Internet and YouTube as a learning resource?

[m1469]

Hello, I am curious about your use of the internet as a resource in your learning process.  What do you find to be the most useful for you?  Audio/video files on YouTube (etc.)?  Sheetmusic downloads?  Articles on topics?  Forums such as this?

I am also curious if you ever watch YouTubes/videos of somebody demonstrating a particular pianistic idea or giving some type of lesson?

I would also love to know what type of pianist/student you consider yourself to be (if you feel like saying).

[outin]

Hello, I am curious about your use of the internet as a resource in your learning process.  What do you find to be the most useful for you?  Audio/video files on YouTube (etc.)?  Sheetmusic downloads?  Articles on topics?  Forums such as this?

I am also curious if you ever watch YouTubes/videos of somebody demonstrating a particular pianistic idea or giving some type of lesson?

I would also love to know what type of pianist/student you consider yourself to be (if you feel like saying).

I don't know what you mean by the last question? I'm just obsessed with learning to play

At some point I realized that using the internet (Youtube and such) too much was slowing down my learning process. So now I mostly just use internet to find scores and introduce myself to new composers/music.

It is much more rewarding to actually read the score and build from it (with the help of the teacher) than listening to either virtuoso pianists or amateurs play the piece and trying to copy. I try to get away a bit from my tendency to ignore reading the score to the detail and play by what I already hear in my mind (which is often from a recording).

All those educational videos can completely mess one's head, especially a beginner. One's teacher should be the one responsible for the learning process, the relationship will easily suffer if contrasting ideas are always brought to the mixture.

But internet is extremely handy when you need to check something fast, like a musical term or notation symbol/ornamentation. At least if you know how to be critical of sources. And at some point I needed to get more "technical" explanations for certain things to understand what my teacher was trying to show me.

Internet is also full of interesting articles, some of which would be impossible to find in print. And of course buying books on music or sheet music has never been easier.

Last but not least: For an adult who does not belong to a community of music students a forum like this is a great source of both inspiration and consolation when the frustration creeps in...

[unholeee]

When I began I watched a youtube video of seperate hands to learn a piece - even though it took an inordinate amount of time - it was probably the most pivotal experience that left me a desire to play the piano. Especially in comparison to the pale efforts by the school principal, who gave me a wondrous and golden copy of moonlight sonata..which sure looked nice but to which, could not make heads or tails of. He did teach me a few sparse notes, once or twice, before I left.

In the beginning stages, I also preferred synthesia? videos on youtube - basically a correlation of the keyboard with the notes flying down in blocks to learn some other pieces (essentially like guitar hero but with 88 keys). It became much more feasible to just learn from sheet music, and as such imslp is my biggest resource now. I will still use videos if I want to hear how something should sound or how to move in a specific part I have trouble with.

- I also watched all of lypurs lessons and put them into practice. I have read and viewed others (taubman / chengs book) - but didn't use them much. I would still be applicable to watching for technique / advanced methods if I can find a practical teaching for it. But haven't come across one (or really looked yet)

- does awful count?

[keypeg]

I use the Internet in a number of ways.

When I am working on pieces, my teacher and I may discuss various interpretations and why the performer might have made certain choices.  I've also seen where very early recordings reflect both the tastes of an earlier period, or the history of the piano.  Some of these interpretations are faster because the pianos did not have the same amount of sustain, and other characteristics.

We're doing analysis / theory not along the beaten path.  I'm going through pieces that aren't at my level for playing fluidly, or I'd have to practice each for a lot of weeks, whereas we may go through a piece in a few days.  In the analysis I'm supposed to listen, not just do note-algebra.  One can play a few things, but listening to performances is part of that.

Discussion forums, of course.

IMSLP for comparing scores.

Seeing people who play well, and what it is they do to make it happen.  I'm thinking technique and body movement here.  Sometimes I will see something that my teacher has been explaining to me and it will click.

Articles, tutorials, period instruments, documentaries.  When I was studying music history, there were instruments being played from those time periods, period dancers so that you could see what that music should bring out, and more.  Anything you are studying or teaching can be enriched by these additional resources.

[49410enrique]

it (the net) can be a super powerful tool (it is already) but for actual instruction (vs. self learning), if this technology can be further developed, and if it can be more widely used (which will bring competition and will further increase quality while driving down cost(s)), then this could give so many students access to instruction they could not other wise get (either by affordability, geographic isolation, access to world renowned particular expert without being able to study w them personally). is it a replacement? of course not, but it's a huge step forward over just simple video conferencing or phone consultation or a simple yt viddy

jarrod radnich apparently is very fond of it and uses it quite a bit to good success (for his students)

full lesson-notice, the pianos are linked, her instrument actually plays what he does, and vice versa,

brief features and overview

[49410enrique]

it (the net) can be a super powerful tool ...

PS
in case anyone is interested in the technology ( i may eventually if and when that whole quality and cost deal moves fwd a bit)

The software that connects the pianos is called Internet MIDI and comes from TimeWarp Technologies. Internet MIDI works with digital pianos as well and provides the on-screen keyboard. (Video is provided by Skype.)
 
Internet MIDI has an optional feature called Classroom Maestro, which is the module that puts up the musical staff and which shows the intelligent analysis. That module is available as a standalone program from TimeWarp.

