I needed this video right now. I had a teacher at around 8 years old and his main focus with me was teaching me how to read music and getting me sight reading from the start. I remember how exciting it was as a child to get to that point of looking at a piece of music and being able to hear it. When I stopped playing I always wanted to go back to it but, life happened and after about 15 years I lost the ability to easily read past G on the staff. I picked up guitar and learned songs but never learned music theory or went back to sight reading. During my first guitar lesson exactly a year ago, I was craving going back to piano more than ever and couldn’t absorb a word of what my guitar teacher was saying in terms of theory. Music theory became my main focal point in learning because I wanted more musical freedom with improvisation. Over the past year between books and RUclips, I learned the basic fundamentals of theory. Now I know I need to focus more on mastering sight reading. What felt really overwhelming for me was not having that most basic technical understanding of music theory. While I’m waiting to start Berklee Online courses, I am at this kind of impasse where I feel i should connect with an instructor again and go over what I’ve learned, where my biggest focal points should be at this phase, get a more solid game plan going. I’m ancient now in terms of beginner musicianship. I’m 41, but music is my passion and I’m not letting that stop me. 😂 I agree with everything you’re saying and i have to stop going back to regret that I ever stopped-that’s not going to do anything for me-and just keep with steady forward movement. I’m a fast learner, find that a lot comes naturally to me musically and I’m dedicated & determined.
I have a similar experience however my first piano lesson was at 35. I took for 8 years and quit because my lessons were too stressful. My teacher never taught me how to practice, never taught me chords, and never taught me theory. Every week I was given two or three new pieces to learn for the next week. That was it. I continued to play the same pieces for the next decade. Fast forward………..at 73 I bought myself a new piano. Through Jazer I’ve learned how to practice and I study theory. My sight reading skills are really good and I’m finally learning theory. I don’t think it’s ever too late to learn. I’ve never been able to play by ear and still can’t….some day maybe.
Pretty same although I had a piano teacher 8-15 years old but never a word about theory. It is a game changer! In my 2nd semester at Berklee Online and 63 years old. It’s never too late and you are never too old to fulfill your dreams!
All of the replies and the main comment on this thread are very optimistic and inspiring to read. I'm very proud of you all, Music gals! ❤ 🎶 🎵 😊 🌻 NEVER QUIT YOUR DREAMs! The journey is as exciting and full of rewarding personal growth and self motivation, for the destination was well earned! ✨️
I restarted at 65. I have made great progress in the last 2 years by dedicating time. 41 is so young, you really should make great strides if you want to - just get a little bit better on part of one or two pieces each day (I think Jazer said something similar in another video), it adds up fast!
Learning anything is never too late. I'm preparing for a music audition to study piano major in my mid 40s now. Although I've played the piano many years ago and only restarted it recently, his videos help me tremendously to master some of the piano techniques that I didn't realise existed before. So good luck to your music learning journey and thank you Mr.Lee for helping us to become a better pianist and music theorist. ❤
Some formally trained musicians have worse concepts than some self taught musicians I know. Generally, a significant number of self taught musicians take the time to understand why certain things sound good a certain way, and may intuitively pick up on some new chord change based on a pivot note for example. What they may lack is proper technique. On the other hand, there are quite a few formally trained musicians who are extremely proficient at sight reading and have efficient techniques. But strangely some have wierd locked-in concepts. I had a friend like that and for some reason he had a rule that "minors go up and majors go down," and when I asked him what he meant, he couldn't fully explain. And then I slowly garnered that his theory was extremely weak but he'd somehow managed to impress everyone due to ability to sight read and play back wonderfully. While discussing key modulations he gave a blank stare and then he was extremely surprised when a friend (who was self taught by the way) sitting close by started strumming the chords on his guitar (after he determined by ear which key on the guitar and adjusted to whatever was being played on the piano) and the one on the piano was like, "How did you know what to play without your chord charts or staff notation?" I think this is the perfect example of what can go wrong: i) an extremely proficient self taught musician who can just play anything by ear but not knowing theory/can't read staff notation. ii) A formally trained musician who can sight read and play the most complex pieces but freezes when asked to play accompaniment to a new song and somehow picked up wrong concepts while being taught music theory.
