"Starter Chopin Etudes.

[chopinlover96]

What Chopin etudes are good for your first Chopin Etude(i.e easiest)?

Thanks

[philb]

The easiest (I would think) is op. 25 no. 2, Op. 25 no 1 is the best starting point imo.

[ajspiano]

...the perpetual question.

While some may be easier than others the point remains that they are all hard.

Which one is easiest is dependent on the individual performer.

Even if you can ascertain which is easiest for you, it will still be hard. Just play the one you like most and accept that its going to be a big effort to learn it which ever one it is.

[pianoplayjl]

The ideal easy etudes for study before the harder ones are the trois nouvelles etudes. Out of the oopus 10 and 25 sets of etudes, the easiest one I think would be opus 10 no 6 in E flat minor which is sort of like a polyphonic study. op 25 no 1 is a good etude but much harder than op 25 no 2. The next etude ideal for study after opus 10/6 is op 25/9 i.e. butterfly etude. Just becuase one etude is dipabrsm standard and another lrsm standard doesn't mean the lrsm standard etud eis harder because all etudes focus one a particular technique and perhaps a student has mastery over the technique.

JL

[49410enrique]

...the perpetual question.

While some may be easier than others the point remains that they are all hard.

Which one is easiest is dependent on the individual performer.

Even if you can ascertain which is easiest for you, it will still be hard. Just play the one you like most and accept that its going to be a big effort to learn it which ever one it is.

oooh sooo correct!

i'd only add that, why would you want to study the 'easiest' one (that is the least challenging to you)?  i guess if your goal is to not progress or improve technically or grow musically then yeah look for the one that requires the least amount of work....though i've yet to see how one would not be a better pianist after struggling and overcoming the challenges posed by these works, i have trouble wrapping my head around using 'what will require the least of me' attitude in choosing one of these for repertoire study.

[chopinlover96]

oooh sooo correct!

i'd only add that, why would you want to study the 'easiest' one (that is the least challenging to you)?  i guess if your goal is to not progress or improve technically or grow musically then yeah look for the one that requires the least amount of work....though i've yet to see how one would not be a better pianist after struggling and overcoming the challenges posed by these works, i have trouble wrapping my head around using 'what will require the least of me' attitude in choosing one of these for repertoire study.

Yes i agree with the fact that in shoudn't pick and easy or unchallenging etude to study but im also aware that alot of the etudes are currently well beyond my level as a pianist and would be far difficult for me to learn right now.

[49410enrique]

Yes i agree with the fact that in shoudn't pick and easy or unchallenging etude to study but im also aware that alot of the etudes are currently well beyond my level as a pianist and would be far difficult for me to learn right now.

oh cool   understood.

hmm i really can't think of any to suggest as a 'starter' etude per se since i really believe from experience they are all amongst some of the  most difficult works written for our instrument.

my suggestion to you is study the score with good recordings, make note of the ones that speak to you musically and get you really excited. then
1. if you have a piano teacher consult them first.
2. if solo/on your own begin working it and give it about 30 days of honest study if after that month you are no where near to even beginning to some progress and you're frustrated then simply file that a s a future project.  you can still learn a thing or two by spending some time with a new work even if you do not take it to completion for now.

also this very topic is being unpacked in another section of the boards, see the very good breakdown given in that thread
https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php?topic=40982.0