Actually, I've learnt piano when I was 5yr old. Then I only knew there was an exam for it, so I decided to quit before learning more of it. I only learnt the basic. The only song I remembered is the "Do-a-deer...."song.

Now, I know I'll have about 3 months of free time after my SPM. I would like to relearn and play more songs for leisure. I need to know how to read a music score and what key does it represent.

Is there a possibility to learn it myself without the help of instructor??

Thanks.

I'm in the same position, I had piano lessons until Grade 4 Theory, and stopped at UPSR year. Naturally I never continued the lessons lol. Right now I've forgotten basically everything about the piano and can only play simple kiddy tunes lol. Is there any easy way to learn piano basics? Like chords and stuff? I just wanna be good enough to play some pop and contemparory stuff.

hmm led zep you have an advantage, you play guitar and thus would be able to play simple tunes already.

relearn the keyboard...notes and keys. lower c - middle c -upper c....learn to identofy the notes. Playing simple tunes with chords- try playing the bass note on your left and right hand play the 1st or 2nd inversion of the chord... it'll sound rough but you would be able to play tunes already that way.

If you don't have a piano, buy a piano keyboard for use with the computer, cheapest way.

I also used to learn piano. Grade 1 only.... Hated it, hated it, hated it......
Stopped when I had my UPSR too.....

quite a few people in the same shoes
when I was very young, i think 6 or 7 years old, I completed the yamaha junior music course in organ/keyboard. After i picked up the passion in guitar many years later i kinda regretted I didn't continue. but then again when i was that age, i just didn't see it. Just the same as I regretted not starting guitar earlier, it took me a while of pushing myself on before i got the hang of it. Having learnt from that, I made my younger brothers start guitar when they were in primary 5, so hopefully they don't face the same regret when they finally catch the passion.

This post has been edited by MetalZone: Sep 21 2006, 06:32 PM

how about play queen songs on piano. sounds interesting tho.

Got a piano in my house though, just for collecting dust.

learn where is the notes, then learn how to read notes and play.........

i doesn't hate piano...but i hate those parents who FORCE their children to learn music.....especially piano....

i've a keyboard in my house.....but i can't even play it...jusy use it to play some beat.....lol....

EDIT: in my opinion...if u're improving yourself to advanced level....you should learn from a tutor....for piano..

This post has been edited by Criptonox89: Sep 21 2006, 08:28 PM

yup, dat's wat i want to do
but, wat do i need and where can i get it??
how bout a simple guide for me to learn those notes??
can i get it on9??

P/S: Wat do u guyz think about this sites - http://www.free-online-piano-lessons.com/
I might wan to start here, or do u hav other sites to recommend?

This post has been edited by evilhomura89: Sep 21 2006, 09:56 PM

that shouldnt be a problem, as far as i remember all the white keys are majors and the black ones are flats. get where is one note and you get all.

note learning well, you need to get one book and start playing. there is no real shortcut to it, get a simple song.. some notes and start playing with it. even if you got some lesson that points to you what is what, you still need to practice to read it fluently

ok, SPM over now
gotta start learning......any useful guide around??
should i start with identifying the notes - http://www.free-online-piano-lessons.com/piano-notes.html ??
Any simple song that u guyz recommend? Provide link to it if possible, thx.

This post has been edited by evilhomura89: Dec 9 2006, 11:35 AM

I would recommand if you do really want to relearn piano, go for classes. Learning piano is not like learning guitar. Both are totally different coz piano teaches you music theory which is very important if you want to be a good pianist.

After finishing all the grades, the music school can actually sign you up for Diploma im music (you have to pay some amount) which then you can use that if you want to enroll with ICOM (International Colloge of Music), by pass all thier intro courses and jump striaght to Degree.

I have a friend who did the same thing as above so that;s why ppl start learning piano at the age of 3 !!!

led zep, ive got an ebook teaching piano. want it?

thought of reading during the hols but the moment i got back in kuching im fully packed with band practices.

Once i heard piano....always refer to those parents who force their 'beyond godlike' children learn piano......it's nothing but that's a bad way.....if your son is really have talent for it....of course they'll be agressive and ask for it.....

Actually i love piano song...but hate piano playing.....afterall guitar is still my best friends......

Hihi , i m new member and i m giving my little opinion.
I am grade5 and i quited 2 years ago because i lost my interest that time.
Now i m regret but now i am searching score(notes) for pop-song or classical and practice myself.

IMHO , get a teacher till u are grade 3-4 , piano is unlike guitar as u can learn it in the web

hi there,

well im 19 now and got some interest in playing the piano but i just wanna play it as a hobby.

currently i don't have a piano and don't know anything about the piano... should i go for classes? and should i get a piano? if yes.... any cheap solutions?

can those keyboards with piano keys work like normal pianos?

how about keyboards....


sorry for stuffing so much questions in 1 post

First thing ever to consider, your budget that will include a piano and course fee obviously. Dont try to allocate all your budget for a good piano but ended up you couldn't afford to pay for your class. Unless you have close friend or relative which can spare their time to provide you with at least some basic things which will really mess you future playing if you didn't learn them properly.

For keyboards, either electronic one of acoustic, frankly i will recommend an electronic one anytime. Although there is some advance playing method which is only possible on an acoustic piano, i don't think you will need it anytime nearby.

Electronic keyboards have cheaper cost to maintain, they dont need tuning, having more feature which will make your learning progress much more interesting.

If you plan to play only piano, a hammer action keyboard is vital while if you prefer more towards arranging and one-man-band show, perhaps an electone will do the job fine.

well the budget im worried about is.... what type of piano to get.. im guessing that i'll just play around with it so like you said, a keyboard will do. the problem is, which type of keyboard to get for practice and learning use, coz i think i won't be playing hard songs for sometime. just wondering what keyboard to get... any recommendation?

thanks Sky.Live for ur reply

perhaps if you budget like 2~3k, u can try stage piano like yahama p70, or casio px-200(much improvement over the specification over px-310 or px-110) but not sure too, never seen the real thing too. I try on px-110 before, for the price range i guess it's a good buy.