I got injured thanks to being a self-taught pianist. I was pushing the keys of my non- weighted keyboard too hard without using the proper technique to do so. After 9 months of playing now I have to take care of my arms and wrist so I have to stay away from the keyboard. Please if you're a self-taught pianist due look for all the videos you can find on the correct posture and technique when playing the piano. I used to think it wasn't that important but here I am right now. Take care of your body, that's the real instrument, not the piano itself
As a self taught piano player I believe you hit the nail right on the head. Specially the level skipping, it robs you of knowledge and experience that you need to play easier and properly. The only thing I don't think you can fix is having amazing hand flexibility or long enough fingers to reach over an octave. I have to choose either lower or top keys, maybe a completely different piece all together. 😅
Self-taught, beginning about 11 months ago. I’ve been working my way through the Neil Kjos piano theory books, and I’ve found it extremely helpful in understanding how key signatures and chords work and, maybe most important at this early stage of learning, how to identify notes and intervals as I encounter them in sheet music and get my fingers to respond in kind.
I think about your tips very often when I practice piano. They always help me not to stumble in certain ways. However, it takes a lot of patience, discipline and perseverance. But you're really right. In the end it's worth it and you get support from it. I used to have piano lessons and am now a self-learner. I'll probably buy another piano lesson soon.
I have a great friend who is an excellent self taught guitarist who has been self teaching himself some piano lately. He showed me how he has learned by ear part of a classical piece. The thing is… his fingers were flayed up in the air with his hands looking like a frightened spider😬 I demonstrated what it looks like to play with relaxed fingers, and he said okay, and proceeded to play the passage exactly the same way. Oh boy. Sooo much tension. I’m glad I had the chance to have piano lessons when I was a kid (and now). I’m sure he’ll figure it out but I know first hand how it’s more difficult to unlearn bad habits than learn correct ones.
Great video, thank you! I am self taught, I love the theory part because it syncs with my otherwise scientific brain. When people say, "Be the Music," or "Feel the Music," I can't relate. One thing I have difficulty with is applying theory to practical playing. I get what the scales are, I can even play them. I understand the chords and always include them in practice. I know about some keys and chord progressions. But I have difficulty applying all of that to practical playing. In your example, you used the easy version of Silent Night. I can look at it, pick out the rhythm, and pick out the intervals, but I can't look at it and apply the theory. I can't look at a series of notes and determine, Oh that's just an arpeggiated "G" chord with a 7th added. I can create the circle of fifths from memory and see where it might help composing, don't see how it helps my playing yet. So I still tend to look at it as just a series of notes with intervals as you said. I know about the circle of fifths and I can create scales and determine the I, ii, iii, IV, V, vi, VIIo chords but so what? That just isn't translating into better playing for me. Or maybe it is and I just don't know it. I'm learning about modes, but again, don't see where that is helping for playing as opposed to composing. Anyway, it's all good, it's all fun. Just how far should music theory be taken for people who just intend to play pieces for fun and enjoyment? Most of have no desire or the time to become a concert pianist. So knowing how much theory is enough and realizing that point of diminishing returns is important to us. Perhaps a video on analyzing a relatively simple piece of music and how you go about it would be helpful. What are you looking for and what elements do you pick out to help you learn a piece faster?
Hi Jazer. I had lessons on and off for 30 years. And to be honest I was too lazy when younger so have knowledge gaps so I'm not as good as I should be really but I love to play. I got about 30 favourite pieces I would like to work up overtime. I seem to concentrate on slower shorter pieces but of high quality music. I look at top pianists on youtube and learn at least some of the pieces they can play. I try and play different styles. Bach, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Schumann but also Late Liszt, Stephen Hough, Scriabin and Mompou. If something is good enough for Arcadi Volodos or Martha Argerich to play then you know your not playing rubbish! In some respects it is how well something is played rather than what it is. Listen to Horowitz or Volodos turn a "easier" piece into something utterly amazing by playing it on the highest level possible.
This is why music theory, is a theory, because there's no end to what you can make, and once that piece is set in stone, if you change some notes and scale around, then just create another theory.
