chiark

Well, I've taken the plunge and finally bought a piano.

I can't play it - yet. I know this sounds slightly **** about face, but there's logic in my madness, or so I keep telling myself...

Any tips for a 30 year old on how to pick up and start playing the piano? I can read music of a fashion from playing the violin 20 years ago (!), and can tickle the ivories one handed... No puns please

A friend's wife is a piano teacher, so I will be availing myself of her services, but ideally I'd like a book or DVD that will step me through and give me some help and ideas for how to practise techniques properly.

Any thoughts or advice (other than "you've spent that money and you still can't play - you're a fool!") would be greatly appreciated.

My wife sings in amateur dramatics, and ultimately I'd like to be able to accompany them, but that is a few years away admittedly. The piano is also something that my son will eventually be able to enjoy (or leave well alone - his choice, but the option's there...). And I'll be happy when I can play Scott Joplin's Maple Leaf Rag convincingly well...

Cheers,
nick.

Tiggs

i did this last xmas.......GET LESSONS!

i have one a week (half hour for me and another for my 8 year old)

there are so many times where i struggle with something all week and then get it within seconds of having it explained or demonstrated.

the other good thing is to keep going back to songs you struggled with a few months earlier as you have to remind yourself that you have improved...very easy at 30+ to think you will be dead before you are any good.....but as improvement is slow it is funny how you get better without noticing it.

T

ps- dont buy any stupid "i can play Oasis" type stuff.....learn the basics, dont learn some simplified version of stuff written by muppets. once you can play Chopin/Mozart etc you will be able to play Noel!

daisy

lessons are the only way to learn - you'll learn the basics properly which will save you going back over things as you progress. Don't go wasting money on self-teaching books, it's better spent on a teacher!

jjones

learn chopsticks.

anything else is a waste of time.

chiark

I am sensing a swell of opinion already . Something about lessons?

I will have lessons, but they'll take a couple of weeks to arrange - that's all. In the meantime I'd like to do *something* with my new toy. I don't want to do anything that'll mean I have to unlearn things with my teacher... I guess I'll speak to her and ask what she advises, but I want to do something with it

I can already play chopsticks like a master, and am now looking to progress to the next level

Cheers for the advice. I do hear you about the "don't buy a book", but I sort of want to... In the meantime, I can use this - http://www.learnpianoonline.com/login.html

Cheers,
Nick.