I'm a guitar player, yes self taught for 1 year. Me myself is not very sure if my guitar technique and the habit i have right now is correct or wrong. At first it was really super tough, being a beginner don't even know where to start from. Now i manage to play some songs (at least sound good to my ear) without much off tune after hour and hours of practicing by learning with youtube instructor (chords,tabs,fretting,fingerpicking)

I want to learn piano but i couldn't afford to pay for a piano tutor. Time is another issue as i'm staying in uni hostel 5 days a week. I'm really motivated by many great youtubers pianist.. I always listen to instrumental of piano soothing sound while i'm stress out of studies or test and now i want to play it myself and immerse into that relaxing world. Did any of you self learn before?.. Is it possible learning through online, books and other materials without relying on a teacher?. I heard many people said piano is really tough for beginner to teach themselves but i really want to give it a shot, not for the show off but for my passion in music.

Already allocated about RM1k for starting off with keyboard and some music books.

This post has been edited by Mr.Beanster: Apr 15 2014, 08:17 PM

i did... actually if u loves it self learning wont be hard.. n yes its possible..

Yes i love it but i don't think i have a good musical ability. Sometime it's abit hard for me to grasp a concept and learn it quickly.. What medium you learning with and for how long?.. Thx

even if u dont av good music ability but willing to spend time practising is okay. soon u'll av dat ability.. well, i learn through utube, frens, my dad.. mostly from tutorial la... it helps.. well, it took me a year for making my own song.. but depends la... if i loves dat song then paling lama pon a month.. if u rajin practice i see no reason y it should take such a long time... but of course to be a great musician will take u years..

Thanks. Now it gives me more reason to take the challenge

np!! yeap, u should take the challenge.. im now more to violin.. its fun

Self taught guitar and piano as well. Cheers TS.

Just two basic things u needed to know, how to read music (notes) and timing and rhythm (very important), all those crochets value and what-not u need to understand them in a music sheet.

That's all. Techniques comes from constant practice. and if interested, music theory lessons which can be found on youtube and whatnot.

Since u self taught guitar as well, comparing guitar to piano, guitar is much easier to pick up but very hard to master (fingerstyle, guitar slapping etc) but piano is harder to pick up but mastering it, i wouldn't say easy but there is only so much pattern u can play on a piano.

Oh get a keyboard with expressive keys (touch responsive) as first keyboard, 1k is definitely enough. (Yamaha PSR E3XX/Casio CTK3XXX)

Personally, i find guitar hard to pick up and even harder to master....Piano is much easiar by comparison to pick up and get better(not say master...becoming master is different story)....especially people with short fingers like me...guitar is a disaster...

But distortion sound on the electric guitar is my favorite....just love listening to noise...hahaha.

Wow, Thanks for the motivation . How long have you being learning those 2 instruments and manage to play your first song?

I'm looking to drop by at MPH or Popular to pick up some lesson book. Definitely eyeing on reputable Yamaha PSR E433 ~1k

Well for me guitar seems not too for me to pick up. By mastering yes i agree with you. Even now i struggle with some difficult chords and my finger style is not so developed yet. It took me about a month or two to get use to the common chords and strum them perfectly.

I'm an acoustic player .. Electric guitar sounds cool. Would like to pick one up in the near future too

I learnt guitar for around 3 years I guess, but not much progress, as complex techniques like finger style are out of my capability to self learn. I stopped playing after I started on piano. Not really much interest on guitar anyway, as I learn guitar last time as a stepping stone to learning piano.

Piano I've been playing for 1 year+ since I stopped guitar, first song is an easy version of fur elise. Took me about a week to learn it I think. Currently I am half way through a final fantasy 10 song called via purifico from its piano collection.

Good luck.

Great to hear. All the best to both of us .. Going to make a purchase of a keyboard next month

hello self taught is of coz possible, i have self taught myself from for education, piano and guitar.
U need some commitment to play almost everyday, 15 minutes minimum and u shld see gradual improvement daily.

It's possible to self-taught. The only downside to self-taught is discipline. Compared to having a music tutor to teach you once a week, you have the flexibility to arrange your own time to learn music but you must set a goal plan (e.g. once a week lesson, every Saturday evening and finish the whole music lesson book in 6 months) and discipline yourself to commit to the fixed time once a week...else your learning progress will be slower than expected.. You can also get some free lessons here http://www.hearandplay.com/go/?w=4videos&p=a428385

This post has been edited by DanielW: Aug 28 2015, 06:43 PM

How come short fingers is not a problem with piano?

Piano easier...you move your fingers fast enough can compensate..lol. Guitar...if your fingers can't reach the strings for the left hand(when you hold press the string) and clearing other strings without touching them. You lose liao. Finger also tired as hell. Play piano fingers not so tired, can move move here and there..haha.

I think I have short fingers too.
Guitar: The only chord I have problem holding is Eb minor.
Piano: Say you have C E G key = c chord. If you cover upper extra like upper c is not that easy for me. You you do it easily? Share your idea.

This post has been edited by faceless: Sep 1 2015, 10:05 PM

You mean from C to another C an octave higher? Can wut, no problem. In the event cannot, you don't need to press all keys at same time most of the time just walk the chord, hand can move, no problem.

If you think guitar is easy for you, continue with guitar lor, each person is different.

This post has been edited by Matrix: Sep 1 2015, 10:32 PM

Yes a four note chord one c and an octave higher.
Stretch a bit can reach la but kinda hard.

I don't play guitar or piano liao (both also self taught). I now play guzheng. Use to take lesson for guzheng now lazy to go for class.