Hello Jazer Lee! Thank you for this excellent video! After watching it, I suddenly realized that I also learn pieces that are too hard for my level! I am a 66-year-old self-taught pianist. I began to learn to play this beautiful instrument some 19 months ago. I practice at least 45 minutes each day. After your video, I searched for lists of easy piano pieces for beginners, but they are not easy to find! Maybe I should begin to learn the 5 + 5 + 7 = 17 classical pieces mentioned on your channel (5 Classical Pieces Beginners Shouldn't Skip, 5 Classical Pieces Beginners Shouldn't Skip (Part 2), 7 Piano Pieces Beginners Should Play). Maybe you could suggest other lists of easy piano pieces for beginners? If so, I would really appreciate it.!!!
I thank my teacher for introducing me to Hanon exercise book when I was a kid. Although, I was not able to go further to advance level. It really helped me alot to at least know how to play basic scale with proper finger position. I remember we always start with the Hanon exercise then proceed in studying different piano pieces. So it's like doing a warm up before strenuous exercise. And now as a busy adult (who doesn't have much time anymore to play the piano.. there are times that I haven't touched piano for years due to busy schedule T.T), it's nice to be able to play easy piano pieces that are new to me on the spot, and be able to study early intermediate pieces. I wish I could do better and hone my skills even more (sight reading, jumps, chromatic scale, chords, playing in general, etc. And yeah you're right music theory and the circle of fifth, patterns and relationship) but for someone who play the piano as a hobby, I think I'm fine lol. My problems are I have difficulties playing pieces in key signature with 4 sharps/flats and up. And for some reason, I just can't read notes in ledger lines! It's my frustration. It's easier for me when it's just indicated to play in higher or lower octave 8ve*. Currently, I use musescore for FREE digital access to music sheets.. I love it cause it's free. But print out is really important so you can write on the sheet that helps you in studying the piece. Like, me personally, I just encircle some notes to know that it's sharpened/flattened; it just makes it easier for me to sight read and play (Idk if it's a good habit but it works for me 😅). And for those notes in ledger lines that I can't read, I just write down the letter what note it is.
Really great video. I really like the tip about sight-reading easy pieces. That thought had never occured to me before. I learn and play by ear and sinple songs very quickly and often just from memory of listening to a song before. I had never thought to combine that approach with the sheet music to build the sight reading skills. That seems like a very logical way to 'get there fast' without wasting time. Its exactly as you said - Even though i learn many songs I fail a lot at fully mastering most of them because I do not take the time to read and learn every note. The old saying: 'A jack of all trades is a master of none.' is very applicable here. This tip will change my practice habits. Thank you, Jazer!
When I started learning, my teacher didn’t teach me sight reading so I have to train myself in it and it’s really not easy because I’ve been improvising for about 9 years now and I’m just 17😭
Strangely chord progression of the different styles and genres of music in the different eras was something I never learnt in the ABRSM syllabus. In fact, I'd argue that the syllabus was / is broken. Going to teachers who only teach according to exam syllabus is not very useful either. I did that as a child but now thinking back, it was the wrong approach. Seeking out a teacher is a must but so is seeking out the right one. Those are rare.
I know this video is about self taught vs having a teacher but what if the teacher has never played the pieces you're trying to play? Especially in terms of the techniques and tricks required to play it at speed as well as the practise techniques? I know i can't expect every teacher to have played say the prelude in g minor by rach but if you haven't played it before, are you able to teach it properly without knowing the pitfalls and the difficult parts where you'd need pre requisites in practising finger agility etc before attempting it?
My formal training was in viola and in voice, specifically Indian classical music and European opera. A lot of what you say can translate to piano. Not exactly one to one on every point, of course, but the ideas are very similar. What I love about self-teaching from a different instrument is that you already have the basic insights. You just need to find how you're going to translate them to this new instrument.
