Okay, so I applied for a B.M & M.M degree in a local uni for music tech. I'm on strong ground in everything they are going to examine, except for one thing — playing a real instrument. That is 25% of the total score and my weakest point. So I have four months left before I have to present to them my non-existent talent and hopefully snag a point or two out of that as well.
So now I need a composition that isn't completely trivial but also realistic to learn in this time frame. And sadly, my previous experience with piano isn't also too helpful. I can coordinate with both hands to some extent and I've practiced a lot of finger dexterity exercises. But I can't read and play musical notation (in fact, reading is still very challenging).
What do you folks suggest? I know four months is almost equal to nothing, but I'm thinking I can do better than Für Elise or something like that, right? Any suggestions?
For learning, I will simply use Synthesia. While notation is probably 100x better, I'm afraid I can't learn it fast enough to maximize the results in this particular case. Though I'm also open to that, if someone presents a good case.
Right now I'm learning Moonlight Sonata 1st movement, but not only does my brains advice me not to play that, so do everyone else I've talked with.
EDIT: Also, for the next 4 months, I'm dedicating about 6-8 hours every day to this. Two hours goes to a specific video course which focuses more on learning and memorizing every scale and technique, whereas rest will go on practicing the assignments from there and learning a composition.
Learning piano in 4 months....
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- KVRian
- 880 posts since 26 Oct, 2011
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- KVRist
- 131 posts since 4 Jul, 2007 from Tilburg, Netherlands
I'd say try something by Einaudi. A few of the simpler ones are really not that challenging while still sounding "impressive", even when played slower then how hey are intended. Go for accuracy, not speed. His music is also based around repeating patterns, so probably more easy to memorize. You also don't need to play them full length. Most can be stopped at any moment because of the patterns.
(something like 'prima vera', una mattina, or I giorni)
(something like 'prima vera', una mattina, or I giorni)
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- KVRian
- Topic Starter
- 880 posts since 26 Oct, 2011
Thanks! I checked them out and it looks like I giorni & primavera are out of reach at least for now. Primavera requires 9th spacing with fingers and while I can do that, I'm afraid it's gonna take a while until I can do that well. I giorni, OTOH, requires quite big leaps. Una mattina however is definitively a great candidate. I'm probably going to practice it and I giorni, because I like both and at the very least it's great arpeggio practice.JorgV wrote:I'd say try something by Einaudi. A few of the simpler ones are really not that challenging while still sounding "impressive", even when played slower then how hey are intended. Go for accuracy, not speed. His music is also based around repeating patterns, so probably more easy to memorize. You also don't need to play them full length. Most can be stopped at any moment because of the patterns.
(something like 'prima vera', una mattina, or I giorni)
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- KVRAF
- 4141 posts since 11 Aug, 2006 from Texas
In my opinion If you can play Bach well you can play almost anything. I'm more impressed with a pianist that can competently play some of the preludes than a longer, but musically less challenging, piece. Getting the voicing and phrasing correct is a challenge in itself...
The case I'll make for sheet music: it's what the music should be, not what it is. Midi is the exact opposite: it's an interpretation of a piece by a person. Things like slurs, stacattos, pauses, fermatas all get lost (or are hard to discern) from midi data.
Honestly, what would impress me is the investment in time in a shorter but technically challenging piece that conveys your understanding of the piano as an instrument, not merely as a conduit. Learning the attack of the keys, how pedaling imparts to the piece, how subtle changes to the release of the key changes the sound. It's a lot to learn in four months and I wish you the best of luck.
The case I'll make for sheet music: it's what the music should be, not what it is. Midi is the exact opposite: it's an interpretation of a piece by a person. Things like slurs, stacattos, pauses, fermatas all get lost (or are hard to discern) from midi data.
Honestly, what would impress me is the investment in time in a shorter but technically challenging piece that conveys your understanding of the piano as an instrument, not merely as a conduit. Learning the attack of the keys, how pedaling imparts to the piece, how subtle changes to the release of the key changes the sound. It's a lot to learn in four months and I wish you the best of luck.
Feel free to call me Brian.
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- KVRian
- Topic Starter
- 880 posts since 26 Oct, 2011
Yeah, I totally agree here. This is why basically I want to play Moonlight Sonata. Albeit it isn't all that challenging necessarily, but I've heard it since my childhood and it's one of the most accessible pieces to me in terms of expression. It probably should be pointed out that I'm hoping I get the technical side of things ready in two months, after which the "real" practice begins.bmrzycki wrote:Honestly, what would impress me is the investment in time in a shorter but technically challenging piece that conveys your understanding of the piano as an instrument, not merely as a conduit. Learning the attack of the keys, how pedaling imparts to the piece, how subtle changes to the release of the key changes the sound. It's a lot to learn in four months and I wish you the best of luck.
However, my mother is heavily advising me against it. She is saying I should practice something that doesn't require a pedal (I also don't have right now a pedal, but planning to get one). But she can't really reason this, she is assuming I don't have any idea why a sustain pedal is used and how it's used. To my understanding, in this particular piece the most important thing is not to not allow harmonics mix.
She was classically trained in Russia and apparently there they pretty much avoided pedals altogether for a long time and it was one of the most important lessons (never touch the pedals).
