KVR Audio

3ee · Post by **3ee** » Wed Jun 06, 2012 5:48 pm

Some simple tips on chords that might be helpful also...

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL ... ature=plcp

Doug1978 · Post by **Doug1978** » Fri Jun 08, 2012 10:32 am

^^ to be honest 3ee, that would seem a sensible idea for this OP.
However, there's been numerous and diverse suggestions / advice offered by people here, but the OP has only replied with what he doesn't want:

kg2600 wrote: thanks for all the feedback but i cant really have a teacher aat this point because i dont have the time or resources to devote to that and i like to produce house music which is mostly 4 bar melodies. i dont see the point in getting a teacher if its to create 4 bar melodies

kg2600 wrote:hey guys i have looked into all of your suggestions and i really appreciate it but they arent helping me that much i need something that i can interact with because for some reasons i cant learn from the videos so if anybody know alternative methods that would be so awesome

I stuck up two posts on this thread which included (amongst other things) 2 recommended books on learning how to play the piano, and also recommended websites where the OP could learn about playing the piano. Those recommendations would certainly aid someone who wants to start learning the piano and who doesn't want a teacher or a video.
However, seems like most of us are wasting our time advising someone who only wants to tell us what he doesn't want - so it's probably better to save your time and energy for someone who actually reads the posts (I've now deleted mine).

updog · Post by **updog** » Sat Jun 09, 2012 2:38 pm

hi guys, i'm interested in learning to play piano as well, to a greater extent than just being able to play 4-bar melodies. just bought a new midi keyboard to learn on too.

don't have time nor the money for a teacher at present at least, but i'm going to check out the things you guys posted. that Synthesia thing looks fun. i'm not afraid of just watching videos or reading books either, because i REALLY want to learn my way around the keys - i'm a drummer, and learning a melodic instrument would really benefit me in many ways, plus i think there are some connections with playing drums and piano, both require the brain to be able to separate the action between fingers or limbs, and even though in reality they're on a different scale, i find their motoric principle fundamentally the same, and i've heard of pianists becoming great drummers in a relatively short amount of time and the other way around too.

do the suggestions so far include help with music theory? i've studied through it but as i said before i was a drummer, so without any real practice of theory i've pretty much forgotten all of it. learning the theory again is also one of the goals i hope to learn by learning piano.

updog · Post by **updog** » Sat Jun 09, 2012 9:28 pm

i've played with Synthesia today and it's actually an amazing piece of software so far! i've only played the songs for absolute beginners, but hey, baby steps and all... they help to use all your fingers even though they're pretty easy so far.

is there a program similar to synthesia, but for learning music theory??

ratsratsrats · Post by **ratsratsrats** » Sat Jun 09, 2012 11:43 pm

sopulurn wrote:i've played with Synthesia today and it's actually an amazing piece of software so far! i've only played the songs for absolute beginners, but hey, baby steps and all... they help to use all your fingers even though they're pretty easy so far.

is there a program similar to synthesia, but for learning music theory??

It's possible to load up your own midi files into Synthesia so you might have some luck looking for some midis that repeat chords/scales/arpeggios (just an idea)

ras.s · Post by **ras.s** » Sun Jun 10, 2012 12:26 am

Roedy Black Publishing got some fancy charts to go through, free downloads. Handy.

ScottIrvine · Post by **ScottIrvine** » Sun Jun 10, 2012 1:46 pm

Wave Alchemy are currently doing a basic piano / theory blog series:

Part 1: http://www.wavealchemy.co.uk/blog/piano ... d=&start=6

This is good for someone just starting out, and hasn't touched a piano before. It'll also help people become more familiar with creating melodies and scales in the piano roll in various DAWs. It should be ideal for people interested in house considering WA's main market is for House/Electro musicians.

There are currently 7 parts: http://www.wavealchemy.co.uk/blog/

updog · Post by **updog** » Sun Jun 10, 2012 11:33 pm

ratsratsrats wrote:
sopulurn wrote:i've played with Synthesia today and it's actually an amazing piece of software so far! i've only played the songs for absolute beginners, but hey, baby steps and all... they help to use all your fingers even though they're pretty easy so far.

is there a program similar to synthesia, but for learning music theory??
It's possible to load up your own midi files into Synthesia so you might have some luck looking for some midis that repeat chords/scales/arpeggios (just an idea)

thanks for the tip! the midis seem easy enough to make on my own as, didn't cross my mind to import such in Synthesia.

updog · Post by **updog** » Sun Jun 10, 2012 11:35 pm

ScottIrvine wrote:Wave Alchemy are currently doing a basic piano / theory blog series:

Part 1: http://www.wavealchemy.co.uk/blog/piano ... d=&start=6

This is good for someone just starting out, and hasn't touched a piano before. It'll also help people become more familiar with creating melodies and scales in the piano roll in various DAWs. It should be ideal for people interested in house considering WA's main market is for House/Electro musicians.

There are currently 7 parts: http://www.wavealchemy.co.uk/blog/

thanks man, this is just the ticket! plain enough to understand, but already cleared some questions for me that i had in mind about the five finger position.

learning through these, playing Synthesia and maybe watching a couple of tutorials would seem to get me on a nice start!

kg2600 · Post by **kg2600** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 6:28 am

hey guys i just wanted to thank you for all the suggestions you guys have given me. i know that in some post it may sound like im not willing to put in time to read the books or watch the videos but i have watched most of the videos and actually read alot of the book but my whole life i have had learning difficulties and for some reason info does stick with me that is why i kept asking for more things its not cause im a greedy dude who just wants the miracle fix so it pisses me off when someone like doug1978 telling me that i dont care. cause i do care i just have trouble learning and thats why i kept asking for more things and doug how about the next time you have an issue with someone you message them and stop acusing them if you have a clue about them.