Love this vid! I’m self-taught musician, also music teacher. I take the “always the student, always a teacher” approach and I immerse myself in various instruments as well as read/research theory. Sight reading is my biggest limitation and what I’ve been working on, and this video helped direct me and affirmed some things I was thinking, so thank you! It’s interesting being able to “read,” but then applying to real-time sight reading… you gotta want it 😊
Great video. Playing by ear is clearly better for me. No lie. Piano is not only for sheet music. I know all my theory. I play from the heart. Playing piano by ear is masterable. I play one tune in different ways everytime, different reharmonization, own runs and licks in all keys, I can improvise progressions, own arrangements. Most music readers can't even improvise. All pieces they play are already familiar to the ears which takes away the fun in it. So Playing by ear unlocks the creativity that's with in you, for me sight reading is like a painter learning how to paint what has already been painted exactly as is. But I feel like everyone has their own goal to why they wanna learn piano, but mine is definitely not to play classical music but to improvise modern songs with my own taste and accompany singers and have fun. Playing classical music to me is like playing a tape of old music which sounds like that everytime, it never changes.
I sometimes also improvise with classical music. That's also possible and fun for me. ;-). But first I learn to play it exactly as written. From there I love to play a bit with the piece. 😂 And sometimes go back to. "playing by the book" again. Just for fun and to stay creative.
I play by ear and I know a little bit of sight reading. But because I play by ear once I get the song the ear takes over. But I also have dyslexia so my ear of course takes over everything when it comes to music. I also like to play with chords arpeggios are my favorite and when I do random arpeggios my hands go everywhere all over the keyboard not knowing when to stop. It's almost like a run on sentence on piano. I got piano lessons on and off when I was a kid but my parents could not always afford piano lessons. I quit piano lessons when I was 15 the piano teacher felt as if I was a lost cause. She loved my brother he caught on quicker than I did. I couldn't help it I had difficulty reading anything because I couldn't see very well. I stopped playing my piano all together by the time I was 18. I started up again at the age of 45. I transcribed my music to letters and started songs that I like. I don't care for my keyboard it only has 62 keys. But yep to play by ear is great so is sight reading though sight reading is a little slower. My play by ear goes way too fast that I miss several parts of a song sometimes. But I haven't played piano much because my housing situation is up in the air or my financial situation gets challenged. So it's a little slow hopefully I'll save a little money to get a better keyboard and maybe a couple sessions with an instructor.
I'm super curious about the books you have in the background. I hope you will do a video briefly going through some of them and how they personally shape you.
Great video! One thing though..when reading Silent Night and demomstrating the rhythm I think you missed a really crucial point and that was the importance of counting loudly until it becomes internalised...and that then the rhythmic figure of the melody fell on 1 (2) AND 3...1 (2) AND 3 ... etc. and that students should count along like this immediately when they hear any piece of music....kind of transcribing the rhythm in their heads and then onto paper...and then this when reverse engineered helps reading rhythm..which in sight reading is probably more important that the pitch of the notes..a few fluffed notes won't matter but if the momentum, ot the pulse is interrupted...it's a fail...😂
I was a music major in college in violin. For a long time I thought that the 2 years of theory I had to take and 1 year of music history were the biggest waste of time but now that I'm trying to improve my piano skills that knowledge is really helpful. The second year of theory was modern music (Debussy, Stravinsky, Bartok, etc) and the techniques those composers used.
FANTASTIC video! Thank you. Now, for my comment: I studied music theory up through ABRSM Grade 5, and aced my exercises. Problem is, they all seem out of context. When I learn a piece, whatever I did in music theory doesn't seem to apply - or, stated another way, how do I connect the dots?
Appreciate the info! Can't stress how important finding pieces that are slightly above your difficulty level as a self-taught musician is. I've been playing for four years without a teacher and I think the ABRSM curriculum is a good barometer. There are videos all over RUclips of the compositions that show proper playing technique for those compositions, so people can learn through synesthesia, but sight reading is essentially required for anything beyond the second level. It's always helpful to have a plan!
I have been looking at ABRSM testing! Do you find it worth it? I have 10 yrs of formal lessons but never been "tested." What value do you see in the testing and levels?
@@sevareilly Getting tested? Nah! Using the curriculum to see where I am with my technical skills? Absolutely! I'm self-taught for the last 5 years and using the levels lets me know what I technical proficiencies I need to work on if I can't play a piece.
Jazer! You are totally helping me, i started 'not letting myself play the wrong notes' yesterday, and wouldn't allow myself to move until i played it perfectly 7 times. Its working!
