I've been playing for 4 years, what should i be able to play by now?

[aeon135]

I've been playing the piano for about four years now and I'd like some advice on what I should be able to play by now
- I am self taught
- a play about an hour a day, but not in one sitting
- I'm mostly interested in contemporary piano (al le Philip Glass)
- I am well behind on sheet music skills

So if someone could point me to a peice on youtube that might tell me if I'm as good as I should be I'd be very grateful.

[coffee_guy]

Just because you played for 4 years does not mean you should be at a certain place. It all depends of your influences and time spent on the keyboard. 1 hour a day is not really that much. Many beginners play 4-6 hours daily and would surpass your time spent on keyboard within one year. I am not saying you are not good, you may be amazing for all I know, just putting it into perspective.
 
If you want to find out your level this is what you can do. You have been playing for 4 years, 1 year per grade (slightly lofty but feasible.) Go buy an ABRSM grade 4 book and check out the equivalent syllabus. If you can do all the stuff and play all the songs quickly buy a grade 5 book, if you can't do any of it, go buy the grade 3 book and do the same. You will quickly find out where you are are.

[kellyc]

hi , record yourself playing and post it . Then it would be possible to give you an answer that actually  might be of help.

Kelly

[aeon135]

Kelly: I haven't got any equipment necessary to record, which is a shame because I don't know any pianists personally so my work has never been scrutinised by someone who knows their stuff.

. Many beginners play 4-6 hours daily and would surpass your time spent on keyboard within one year.

That's somewhat shocking and hard to believe

I've been looking at the grade 4 pieces on the AMRSM site and I'm currently learning "Blues" by Hengeveld, so far it's been a rewarding piece to learn, not too easy not too hard. So perhaps I'm at grade 4

[sausagefingers]

If you can play without hurting yourself ,your progressing and your enjoying why worry?

Im not saying start attempting the "Rach 3" or to be content playing chopsticks but it took me a long time to realise that music is not a competition, let passion motivate you to a standard at which you think your communicating with yourself and other people.

Im not trying to say "achievements" and "goals" are'nt a good thing but they can swallow up the important things if you worry about them too much.

At the moment Im learning the Bach C minor invention , I play it too slow, I cant play trills properly, I have bad posture, my piano is old and has been treated saliciously throughout its life, but it still sounds beautiful to me and that means more than any praise or compliment I can think of.