Self taught

[adam03]

I've been playing piano for about 10 years, I have never had any lessons. I don't know how to read sheet music. The only classical piece i know is fur elise. Ive been told I am musically inclined. The one song I learned by the Bee Gees, New York mining disaster, I hit "A" and I instantly heard this song in my head, so I started messing around with chords and a few hours later I learned the song. Any advice?

[ignaceii]

I think modern pop music attracts the ear comfortably, so I guess you naturally came about to get on the piano. I don't how old you are.
Myself, I learned to play by an alternative verical score sheets, say tabulators for piano.
At 35 I took a private teacher, and after 5 years I was off reading a lot of scores I never had imagined be able to read, let alone play. I attended no music schools, just the teacher for some years.
Now, the last 10 years I play on my own.

My advise :
Try to read scores. Modern or classic. Take a teacher if you can.
Investing in theory, I don't know yet myself. But ear training, harmony, keys,... it's a lot...
Up to you.

[adam03]

I am 24, took choir in school (you HAD to either take band or choir) so any down time whatsoever i was glued to the piano. lately i have been using "tabs" and youtube videos to learn songs, but i notice when i play my songs, there are so many things i need to change to get better but i have no clue how or where to learn. once i figure out how to post videos, i would like to post songs on the other board so you guys can critique and help me out. while my songs sound pretty good for someone who has never had a lesson(nor do i know how to read sheet music) but i know there is room for improvment.

[jamesplayspiano]

Hey Adam03,

Sounds like you've already got a good ear! That's a definite plus, and it's great that you're motivated to learn pieces on your own. However, the answer to what you should do from here would really depend on what it is that you want to be able to do in the future.

If you're more interested in playing classical music from a printed score (or, ultimately, from memory), then a classical piano teacher or some type of "classical" or "traditional" instruction (book/DVD/online etc.) would be most appropriate.

If you're wanting to continue farther in the direction that it appears you have been going (playing pieces by ear) then a jazz teacher or other "nontraditional" instruction (book etc.) would be most appropriate. Many jazz teachers will diversify into teaching rock, pop, etc., as requested by the student, but they often still call themselves "jazz piano" teachers for simplicity's sake. (It's not as common to see a "rock/"by-ear" piano teacher" listed in the phone book.)

So the question is, what would you LOVE to be able to do, if you had a magic wand?

[adam03]

thank you for your input. most of the songs i know and are easy to learn for me are beatles songs. i want to polish up what i already know and learn new pieces. i have a ton of chord enclyclopedia books so i always reference them when i can, but there are some techniques i just cant get from a video or a book. i heard a version of elton john's benny and the jets, where he played this old ragtime intro and i thought to myself, how great would it be to sit at a piano and just play this like it was nothing. i play ALOT of beatles songs, a few bee gees songs, i started to learn some elton john songs but its too much for my skill level

[gearmenta]

Mhmm... Maybe you should keep going in the direction you are going. Without technique classical pieces will be very difficult. 10 years can be hard to reverse. I'd go with jazz or stick with the pop.