Hey @jazerleepiano, another great video, many thanks! I am self-taught since about a year and can much relate to each of the 5 things you describe. I have tried to be mindful about them from the beginning but feel I keep falling short of my expectations. Why? The honest answer is probably: Lack of discipline. ;-) It is so much more fun to try to play pieces than working on techniques and music theory. From the beginning I had the idea that I "somehow" would pick up proper techniques/theory automatically while working on pieces. I realise this is wrong and I need to invest more in the basics (even though they can be a bit boring) and resist more temptations to play pieces. Maybe your No. 5 is my biggest shortfall. I find it hard to choose the "next logical" piece and often find myself picking things which are too difficult yet. It would be super helpful (I guess for all of us self-taughts) if you could compile a list of pieces that you think form a logical sequence to practice in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd year of the piano journey. Thanks a lot again for your excellent videos, tips and pointers you give. They are priceless!
I'm learning from several Keyboard beginner books (some of the titles you have in your description here, and other, much older books(ie: E Markham Lee 'From the Beginning/Moving Along/The Upward Way' is one set) ... I like to read the books from beginning to end, then work my way through them at the keyboard. I have Chord Books and a lot(lots)of classical & popular music sheet books... lol: I like books ;). I learn for fun. I also have a subscription to Yousician - a course that has no interaction/tailored lessons for the individual on a personal level, the course is instructive/fun though .. and I watch utube vids. I like many of your teaching methods & suggestions and agree we are all students throughout life and should mix-it-up as much as possible & enjoy without the need to excel. Thanks for your videos-i'd consider signing up for a course if I reached a point where I was applying myself more seriously to playing.
approaching the end of my first year of self teaching piano. just finished the first level of faber's adult piano adventures, did the method book and all three song books. Definitely going the route of learning a lot of songs. Each song has its unique challenges that teach me something. Even if they are all rather easy to learn and play so far. Just starting Level 2 today!
I am self taught, but I priortized music theory a lot more than even playing piano at first, and now what happens is I can understand how things are functioning, or putting chords that our of thirds in thirds, and the boring I V, classical musical really had at the end of the day, but then when I got involved into learning jazz , and jazz voicinggs, my brain kind of went well you can't learn to play both classical and jazz it's almost like you have to either split your time or choose, and that's something I don't like. because you're praciting a lot of scale runs in modes , and vociings, vs Triplet arrpegs , and harmonic / major scales. in 4 octaves. (which is almost useless in jazz lol) I am thankful for apps that to do sight reading on the daily, whenever you aren't busy or even doing something else you can just quickly get some rounds done, or pick up a pdf and practice that way, but I would agree with you in theory dept , it's kind of sad that a lot of musicians, don't understand somethings so simple as circle of 5ths or scales / key signatures, when its all in order of the alphabet and has those MMonics, and at the end of the day is how musicians especailly in (Jazz) speak to each other. one part of theory I find a lot of people don't focus on in their piano playing in general , is the Thirds and 4ths and and I think dicking around with your ear is stupid too. I currently am playing my first chopin nocturne in F minor op 55 ,and when i got to the FF B theme, it has been pretty difficult but I do find it challenging to make enough for a year goal XD.
Great video. It really hit home for me. I'm self taught for almost 2 years now. I think I'm tackling pieces that are too hard for my level. You opened my eyes to some of the mistakes I'm making. Thank you!
Do you think this would apply to learning via a VR headset as well? I'm self taught, but I want to dive into music theory, but I'm currently disabled and stuck in bed. There's VR piano programs now. You donxt get the feel of the keys, but it would be great if all of that really did translate into practical experience. What are your thoughts on VR piano?
ABSOLUTELY AGREE with you!! Knowledge is POWER. I actually really like Theory. ( am l crazy?.) I was taught by two great teachers. But l think just l’m ‘lucky’ in the way l was bought up; as an embryo l heard jazz & classical- l couldn’t improvise. But, when l started the guitar, l started learning rock guitar rhythm/lead, teaching myself. Classical & jazz will always be my favourite. Combing the two is great fun! I know that music is a lifetime of study-it is for me anyway!! 😃🎹✨👊🏾😈
One thing I never understood was how to warm up properly, how long should you warm up? Does the length of warm ups depend on your skill level? How do you warm up?
