Couple Questions

[perprocrastinate]

I'm a relative beginner, been playing for about 6.5 months now.Out of my other repertoire, I've learned two pieces that could be called "advanced repertoire". But the thing is that it's hard to get them to the quality that I desire. For example, I posted a test run of the Revolutionary Étude, and was lucky enough to receive a scrutinizing comment from somebody to rethink my goals and work harder. So I'm still working on it on and off, and it's getting significantly better, but not good enough for my own judgment or if it were to be graded in an exam. (Please, if you reply, don't ask me to validate what I said. Or to not touch Etudes until I'm 75. I'm going to learn them if it kills me. I'm just asking for help in THIS scenario- well, eventually I'll get to it. Actually, in a couple months or so, for my own amusement, I'll upload what I have just to see the reactions.)

Obviously I cannot go on like this, taking on Etudes and such without a foundation.

To take a step back, should I learn all of Bach's Inventions before recklessly attempting harder pieces? Also, (yes, I know this has been asked since the beginning of time) would Hanon or Czerny be useful and effective?

Thirdly, there has got to be a better way to warm up my fingers than scales. The first few minutes of my piano practice sessions sound like the piano vomiting discordant notes.

If you make an attempt to answer, thanks for putting up with my probably nonsensical questions that I just HAD to ask.
 

[ajspiano]

Obviously I cannot go on like this, taking on Etudes and such without a foundation.

No you certainly can not, its insane.

To take a step back, should I learn all of Bach's Inventions?

Yes - good choice.

would Hanon or Czerny be useful and effective?

No, bach inventions will do the same job while maintaining musicality.

Thirdly, there has got to be a better way to warm up my fingers than scales. The first few minutes of my piano practice sessions sound like the piano vomiting discordant notes.

bach inventions.

Actually - unless you are physically cold, and I mean really cold - because the actual ambient temperature is damn near freezing - then being "not warmed up" at the piano shouldnt make your playing terrible, you'll feel better warmed up, but playing cold shouldnt sound or feel bad. This is probably more likely due to an undeveloped technique overall than the need to warm up your fingers.

.....

That aside - I assume you don't have a teacher? - atleast see if you can get lister-sink/fink/taubman/fraser/sandor or something to get you on the right track - otherwise you've got a real risk of never playing the beloved etudes better than in a very mediocre fashion.

[j_menz]

I'm a relative beginner, been playing for about 6.5 months now.Out of my other repertoire, I've learned two pieces that could be called "advanced repertoire". But the thing is that it's hard to get them to the quality that I desire.

I feel you'll actually progress faster by taking on less monumentally difficult works. You need to build a good solid foundation at this stage, and struggling through Chopin's Etudes or suchlike simply will not give it to you.  The danger is that you will injure yourself and/or learn so many bad habits that you will actually hinder your developmemnt.

If you want to do some Chopin, try a mazurka or two, or some of the preludes.  Otherwise, I'd suggest you  try stuff that is achievable and will give you the grounding you need to attempt harder pieces.

And, of course, Bach is great for all that. 

[johnmar78]

I find the best way to warm up your hands is immerse your arm in warm water or wash dishes. If not straight after a warm shower.

Play your revolutinary study slowly twice and you will find your LH is warmed up.