However most musician said casio only produce toy and not musical instrument, it's up to your preferences end of the day, be sure to feel them before buying.

If you dont need hammer action, perhaps for 1~2k u can get a multifunctioning keyboard instead.

well basically i don't know anything about pianos or keyboards >.<

and the problem is that i've never played it and now just wan to start.. so should i go for classes first? im just worried that after classes, i have no place to go practice.

i don't think i'll be playing mad style musics... just interested in the classics ^^

1 more thing that im really worried is being conned by those sellers because im totally a noob....

still remember the McD commercial, a kid is crying playing piano? forced by an adult (dunno teacher or mum).
I was in that situation too. damm i hated it.

neway it was over. i quit n started guitar. hehe.

If you like the classics (as in classical songs), you should go for the normal piano lessons, like offered in Yamaha. But you'll need a piano, perferrably an acousitc one since you're on classical. Remember when learning the piano (or any other instruments), you have to have patient and practice as much as possible; Also make sure you're really interested.

If you can't afford a new one, you can go for second hand which can get around 3 to 4K if I'm not wrong, many music shop sells it, you can go for larger one for more choices/selections. Test it, feel it before you buy, most important is you like the sound, touch and feeling.

Good Luck!

oh does that mean i can't play classical on a keyboard? its much cheaper..... and the prob is getting a piano... its quite pricy...

btw should i go for classes first then only decide whether to buy a piano?

without a piano it'll be hard to practice since the classes are once a week

classes are useless without practice, unless you have special hidden talent with the instrument.

playing on a keyboard will not train your finger's muscle memory, thus making your progress even slower. Actually i have been learning piano on a keyboard for half year, which cause my progress to be extremely slow. I hope not another one like me.

so what you're saying is that i should play those acoustic type pianos ? not those electronic keyboards?....

i'll try to find alternatives to get myself a piano lucky i have some friends who have pianos at home ^^...

how long would you recommend to practice a day?

You can, but you'll lose some features in Acoustic Piano which the classical course utilise, it's argued that not even Digital Piano offers it... As mentioned by Sky.Live, keyboard without hammer keys are worst, which will effect your finger strength, fingering, etc... If you've touch a keyboard without hammer keys, then you touch a keyboard with hammer keys/digital piano, you'll feel a big difference straight. Not to mentioned the weighted hammer keys yet, and those which simulates the weight of an acoustic piano. When you compare it with a real acoutic piano, you feel another difference again, and the way the sounds are produced by an acoustic compared to a digital.

I think you can go for class first and ask your teacher to recommended, but make sure he/she gives your a few choices and you go and test it out yourself. OR, you can survey and check out WHILE you're registering/signing up for classes. For classical courses, I think the first few lessons are quite easy going, you can start without owning a piano/keyboard, but you might miss out the opportunity to practice and ease your temptation (your hands might get very itchy and wants to play the piano, even just hitting the keys and appreaciating the sound and piano). So, it's recommended to get yourself one first, and play around with it before you go for classes so you already get familiar yourself with the piano.

For classical classes, you're recommended to use those acoustic type pianos... You CAN start off with electronic keyboards and upgrade later, but it's recommended to start off with the acoustic because with keyboards, you'll most probably progress slower, feels a big difference and gaps when you go for classes which use the acoustics... etc... And at later level when you're reaching the imtermediate or advance, you'll need the more features which is not available on the keyboard alone. You can opt for a digital piano, but again, as mentioned, since you're going classical, recommended to go for acoustic.

If you can afford a new one, you can always opt for a second hand refurbished,.. should be able to get around 2-4K, just make sure you go test it out, touch it, feel it, hear it...

Practice is up to you, and when you're new, basically you haven't learnt much, but usual advice, always practice your 'SCALES'... Usual practice would be 2 hour plus minus, it may seem long, but once you're into the piano, it's a different story... Another advice from someone is, it doesn't matter how long, if you find the time, even 5 minutes, 10, 15, before you go to school, while waiting for someone, etc, just practice on the piano....

i really think what ever piano you play, time for a transition for a better piano, either digital piano or acoustic piano to a better acoustic piano, probably it's years ahead.

It should really keep out of your mind for the moment to get acoustic piano as i realised from your post you have some budget constrain. Acoustic piano were difficult to maintain, space consuming and having less feature. A digital piano will pawn the sound quality of a cheap acoustic piano anytime as their sample were recorded from high quality grand concert piano.

By the time you already reach the stage where you think a better piano upgrade is required, at least 5 years or more from my estimation. You will probably buying a grand piano since there is things acoustic upright can be compared with a real grand piano.

For the time being, digital piano is your best bet. How long you need to practise? Only you can answer this question, are you a perfectionist, no single mistake are allowed? or you can play it on as long as you felt good enough..

All the best to you

THANK YOU both!!... you've certainly gave me some idea of what to do. I guess i'll go try out some pianos and feel it first. I'm speechless now, all i can say is thank you ^^.

You're most welcome... we're just giving our opinions/advice/suggestions. Glad that you read and appreciates it. Whichever your choices, hope you're satisfied with it and enjoy! Remember it's your money, make sure you chooce carefully, test and consider carefully, make really really sure you will not feel regret later and will love it despite it having some weakness or imperfections, nothing's perfect right? For acoustic, you should understand about the maintainance cost and especially for second hand quality and possibility damages.

Lastly, good luck and all the best to you! And may your lessons go well and become a profesional soon