I dunno, I'm confident enough in that I can learn to express with pedal in 4 months. But in case not, I have to practice something indeed that will do without. Moonlight Sonata just seems unfortunately somewhat a cliché + I think it's also far too easy to butcher. Like, I'd have to get it right a lot of times in a row (in terms of expression, not just the notes) before I'd be confident enough.
May I ask if you have any suggestions? I mean in general terms, with pedal or without
And thanks, I think I'll need all the luck. But if I don't get in this time, at least I'll have 2,5 years to figure out the basics of a piano. + even better material for portfolio (although I think I'm on the strong side there even right now)
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- KVRAF
- 4141 posts since 11 Aug, 2006 from Texas
Full disclosure: I wouldn't call myself a pianist by any means. I've been taking lessons as an adult for 4 years now but it's purely a hobby. I wanted you to know this so you can decide how to take my advice. 
Regarding the piece to select: if you're going to be playing over and over for 4 months it had better speak to you and you have to find how you wish to express it. There are many more pieces more technically challenging than it. But unless you can convey the emotion within the piece it will just sound flat and lifeless and impress no one.
The book I keep going back to is this one:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1423421922
Most pieces fit on one page, some on two. But don't let their length fool you. Most of them are like Fabergé eggs with their nuance and complexity coming through the more you study and play them. If you're really serious check out his Fugues. Those are intricate, technically demanding, and longer.
Regarding pedal: I'm a bit surprised by your mother's comments. Anton Rubinstein, as recalled by Sergei Rachmaninoff, said that the "The pedal is the soul of the piano. No pianist should ever forget this." Pedaling is more than just holding it down for a bar to let notes sustain. Chords sound different when pedaled. Pedal helps connect chords as you move your hands. Half pedaling lengthens the notes slightly and softens the attack. Used judiciously it can greatly alter the feel of a piece. When I watch pianists play I often focus more on their pedaling technique than their hands: it's a great way to see how they determined the phrasing for a section.
Regarding mixing harmonics: it all depends on what the composer intended. The Romantics would agree with your statement but the Impressionists would not. And the early Baroque composers would ask what you meant by a pedal.
Regarding the piece to select: if you're going to be playing over and over for 4 months it had better speak to you and you have to find how you wish to express it. There are many more pieces more technically challenging than it. But unless you can convey the emotion within the piece it will just sound flat and lifeless and impress no one.
The book I keep going back to is this one:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1423421922
Most pieces fit on one page, some on two. But don't let their length fool you. Most of them are like Fabergé eggs with their nuance and complexity coming through the more you study and play them. If you're really serious check out his Fugues. Those are intricate, technically demanding, and longer.
Regarding pedal: I'm a bit surprised by your mother's comments. Anton Rubinstein, as recalled by Sergei Rachmaninoff, said that the "The pedal is the soul of the piano. No pianist should ever forget this." Pedaling is more than just holding it down for a bar to let notes sustain. Chords sound different when pedaled. Pedal helps connect chords as you move your hands. Half pedaling lengthens the notes slightly and softens the attack. Used judiciously it can greatly alter the feel of a piece. When I watch pianists play I often focus more on their pedaling technique than their hands: it's a great way to see how they determined the phrasing for a section.
Regarding mixing harmonics: it all depends on what the composer intended. The Romantics would agree with your statement but the Impressionists would not. And the early Baroque composers would ask what you meant by a pedal.
Feel free to call me Brian.
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- KVRer
- 2 posts since 18 Jan, 2019
Hey Functional, I know 4 months have already passed but just felt like asking in case it helps someone else.
For me & my eldest daughter - online courses have proven to be absolutely invaluable.
And, like you said, 4 months is not a lot - which makes me wonder... How did it all go? Did you pass mate?
Sorry for being too curious
For me & my eldest daughter - online courses have proven to be absolutely invaluable.
And, like you said, 4 months is not a lot - which makes me wonder... How did it all go? Did you pass mate?
Sorry for being too curious
Why not?
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- KVRian
- 1030 posts since 26 Feb, 2018
Also curious how this went.
For anyone else reading, I would suggest that the most important thing to practice over a short time period (a few months) would be dexterity and coordination. That takes a while to set into "your fingers". So along with any program to learn music and the instrument, I would get on a plan to practice finger dexterity and coordination constantly. Stretching exercises, hand movement exercises, rolling fingers on notes, finger strength, precision and timing. 3-4 months is enough if you get on it with a planned schedule.
And record your sessions! You can boost your learning quite a bit if you hear yourself from a third-person perspective. When you are in learning mode, while actively playing you miss so much because your mind is busy trying to play right. If you record the session and hear it afterwards you'll spot a ton of issues you didn't notice while playing.
For anyone else reading, I would suggest that the most important thing to practice over a short time period (a few months) would be dexterity and coordination. That takes a while to set into "your fingers". So along with any program to learn music and the instrument, I would get on a plan to practice finger dexterity and coordination constantly. Stretching exercises, hand movement exercises, rolling fingers on notes, finger strength, precision and timing. 3-4 months is enough if you get on it with a planned schedule.
And record your sessions! You can boost your learning quite a bit if you hear yourself from a third-person perspective. When you are in learning mode, while actively playing you miss so much because your mind is busy trying to play right. If you record the session and hear it afterwards you'll spot a ton of issues you didn't notice while playing.