Doug1978 · Post by **Doug1978** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 9:31 am

kg2600 wrote:hey guys i just wanted to thank you for all the suggestions you guys have given me. i know that in some post it may sound like im not willing to put in time to read the books or watch the videos but i have watched most of the videos and actually read alot of the book but my whole life i have had learning difficulties and for some reason info does stick with me that is why i kept asking for more things its not cause im a greedy dude who just wants the miracle fix so it pisses me off when someone like doug1978 telling me that i dont care. cause i do care i just have trouble learning and thats why i kept asking for more things and doug how about the next time you have an issue with someone you message them and stop acusing them if you have a clue about them.

How about you take your own advice then kg2600 and send someone a private message rather than have a go at them publicly??

You're not the only one with learning difficulties here - many of us have them. More to the point, what on earth have your issues got to do with you simply ignoring people's advice when they recommend several good books and websites etc which could benefit you?
That is the ONLY reason for my previous post.

If people suggest things in their posts - which they've taken their time out to reply to you kindly - and then you blank them and instead only focus on what you don't want (as your previous three posts did), don't be surprised if people get annoyed.

ScottIrvine · Post by **ScottIrvine** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 11:17 am

Doug1978, you should consider reposting your suggestions. Even if they don't help the OP, someone else will eventually stumble across this thread who will find it useful. Unfortunately you can't please everyone, hopefully the OP will find something that does suit his needs.

Anyway, another useful resource geared towards Rock, Funk, Latin and Jazz piano styles is Willie Myette's site. There's a free 7 day trial, and you don't have to supply any payment details so you won't get roped into a paid membership. The lessons range from 'never touched a piano' all the way to advanced jazz piano. He also has a full improv course on youtube.

Free Trail:
http://www.pianowithwillie.com/free-pia ... th-willie/

Improv series:
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8FBEE513358FE251
(It's geared towards jazz, but the basic concepts will be useful in any style)

The only downside is the paid membership now limits the number of views per month wheras it used to be unlimited views. Though it is cheaper than it used to be. To be honest though, for a beginner, I suggesst just watching the free videos and checking out the trial.

Doug1978 · Post by **Doug1978** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 2:23 pm

Hi Scott

Thanks - good idea.
I agree fully with you about Wave Alchemy's excellent new blog.

The books I recommended (I have used the first two myself) were:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Learning-Read-M ... =pd_cp_b_2

http://www.amazon.com/Alfreds-Teach-You ... pd_sim_b_1

http://www.amazon.com/Learn-piano-KEYS- ... earn+piano

In terms of general piano chords, scales and theory etc, I also find JumpingJackFlash's excellent threads in the Music Theory sub-forum at this KVR website hard to beat.

Finally, for anyone wanting to know a wider appreciation of making music and arrangement, Eric Turkel's book is the best imo. It won't be just about the piano, but there's no reason why people learning the piano can't also benefit from this excellent book:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Arranging-Techn ... 556&sr=1-3

Doug

kg2600 · Post by **kg2600** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 7:00 pm

[/quote]Look up Synthesia then, I think it'll be right up your alley. (Free too)[/quote]

hey i downloaded synthesia i really like it its cool and interactive thanks for the tip

sin night · Post by **sin night** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 10:58 pm

I didn't watch those videos, anyway I agree with those who suggested to find a piano teacher.

You should pay attention in particular to your position when you play (this is one of those things where a teacher is important, especially at the beginning): having the right angles on your harms, the hands in the right position and so on... it really helps and it's best to begin in the right way instead of having to change after some time. I think you should at least ask advice to a friend who has got formal education to give you advice/help and correct these things as soon as possible...

Another thing you should really pay attention if the fingering. On some scores (well... every books I studied, to be honest) there's the fingering telling that you have to play some notes with a precise finger. It's very important that you follow that as most of the times is the easier way to play (I started playing keys/piano by myself before having a teacher, so I have the bad habit of not following the right fingering most of the time... and it's a real pain when the only way to play some phrases or to avoid some mistakes it is to follow the right fingering and so you have to learn again a piece!).

Even if you don't aim at becoming a piano player, try to learn the foundations (position, fingering, thumb passage...) as best as you can and don't rush to play things more difficult but practice a lot, piano requires a lot of time to be mastered.
A classic score book for piano beginners - I hope I'm quoting the correct book, as it's late and I'm going to sleep - [is a book by Czerny which I think it is called something like "my first piano teacher" - EDIT: it is not Czerny's the book I meant, but Beyer's "Elementary School op.101"... or something like that, I studied on a version with the title translated in italian]. It is a book used for classical piano education, but I think those exercices are good for learning the basics (and I think also that other books/teacher would propose more or less that kind of exercices if you're just starting out). Beware that it's a book with just scores (with fingering), so you probably need a teacher/a book/some videos/whatever you want to guide you though the study... You won't regret it!

Last but not least, practice a lot using only one hand at time, then put them together on the keys. This is one of the classic mistakes everybody (me too!) does.

How to play piano?