I have all of these problems and I am self self-taught (YT taught) pianist. I fully agree with the importance of sight reading. One can remember 10 songs but not 50 without the sight reading.
I agree theory is important and a useful thing to know. I play quite well by ear and did classical music at school passing up to grade 5 without doing a theiry exam. I hated theory but dud exams in later. I love your videos. T hated hated
There's a difference between a piano teacher and a good piano teacher. I took lessons for 4 years as a kid. I'm good at sight reading. But, I have a lot of problems with a lot of theory. She didn't really teach it. I finally got frustrated and quit.
Very insightful points. I guess I am an unusual self-taught pianist then because I do prefer only to sight-read everything and I cannot really play anything by ear or memorization. I can memorize, but it would take me a long time. Sight-reading is key for me. I also don't think I skip anything or go to advanced pieces quickly. In fact, having no teacher means I am never ashamed at the fact that my progress is so slow because no one knows it but me - I can take it as slow as I want. If I spent 4 months on Sonatina in G by Beethoven - who knows it but me? No pressure, no expectation to progress. It's been three years of my self-teaching and the only thing that's problematic is my left hand. I needed someone to assign me to work on it more - now I am catching up.
I am self taught. I am 68 years old. I had a couple of months of lessons when I was a teenager. Since watching your videos, my sight reading has improved and I am learning to take pieces and work on small bites and perfect them, something I hadn’t been doing. I would just keep making the same mistakes. The thing that is most challenging for me is correct fingering. I can read the music, I understand it, but sometimes it’s not having good fingering that causes glitches in my playing. I also tense up my shoulders a lot when I play which is aggravating a neck issue. I am trying to be more aware of this and to relax my shoulders.
As for me, I preferred to simply memorize the pieces that I wanted to play. Because I didn't like the idea of reading music quickly. I also didn’t like studying music theory. No regrets)) But now I’m very interested in learning it and reading notes as quickly as possible. I just want to level up now))
I started my piano journey about more than a year ago (March 2022). First piece that I learned is Petzold/Bach minuet in G. After that I learned Beethoven Moonlight Sonata 1st movement. After that I learned Chopin Nocturne Op.9 no.2. Then I focusing on Scott Joplin ragtime. I have learned the Entertainer, Maple leaf rag, the Easy winner, and Peacherine rag. I think I skipped too much and not really build a strong foundation to many pieces. But I still very satisfied with my progress as my objectives is to just enjoying playing piano pieces that I really love.
I'm a "self-thaught" pianist. I had a teacher for roughly 8 months and I've been playing for almost 4 years. I have a poor memory and I'm not good by ear so I developped my sightreading alot. I tackle a lot of different songs. I do maybe 5-10min a day of sightreading and try to understand the patterns. I revisite the songs that I learned. I use the RCM books to guide me and other piano technique book to be sure that build the basics with reachable pieces at my level (SMART) I takle my pieces by chunk depending on how hard it is and play it slower and slower till and can do the passage perfectly. For me the toughest part is the rythm for pieces that I'm less familiar with, playing with a metronome is not always easy. As for my technique, I'm watching all kinds for video to understand what to do because there is difference of opinion out there.
Thank you, so on the point! I have all these problems. On how to practice: I always play through the whole piece daily once memorized, because I'm afraid to forget it if I don't play the whole piece, so I almost never do "chunking". And yes, I memorize and don't do sight reading--if I don't play a piece for months it will take some effort to be able to play it again. I learned Mozart 545 and some Bach inventions before I became aware (by accident) of the existence of Clementi sonatinas, so I learned the Sonatinas 1-5 later (and found Sonatina 1 so much easier 😊)!
Self taught pianist here and completely agree. Especially on the sight reading and music theory. It really is a pain to practice it for everybody i guess, its way funnier to play pieces.
Thanks Jazer, an interesting watch. I've been debating whether I should set myself the task of learning to read music and wondering, as a decent self taught pianist, how long it might take to get to a good standard will it much quicker because I already have an understanding or maybe it wouldn't make much difference. What do you think? I was thinking about learning from a perspective of it potentially getting me more work opportunities.
