Am I a fast learner?

[chupaadino]

Dear people from Pianostreet,

It's been four/three months since I started playing piano for the first time so it's time to reflect on my performance in the last months.
Here's an idea of what I've done:

Begin January
Started to watch some YouTube video's about music theory and taught myself some small pieces of
Erik Satie's gymnopedies (via tutorials).

End january
Watching more and more music theory videos. Unneccesarily (maybe not?) pracitced a sh*t ton of scales in major and minor. Maybe this has improved my capabilities to play by ear?

Begin February
Started taking lessons. Using the book 'The Joy of First Year Piano'. Almost forcing myself to learn 99% theory (which made it quite boring).

End February
Wanted to start a new "project" so I printed out a sheet of Für Elise. After a couple of days practice, I knew the notes of the first part, which was obviously played very chunky. Also, my prehistoric dj keyboard (yamaha djx) wasn't helping in making it sound good..

Begin March
Bought my new piano!! The yamaha dgx620, got a never used one for €250,- (one hell of a deal). The action is simply awesome and it produces a TRUE grand piano-like sound. It came with a pedal which was much use to me when learning Für Elise. Meanwhile, I almost finished the book I was talking about earlier. My piano teacher said I was pretty talented for going from 'phase 1 to 2' in only two months, which I disagreed with since I was not feeling like it was learning fast at all.

End March
Now able to play Für Elise with the right tempo en dynamic (pedal included). I can also play the third part (the one while mashing A). The second part has always been kind of intimidating because both hands play in a different tempo. Slowly learning it. Today I printed out a sheet of Claude Debussy's 'Rêverie', which I'm going to practice the next week(s?).

I gave up college for a year so had a lot of spare time. Sometimes playing piano around 30 hours a week, but sometimes 2.. I am seventeen years old and highly motivated!

So the real question is: Am I learling fast or slow? Was my piano teacher right?
Hoping you can give your opinion.


Kind Regards,
~Dinant.

(PS: sorry if my english doesn't make sense all the time)

[briansaddleback]

Dont focus too much on the cosmetics of life, but on the structure.

[pencilart3]

It doesn't matter what you play or how quickly you can learn it. It is all about how you play it. Upload a sound file and we will tell you if you are a fast learner.

[chupaadino]

@pencilart3 I just recorded these two.
One is of course Für Elise and the other is 'Binary Sunset' from Star Wars.

Please be honest (i know you will).

[adodd81802]

I am not personally sure what you hope to get out of the answer to your question. If we said no it would unfairly demotivate you and if we said yes it would give you inaccurate confidence into your ability. You're progressing it seems and steadily that is important.

I heard your fur Elise. I'm not professional so take this how you like but your performance was average, left hand slightly too loud and the piece itself seemed to lack some confidence. It seems with your 30 hours however you have more than enough time to work on it and I personally would work on completely nailing this piece and others of similar or lower level before moving on.

You must remember not to get bulked down with one aspect of piano playing it seems that you are on the right tracks working on theory and scales but whether you realise it now they all have fundamental parts to play in proper  progression

[briansaddleback]

And make sure you practice on digital pianos that can launch satellites into outer orbit.
Like adodd does.
 

[pencilart3]

Well it's ok, you could start by getting the correct number of e-eb's at the very beginning of the piece

[chupaadino]

Thanks to the people who took the time to listen to my audio, and thanks for the honest reviews.

@adodd81802, I guess you were right. Maybe I subconciously asked the question for tips or something 

Does anybody have tips to practice hand independence? Or just good tips I could put to use?
I'm all ears 

~Dinant

[mjames]

Baroque music.

Preferably Bach.

[adodd81802]

Baroque music.

Preferably Bach.

+1

[adodd81802]

And make sure you practice on digital pianos that can launch satellites into outer orbit.
Like adodd does.
 

NASA sends it's regards

[danielo]

Seriously, that is not at all bad for a couple of months!! You play with a nice touch, and your phrasing is good too. You are only 17.....if getting really good at the piano is your passion, follow it. Fur Elise is not a bad goal to start with, at all. Many, many people want to play it, and many, many people play it very badly. The middle part is a little trickier but just take it very slowly at first. Patience is one of the most overlooked qualities to being a really good player!
Good luck with your journey!