Who here plays a keyboard - General

I felt I was a talentless hack who needed to learn something, so I bought a keyboard (piano). Does anyone else own/play one, and what would you say is the best way to learn? atm im giving it like an hour a day by watching tutorials or practicing Twinkle Twinkle.

I'd personally recommend a teacher. Unless you have immense self discipline. I was given a keyboard when I was 12 but we could never afford lessons. Now it's just sitting there collecting dust in the garage.

If you aren't a complete pussy and actually want to learn the thing by yourself then probably looking up how to read sheet music would be a start if you don't know how to do that already. Then practicing scales in every single position to a metronome until you can increase your speed would probably work wonders as well. When I was learning I downloaded a ton of books about it and bought Jordan Rudess' video on piano training and stuff, I used John Petrucci's Guitar training videos and those were pretty awesome for exercises and stuff so I would assume that Jordan Rudess' are pretty great too. There's probably some proper classical training videos you could watch as well that would be a great help. Most important thing is to not give up, the beginning stages of learning an instrument are always the most grueling since you'll be playing super slowly and fucking up constantly, try to learn good habits first and practice them over and over again so that you don't develop sloppy playing. Sorry I couldn't be more help but I only practiced piano seriously for about 3 or 4 months before giving up, mainly a guitar player to tell the truth but meh.

[QUOTE=Gar~;34927055]I'd personally recommend a teacher. Unless you have immense self discipline. I was given a keyboard when I was 12 but we could never afford lessons. Now it's just sitting there collecting dust in the garage.[/QUOTE] I was thinking that, but a personal teacher is like $30 a lesson, and 4 lessons a month, which is in my budget, but is it really what I want to spend $120 a month on. [QUOTE=_Hime;34927125]Sorry I couldn't be more help but I only practiced piano seriously for about 3 or 4 months before giving up, mainly a guitar player to tell the truth but meh.[/QUOTE] If i can't get the paino talent down withing 6 months id probably switch to either that or drums.

[QUOTE=Uglehs;34927135] If i can't get the paino talent down withing 6 months id probably switch to either that or drums.[/QUOTE] If you honestly think like that you'll never get anywhere in an instrument. I can't say for sure about keyboard but after 6 months in guitar I was playing basic songs and kinda picking through it if you give up like that you might as well not even bother. A piano teacher would help in the beginning I think, there's lots of little nuisances that have to do with moving your hand across the keyboard optimally and ergonomically so you don't strain your wrist or do anything that will slow you down. I forget the video I had but it was some old guy that was showing how to properly sit and put your hands on the keyboard and stuff like that so I learned it from there but learning it in person probably would have been way easier.

not true talent in 6 months, but if i show improvement or any skill in even basic songs ill keep to it.

[QUOTE=Uglehs;34927250]not true talent in 6 months, but if i show improvement or any skill in even basic songs ill keep to it.[/QUOTE] Just don't be lazy and practice every day, you'll see improvement I guarantee it. One way I used to do it when I was playing guitar seriously is I made a journal that had everything i wanted to accomplish in the day so like, 30 minutes of scales, 30 minutes of ear training, 1 hour of chromatics, the bpm that I did the exercises at etc etc. then you can kind of look back and see how far you've come since you started. Another way is pick a song and try your best to play it once and record it, then 6 months later take that same song and try to play it. I'm 100% sure it'll be way easier if you practiced everyday. Just don't give up and fall like many before you did! =w=

[QUOTE=Uglehs;34927135]I was thinking that, but a personal teacher is like $30 a lesson, and 4 lessons a month, which is in my budget, but is it really what I want to spend $120 a month on. [/QUOTE] I'd suggest getting a teacher; I started teaching myself piano about 3 months before I got a teacher and I've personally learned a lot more and it also helped me break out of bad playing habits when I started taking lessons. However, I do think it's totally doable to be able to learn without it, I guess it all depends on yourself.

Ill look into some music course as an elective in my college. Not sure if it exists, ill have to look. Edit: Yea it exists, ill look into getting it for next course. It is just a 1 credit course though, so idk.