You're Absolutely Right Sirjee 😊 But In this youtube scenario everybody wants to learn music but in general or basic and then he or she going to youtube finds his her favorite songs Thats It 😊 It's okay but they really don't know that techniques and theory is must For Every Music Learner 😊 Thank You 😊
Funny. I'm basically self-taught (though I had violin lessons) but that is a KEY reason why I had an understanding of music theory, where this is apparently something not taught in lessons. My drive to play piano was a love of harmony (which was more limited on the violin) and sight reading for "orchest emulation"
You were the inspiration to go buy a piano. Your videos have been invaluable tools, and I'm doing your 5 finger warm-ups almost every day. Now I'm trying to learn repertoire, but my inner ear problem is causing some problems with sightreading. I've talked about it with my teacher and he thinks that the technical exercises are helping me progress despite this handicap. I've become a bit of a music theory geek despite my limitations with keyboard skills.
Your video is spot-on for many people. One comment: For some piano learners of a certain age, today's piano thinking will conflict with what they learned as a child. What do I mean? I'm 66, and students in the 1960s were taught to keep themselves rigid, moving only their fingers. I can still remember my teacher saying, "Imagine yourself as encased in iron." It causes problems now.
Self-taught here and I totally agree with the points you made. I started out following a book that was feeding me simple songs but then I'd hear other, more difficult songs, and think "that's what I want to play." Instead of following a sheet, I just watched a couple videos and tried to follow along. I coupd succesfully do this for a single song, but it took a lot of work and frustration. I'm now going back to the book with the simple pieces and learning the basics, along with learning the chords and how to read sheet music, all of which is explained in the book.
I swear this video was dedicated to me specifically...this is exactly why I hope to work with you in the future. Tks! P.S How do you gage what's considered 'easy' reading to go through a larger quantity to help speed up your reading abilities? Tks!
p.S I plan on learning a few new Christmas songs as reading practicing this holiday season. I tend to attempt Vince Guiraldi's every year but that I don't consider that easy I thought about trying something like the Eagles Please Come Home for Christmas - but problem is finding a written version that is actually accurate. Even most of the online Tutorial's I've seen on RUclips are not 100% correct. Looks like it's another one that I will need to learn by ear ....again....Cheers! ruclips.net/video/5LUfDEATQHM/видео.html
I had lessons for a very long time, which came to an end when my teacher became too old to continue. We're still great friends. I'm now going it alone and I don't find it easy, but on the upside, I have been forced to think for myself. My teacher gave me the tools to sort out fingering, I passed grade 5 theory (94%!!) but my biggest hurdles now are self discipline (improving), techniques like trills etc, how to advance in scales etc, and how to know when it's time to push forward with more challenging pieces. Thanks to this video I had a go at memorising yesterday and realised I had memorised more than I thought!
Awww, thus is just what I needed to hear! 2 things resonated immediately, one being the pinkie finger not staying down (I’m almost sure, will check) & the other being the wealth of music that I’ve inherited, bought, been given, much of which is probably way beyond what I should be attempting for my level. I think I’ll be investing in the boot camp course very soon as I’ve just reached state pension pension age. Every year that Xmas comes around I can’t play the carols any better! There’s not going to be a magic flow that will just arrive; I think I need to get my pitiful skinny first & second scales books out & work at them. I’m afraid I’ve not thought it even remotely important to know their names since I won’t be taking any exams. I’ve bought in the past various books/courses for learning piano but some are really, really easy, some too learn-set-chords-then-play-popular-songsy (not really my thing so far), or too crammed with the history & structure of music & music theory. Well, I think I’ll be revisiting some of these! I’ve never learned the names of the bass notes and just think of them as fake a, b, c etc! Does that matter? No exams ever for me & no person-to-person piano lessons for me (cost plus total meltdown & public incapacity) I think Mr Jazer Lee is going to be one of my mainstays this coming year, starting today. No more excuses or vague music hopping from piece to piece - I’m ready to work! ❤ ps I still haven’t learned anything by heart yet, apart from für Elise, easy version, and even then I make lots of mistakes. I need a piano doctor and I’ve found one here 😊 pps yes I do have two flying pinkies and my piano stool means there is a gentle slope from elbow to hands. Piano needs tuning, who can afford that? So I’d better set up my digital keyboard where I needn’t disturb my elderly neighbour & can ‘play’ with earphones or v low volume. And maybe the right height chair or stool. I wish my piano would self-tune!
