a keyboard too. Money, time and space are my constraints also.
Here's a few websites that might help you get started....
https://www.pianonanny.com/
https://www.piano-lessons-central.com/

Good luck...

Musically, Jimbo

[bleicher]

By keyboard do you mean an electronic keyboard or a digital piano? Electronic keyboard is a different instrument with a different way of playing from piano, whereas a digital piano is an attempt to get an electronic instrument that is as close as possible to a real piano. Trying to learn the piano on the electronic keyboard isn't very satisfactory as the weight and size of the keys is different and they don't all have a sustain pedal. Personally I think in these situations it's better to learn to play the keyboard with keyboard books and switch to piano when you've got a real or digital piano.

[veiled_aiel]

Jimbo,
Thanks a lot for the sites, I am excited to take a look at them, and am sure there are tons of good resources there.  I bought a Yamaha DGX-300, not the greatest thing I know, but I got it for under $100, and it had everything I needed.

Bleicher,
I mean keyboard, not a piano unfortunately, those were way outside of my budget.  I would much rather have one, but must work with what I have.  I am fine learning keyboard instead of piano, honestly all I really want is to be able to play a variety of classical pieces, and have a new hobby.  I don't plan on recitals or anything like that, just something for myself.  But like I said, learning keyboard is fine by me, do you know of any good classical keyboard books you would recommend?

Thanks for the replies guys, I would love to hear more.

[bleicher]

The only tutor book I've used is the Complete Keyboard Player. I don't think it's brilliant but I don't know any others very well so I can't make a particular recommendation: I'd be interested to hear from others on this.

EK isn't really a classical instrument but most books will contain a mixture of pop songs and keyboard arrangements of well-known classical tunes. I was quite involved in the latest electronic keyboard syllabus for Trinity Guildhall and the books contain some pop arrangements, some classical arrangements and some new pieces written for the syllabus.

One big difference between piano and EK is the left hand: with piano the left hand is written like the right hand except using bass clef instead of treble. With EK the right hand plays from staff notation in treble clef, while the left hand reads chord symbols and plays the notes of a chord, and the keyboard fills in the accompaniment from that. If you are learning EK with a view to switching to piano later on, I would recommend that you learn to read bass clef and include some piano pieces in your study so that you learn to use the left hand 'piano-style'. Learning 'keyboard-style' left hand will still be useful as it means that you learn about chords.

Good luck!

[veiled_aiel]

Actually, I just found a guy at one of the music schools in town that can do lessons at the price and time I need!  He works off of Alfred's Piano Course, and pulls pieces out of other books too, does that sound good?  And will having the lessons on the piano and practicing on my own during the week on my keyboard be ok?  Thanks again for all the help.

[bleicher]

Many teachers won't teach you if you only have an electronic keyboard to practise on and not a real/digital piano, but it's worth asking. It's always better to learn with a teacher than trying to do it on your own. Good luck!

[ongaku_oniko]

depends on where you are, and how seriously you're studying the piano.

Most teachers here in canada don't care, because they're amateur themselves. You wouldn't be looking for a private teacher if you wanted to go pro. Thus it doesn't really matter if you have areal piano or not (of course it's better)

heck one of my teachers started teaching at lvl 6 piano RCME, which is like lvl 4 ARBSM or whatever the other system is called.

[jimbo320]

Some of you are reading the wrong books. lol
Don't listen to them. The key notes are the same on whichever you play on. The difference is in the action. Nothing new there, anybody can figure that out.
Of course an acoustic sounds better. Duh! But not everyone can afford one. All the money I have tied up in equipment probably could by a grand, but then all I would have is one piano. Try lugging that around.
Everybody's tastes and needs differ and the only one to really please is yourself so do what you need and be your best.
That's the bottom line, be the best you can....

Musically, Jimbo