[keypeg]

Interesting.  What's the point of seeing keys move?  (2nd video).

[teosoleil]

Master. ***. Classes. (excuse me for my language)

I mean, with all these master classes uploaded free and directly to YouTube, you wonder why some of them have so little views!

Barenboim, Nelita True, Emanuel Ax...oh gosh, the list is endless.

[teran]

I generally dislike internet learning because I never find things to be well explained, and I mean even though I can barely read a score it's more efficient to do so than watch some super slow demonstration on YT.

I do sometimes put MIDIs into Synthesia and watch them though just to gauge how much trouble I'll have with the piece etc.

But yeah pretty much never use the internet because it just doesn't do it for me.

[maxwell_lucas]

Hello, I am a first year piano student and have found youtube to be an absolute help in getting a sense of style and sound for new repertoire. As well as being able to listen and sometimes watch the great masters play the same repertoire I have recently been using videos that contain the score as well. Its always good practice to keep your eyes and ears actively working together. I am a horrible sight reader so this is very helpful. If a score cant be found on youtube, imslp will have it if the work is public domain. Try reading and listening to chamber and orchestral material too, its a work out for the brain.

[1piano4joe]

Hi m1469,

I use something called keepvid which allows me to slow down YouTube videos to 1/4 speed without losing sound entirely and as slow as .03 of recorded performance tempo with no sound. This "tool" also allows me to zoom in. This is extremely useful to me. Wait theres more, it also enables a slight change in the aspect ratio so you can view hands from a slightly different angle. A side view is not always best for me as I sometimes need to see the top of the hands to see which finger is actually being used. I may see the right hand clearly by one performer and have to use a different performer who recorded his performance from the other side to see the left hand clearly or just have another fingering "option" to try.

I have used YouTube many times for a variety of reasons:

1. Looking for new pieces I may wish to learn.
2. Fingering suggestions.
3. Different interpretations.
4. I have even watched the tops of peoples knees for pedaling. This is not easy to do.

I use a number of piano websites which are "subscriptions" under my YouTube account "1piano4joe" which I believe anyone interested could check out. I don't have any videos there but you were specifically looking for internet resources so I thought I'd mention it.

I use imslp and often will print out all the editions of a piece that I have decided to learn. For instance, I recently decided to learn Chopin Op. 69 No. 2 waltz in B minor. I purchased the Alfred edition of all Chopin waltzes edited by Willard A. Palmer from Sam Ash. In addition I printed from imslp versions/editions by Rafael Joseffy, Mutopia project, Kullak and another called D. & F. so five in all. There were more but I am selective. Pedaling, phrasing, dynamics and fingering are at times identical and at others quite different. This gives me "options" as I like to call them. I look at them and/or try them on for size just like a pair of shoes for the right fit.

Often I use plain old "Google. I find SheetMusicPlus a very useful tool as well. I guess I should mention pianoworld which is another great website.

While I can, and do, much of this on my own. It cuts down considerably on the "preparation work" that I do. More importantly, there are things that just don't occur to me to do and/or try. The results are:

1. Something that seems impossible becomes possible.
2. Something quite difficult could be manageable.
3. Something manageable becomes easy.
4. I've learned something for the next time.

Lastly, I had over 10 years of year round clarinet lessons as a child and was (at first) a music major in college. I gave up my teacher (sadly) and used the one assigned by the college. I felt I wasn't learning much there that I didn't already know. I had been giving woodwind lessons since the age of 14 and had students 30 to 40 years older than me.

Ultimately, I decided a career as a struggling musician was not a wise life plan. So, what kind of pianist/student, am I you ask. I don't know. I believe we are all Pianist/Teacher/Student all in one.

I choose to not give piano lessons but offer physics, chemistry, biology and calculus lessons. I am a New York state certified teacher with a M.S. in Education. I am no stranger to teaching people of all ages (Been teaching on and off since 1974 around 40 years?). My strong interest in science and mathematics were tarnished by teaching. I will not allow this to happen to music. That is mine. My only piano student is myself.

The piano is no longer one of my many "second instruments". Drums have made polyrhythms less difficult. Rhythm guitar, chords and rhythms. Lead guitar for solos. Bass guitar, well for bass lines. The organ unites these and was a trip as I had to read three staffs simultaneously but it was excellent preparation for the piano. I have studied these for years. The piano utilizes elements of each of these and so many more and has become not only my "first" but very favorite instrument!

So with this background, I consider myself a well grounded amateur intermediate classical pianist.

Till next time, Joe.

[rmbarbosa]

First of all, this piano forum is a wonderful instrument to me. I can see and auscultate the opinions and doubts of the other fellows, I can acquire sheetmusic, etc... And I could read Bernhard posts! ))
With youtube, I can see and compare great musicians playing the same things I play... and even I can contact some of them. For example: I knew Chiara Massini, a wonderful harpsichordist, by Internet and now we are good friends and she contributed to my personal aproach to the music of J.S.Bach.
(and days ago, when I was in doubt with a special difficulty, I thougth to ask your personal opinion, m1469 )) it was about the use of pedal in Bach...)
So, the Internet is a good instrument for me.
Have a good new year
Rui