Self taught pianists Opinion ?

[pianojohnw]

Hi I am a self taught pianist ive been playing the piano for 4 years and I cannot read music notation I am a late starter and started playing the piano at age of 18 I am now 22, I learnt the piano not by playing other peoples music but started playing my own. Ive composed over 60 pieces and love the piano, What do people thing of this ? and how do people view me as a self taught pianist? ive heard alot of people also say that someone who has been playing the piano since a young age eg 4 will always be better and have a more natural technique than a late starter eg some who started the piano at 18. Ive also heard people say that a late starter couldnt become a concert pianist as there technique wouldnt be good enough, although I dont want to be a concert pianist and just want to be a composer, I would disagree with this, what you opinions on this ? heres a link to a few of my pieces would love peoples opinions on me as well

https://soundcloud.com/john_wilson-1/john-wilson

[werq34ac]

It would be worth your while to learn to read music. I mean, you can't do everything by ear, and it's worth playing pieces by the greats (Chopin, Liszt, Beethoven, Rachmaninoff). Also, if you're going to be a composer, you're going to need to be able to write down your music in order to show someone else.

As for the late start, the only reason kids who start at 4 have an edge over kids who start at 18 is just plain practice. I've heard that it takes about 10000 hours of practice to get good at anything. Some kids already have achieved this at age 18. Though it's not only practice that makes you good. There has to be some level of talent and some meaning behind the countless hours of practice. Meaningless practice might as well not be practice at all.

As for your 4 years of experience, Keep in mind that those 4 years will be much more different than the first 4 years of a 4 year old. You are able to focus and dedicate yourself while 4 year olds usually need a little.. parental help.

Anyway, pretty good considering you are self-taught. But there is a LOT you can learn from a teacher. It would be worth your while to learn to read music and find a teacher.

[sevencircles]

Leopold Godowsky did ony have  2 months of formal training I believe and Brendel is mostly autodidact as well.

Brendel and even more Godowsky are/were extremely talented though most people need a good teacher.

[jesc]

For classical performance (piano) I also suggest a teacher.

Also, I know of someone who started maybe 17 on the piano and was able to progress further just as anyone with a degree in music (actually he graduated with honors IIRC, last time I saw him he plays a lot better than I do and I started somewhere 13 yrs).

I don't entirely agree with the people you've mentioned saying about what cannot be done.

[freepianosheetmusic101]

Just watched one of your videos - wow, very nice indeed, and I reckon pretty good technique as well (as far as a jazz pianist can judge!).

Erroll Garner couldn't read music and he was a piano genius. IMO if you love playing, then keep doing what you're doing - playing, composing and enjoying the music.

There may come a time when you want to get into the music of the great composers, so learning to read music may be useful to do this... However, my mother teaches a student who learns Rachmaninov preludes just by listening to them... always an option!

Sounds great - powerful stuff and beautiful compositions.

[pianojohnw]

Just watched one of your videos - wow, very nice indeed, and I reckon pretty good technique as well (as far as a jazz pianist can judge!).

Erroll Garner couldn't read music and he was a piano genius. IMO if you love playing, then keep doing what you're doing - playing, composing and enjoying the music.

There may come a time when you want to get into the music of the great composers, so learning to read music may be useful to do this... However, my mother teaches a student who learns Rachmaninov preludes just by listening to them... always an option!

Sounds great - powerful stuff and beautiful compositions.

Thanks for your post really happy you liked my pieces, yes Ive heard of erroll Garner he was a jazz pianist if I remember correctly was he self taught as well ?

[pianojohnw]

It would be worth your while to learn to read music. I mean, you can't do everything by ear, and it's worth playing pieces by the greats (Chopin, Liszt, Beethoven, Rachmaninoff). Also, if you're going to be a composer, you're going to need to be able to write down your music in order to show someone else.

As for the late start, the only reason kids who start at 4 have an edge over kids who start at 18 is just plain practice. I've heard that it takes about 10000 hours of practice to get good at anything. Some kids already have achieved this at age 18. Though it's not only practice that makes you good. There has to be some level of talent and some meaning behind the countless hours of practice. Meaningless practice might as well not be practice at all.

As for your 4 years of experience, Keep in mind that those 4 years will be much more different than the first 4 years of a 4 year old. You are able to focus and dedicate yourself while 4 year olds usually need a little.. parental help.

Anyway, pretty good considering you are self-taught. But there is a LOT you can learn from a teacher. It would be worth your while to learn to read music and find a teacher.

Yes I am considering to read music, it could allow me to write down my composition in notation or compose for orchestras.

