I seek some advice on how to improve/get back to my.

[tijmen]

 
Hi there!

I am a 19 year old dutch guy who have played piano for a looong time.

Though i started on a keyboard, and since approximatly 4 year i have played on a piano.

Sadly though, i have not practiced anything significant over the past year or so, and my technique, my note reading and memorization have been significantly decreased. I was never the best student, and my teacher was a competent player, but never the best either (i have never had a single 'technique' or theorethical lesson.)

What do you people suggest i should practice daily to get back up my skill, and maybe even improve it?

i am currently watching BachScholar's piano instruction video's, but i either lose concentration or i do not really know where to look... Thus i am a bit lost.

Kind regards,
Tijmen

[outin]

What do you people suggest i should practice daily to get back up my skill, and maybe even improve it?

i am currently watching BachScholar's piano instruction video's, but i either lose concentration or i do not really know where to look... Thus i am a bit lost.

Why not find a proper teacher? Then you'd know what you need to practice.

[tijmen]

Well i was member of the music school here, but because of insufficient funding it had to close.

i did not have a teacher for over a year now, and money is an issue as my parents will not pay for it anymore, and i do not make enough for one sadly... so i am trying to improve on my own for now

[tijmen]

So i have downloaded the Hanon exercises, as i think they might help me in getting my level back  back to where i was, and hoping to improve it as well.

I actually never played that way, so it is completely new for me, i usually just played songs and learn from them, so this may become quite a challenge for me ^.^

Does anyone have same other advice/remarks for me that could help me?

Kind regards,
Tijmen

[gr8ape]

you should try learning a few inventions and maybe easy known pieces like alla turca and fur elise

also there a is book

https://www.pianopractice.org/

which, also a bit disorganized is full of interesting and practical information on how to practice

[tijmen]

Thank you!

That book is indeed full of information that i can put to good use

I actually have learned für elise.

The last big piece i could play was Giovanni Allevi's Back to Life

But i think i'll play it again as to roll back in, as i do not expect to play pieces like back to life for now. So thank you for that tip as well

[chopinlover01]

May I STRONGLY recommend you don't follow what BachScholar does on YouTube.... for as much as he says he "used an innovative scientific method to find the exact tempo Bach intended for all his music", he's very technical, and still not even that great. Check out his Heroique Polonaise video- if you listen to it just the right way, it sounds like it's in 4/4 time.
Anyways, scales and arpeggios never did any harm to anyone. Bach two part inventions are good, and if you (like me and every other pianist and their cats) are into Chopin, the 4 easy preludes (4,6,7, and 20) and a great foundation. After that you can just buy the complete mazurkas by him and read through the book.

[tijmen]

Thank you for these tips as well

I indeed have noticed that he is very technical, thats why i came here, for mulitiple perspectives

I'll try and learn the preludes as well , it will give me something to digest for quite a while i think ^^

[chopinlover01]

Just start at those 4- the rest are much harder. If you really get in the mood for a challenge, go for 15, the infamous "raindrop" prelude. It's much more challenging than at first sight.
Also, the posthumous g minor polonaise (the one Chopin wrote when he was 7) is a great example of how chords and arpeggios are used in a musical context.

[bernadette60614]

I played for about 5 years from 12 to 17 and then took a 30 year break.  I restarted with a community music class playing with three fingers and how three years or so later, I'm working on Schubert, Chopin and Mozart.

What worked for me:

.  I assigned myself one Bach Two Part Invention each week, so that as one was being polished, I had already begun working on another.

.  I started studying the Alfred's Complete Piano Theory.

. I assigned myself a "stretch" piece (a piece a couple of levels above the two part inventions) with the goal of achieving proficency within a month.

I then found a good teacher, and went on from there.

I'd say give yourself 6 months of practicing seriously each day for 30 to 45 minutes a day.  Without fail 7 days a week. At the end of 6 months, if you find you can't live without it, find a way to pay for lessons!