Beginner learning piano advice.

[uharc]

This is my first post, here is some information about me: (sorry I had to type so much)
I am 16 years old, I started learning to play the piano/keyboard with a cheap 61 key keyboard a about 2 months ago, and the keyboard doesn't have touch sensitivity, and I am aware that the light keys and lack of touch sensitivity are ruining my technique, but for that reason, I go to a music store or access any real piano and practice for a short while and try to get my hands strong enough to push the heavy keys and try to play harder with the right hand and softer with the left, and when I play on the keyboard, I try to be aware of the fact that the piano will response according to my touch, and whenever I get the chance I will buy a proper digital piano with weighted keys, when that happens I know that I will need a lot of adjustment and work on my technique. I played a baby grand in a hotel, and it worked out pretty well, even though it was the first time in my life playing a real piano. I am learning by my self with books and free online material.
The only real arrangment I can play is Competine D'une autre Ete. I also learned the first part of fur elise and know am working on the rest of it right now, I am certain that I can learn to play all of it in a few days,. I learned 75% of Yiruma's River Flows in you.
In terms of music theory, I know how to play most major scales and minor scales, I know how to construct scales and 3 note chords, I know how to construc basic chords like a cmajor7 chord. In terms of improvisation, I don't have enough experience to actually do it, but if I were to play the melody alone with my right hand, I can improvise basic songs like vivaldi spring, and all those nursery rhymes, I wouldn't call me ears musical, but I just have a sort of feel for the piano and can predict which note comes next.

I have now decided to learn to read music, I am still working on memorizing the note positions on the treble and bass clefs, and am still working on quickly identifying the rythm of the notes in a bar.

Now to the help i need, I am stuck, I don't know exactly what to do. Learning to read music and learning songs from sheet music seems like a huge delay, because I learned to play river flows in you, and if I were to wait to learn to read a song at the level of river flows in you on a sheet music score, it would take a long time. Although I only know how to play a few things, I know that I have the capacity to learn something even like turkish march even though I completely skipped all the easy songs. I don't know what to do at this point. I
Learn to read music and play from it, or continue learning harder and harder pieces from visuals and by ear. I barely know any arrangements, I can learn fast and easily, but I don't feel like I can call my self someone who plays the piano if I can't read music and if I don't know more about music theory. I just need advice on what to do at this point.

[mikeowski]

In addition to getting at least a cheap digital piano (88 keys, touch sensitivity is what you need!), my advice would be:

#1 If you say you could play something around the level of K331 3rd mov., then I suggest you rather play a bach invention as a mid-long term goal, work on some easier pieces at the same time (beethoven dances, anna magdalena bach notebook maybe?) and also try to read music every day. Good reading skills and such will come to you with time and 2 months is not a lot when it comes to piano/music.
Also you should read everything from sheets (the invention and even the turkish march if you were to learn it). No one expects you to sight read stuff you can hardly play, but why try to learn the notes with video tutorials (I assume that's what you mean by visuals), when you have them all written out on a piece of paper already, rhythm, note values and all that included. You'll get used to it quicker than you think.

#2 Look around for a good teacher. S/he can help you more than you could ever imagine. Because you don't know what makes a good performance and how to learn correctly, how to avoid mistakes, etc.. These things are hard to figure out on your own, so yeah, definitely get a teacher.


Learning piano will definitely take a lot longer than you think. So just take your time.