[fleetfingers]

I enjoyed your recordings - you are very talented. The composing and technique are both good. How can you remember all of that without writing it down?  You say you don't read music, but have you learned music theory? Have you learned composition basics? If not, I think you may already be following them instinctively (I don't know, because I don't compose and don't have an extensive knowledge of music theory - it's just that your compositions sound "right"). It sounds like you are playing whatever pleases your ear, and it certainly makes for good music. At least I enjoyed it. Please share more!

[werq34ac]

Yes I am considering to read music, it could allow me to write down my composition in notation or compose for orchestras.

Ah, since you are going to compose, it might also be worth your while to study some music theory and maybe some orchestration if you haven't already. I mean you could be composing instinctively but it's a bit like groping around in the dark then isn't it?

[ted]

Yes but you appear to be a born creator of music, not just a self-taught pianist, and therefore you are different at the outset.

I tend to think that whatever you do, the creative facility you already have should be kept paramount because it is much rarer than a knowledge of the things normally taught - theory, technique, repertoire, reading and writing and so on. Many thousands of people can learn and do all those things extremely well, but only a tiny fraction of them can do the sort of thing you can.

I say investigate anything and everything you can at your age because you have many years ahead of you. Listen widely and learn as broadly as your means allow, from the best people available to you, but always as a subsidiary and an enrichment of your core drive to create. All the technical learning in the world cannot replace that, it is very precious, and will become even more important as you get older.

If you need technical help, physical or musical, then get it, but be sure you absorb it and it doesn't absorb you.   

[pianoplunker]

Hi I am a self taught pianist ive been playing the piano for 4 years and I cannot read music notation I am a late starter and started playing the piano at age of 18 I am now 22, I learnt the piano not by playing other peoples music but started playing my own. Ive composed over 60 pieces and love the piano, What do people thing of this ? and how do people view me as a self taught pianist? ive heard alot of people also say that someone who has been playing the piano since a young age eg 4 will always be better and have a more natural technique than a late starter eg some who started the piano at 18. Ive also heard people say that a late starter couldnt become a concert pianist as there technique wouldnt be good enough, although I dont want to be a concert pianist and just want to be a composer, I would disagree with this, what you opinions on this ? heres a link to a few of my pieces would love peoples opinions on me as well

https://soundcloud.com/john_wilson-1/john-wilson

You bring out all that is good in the piano.  does not matter what the rules are.

[pianoplunker]

Just watched one of your videos - wow, very nice indeed, and I reckon pretty good technique as well (as far as a jazz pianist can judge!).

Erroll Garner couldn't read music and he was a piano genius. IMO if you love playing, then keep doing what you're doing - playing, composing and enjoying the music.

There may come a time when you want to get into the music of the great composers, so learning to read music may be useful to do this... However, my mother teaches a student who learns Rachmaninov preludes just by listening to them... always an option!

Sounds great - powerful stuff and beautiful compositions.

I heard Errol Garner wrote the very famous "Misty" in just a few minutes while sitting in a plane at the airport, and that he did not read music. He sure could hear it though

[pianojohnw]

I enjoyed your recordings - you are very talented. The composing and technique are both good. How can you remember all of that without writing it down?  You say you don't read music, but have you learned music theory? Have you learned composition basics? If not, I think you may already be following them instinctively (I don't know, because I don't compose and don't have an extensive knowledge of music theory - it's just that your compositions sound "right"). It sounds like you are playing whatever pleases your ear, and it certainly makes for good music. At least I enjoyed it. Please share more!

Hi thank you very much for you feedback on my pieces, I remember pieces I compose in my head and have recorded alot of them, most of my composed pieces are in my head and some I forget but all I have to do to play one ive forgot is listen back to the track I recorded then can play it back. No ive never learned any music theory at all, Yes I definatly do play music that pleases my ear and I enjoy :-D

[pianojohnw]

Yes but you appear to be a born creator of music, not just a self-taught pianist, and therefore you are different at the outset.

I tend to think that whatever you do, the creative facility you already have should be kept paramount because it is much rarer than a knowledge of the things normally taught - theory, technique, repertoire, reading and writing and so on. Many thousands of people can learn and do all those things extremely well, but only a tiny fraction of them can do the sort of thing you can.

I say investigate anything and everything you can at your age because you have many years ahead of you. Listen widely and learn as broadly as your means allow, from the best people available to you, but always as a subsidiary and an enrichment of your core drive to create. All the technical learning in the world cannot replace that, it is very precious, and will become even more important as you get older.

If you need technical help, physical or musical, then get it, but be sure you absorb it and it doesn't absorb you.   

Thank you very much for your post, very good advise thank you, yes I have been concerned and it has crossed my mind as well that maby learning the theory or music notation could hinder composing or it could absorb me, however I suppose if I do learn how to read and write music notation I would have to keep the learning how to write music and read notation seperate to the way I create pieces on the piano, and use it as a means to write my music down and as a subsidiary.