Thank you Jazer I'm learning Piano for a month and half ,with couple of RUclips channels, of course my favorite is you, and I wish I could share the progress that I've made in less than two months ♥ thanks for your notices, they're very helpful
I appreciate these tips ALOT especially as a beginner myself. I’m 2 months into taking private lessons and what I don’t learn from my instructor I’m learning from resourceful videos like this one 👍🏻
Maestro Jazer: I am a self-taught....and a very bad one. I am trying to follow your advices and, needless to say, very grateful for your efforts to teach us. Un fuerte abrazo desde La Palma.
Great video!! I’m self taught and I struggle most with rhythm on a new piece. I typically cheat if I can access an audio recording of the song and then ‘feel’ how the song goes rhythmically.
Master! I am new in learning to play the piano. I will watch every video that you post. You really have a talent for passing information. Crystal clear explanations and arguments how to do things....thank you so much! 👍
Super. I have had 2 piano teachers. Bad experiences.. One came into my home and just told me everything I was doing wrong - which of course is most of it. As a teacher myself I always start with what the student is doing well. I teach English. If I stopped them at every grammar mistake or mispronounciation mistake they would never speak a word. I listen to them for a while, say what is good and then correct what is bad. The second teacher told me 3 times in 5 minutes my nails were too long!!! I asked her to tell me what I was doing right and she said 'I do not give delusions'. Needless to say I did not use her again. Constant interruptions by the teachers....I let the student enjoy the sound of English and then motivate them to learn the language and we work on the corrections. You cannot learn the piano if each time you touch a note, the teacher stops you. Therefore I find your videos excellent. This is a good reference" My students go from 4 out of 20, usually to a distinction - so the method works!!
this video was put together very well. i definitely feel like as a self taught musician, i could benefit from learning more songs and how to read sheet music 🎼💯
Hi Jazer Lee! I'm a self taugh musician playing drums guitar and piano. The thing that help me to progress is when I teach music to kids because it makes me realise :" hold on, I do the same mistake that became bads habits than the kid! " On the piano I love playing pop, rock, and classical music! Thanks for your good advices , it helps a lot . The best in music is that there's always something to learn.😋🥰🤗
They are all good points. Right around the point where I was able to play the 12 majors hands together, I decided that I would download a Joni Mitchell piano song called “River” that I had known for….well, 30 or 40 years in my head, and someone online had made a transcription, and even though it was beyond my abilities, figuring out step-by-step how to play that song gave me motivation and confidence, as I translated the sheet music into my hands on the keyboard. I use it as my daily exercise and when I don’t have time to sit down and do a full piano practice, I will at a minimum sit down and play that song so that my brain knows that this piano thing is not going to go away and it better get with the program and start cooperating. I’m only half joking about that. Now I’m starting to work on Linus and Lucy, which is a wonderful tune that sounds deceptively simple until you try to play it.
Very useful tips, I learned for years with a great teacher, Jazz, classical, and even pop, but then had to stop for a long time as I started travelling for work. Now that I started practicing again, i wanted to go back to my previous level straight away, and it has been tough, some of your tips on practice (that I was not applying at first) have been really useful as well as the reminder to not learn pieces by memory, which i do a lot...
So loved this video! I'm self-taught because I have never been able to find a good teacher like you in my city. Excellent pianists don't make excellent teachers unfortunately. I rely on muscle memory and I try to tackle pieces that are technically too challenging. It's very hard for me to take a step back and play lullabies for example, although it might be the right thing to do. My repertoire is always around 10 to 15 songs. If I try a new song and I'm focussed on it too much (months), I will forget other songs if I don't practise them.
I love your videos and they are very helpful to me. I have a question. Are your tips valid for playing with an electronic keyboard instead of a classical piano? Is there any difference? My keys are not weighted. Thanks in advance.
4:30 talked about playing by ear. People who have some reading skills wouldn't be considered playing by ear if they read the notes on paper. People can't always reproduce a piece reading it just once. Someone like myself who have been playing for a while would need a few hours of practice to play a short piece well. If a piece is rather difficult, reading it once is not enough unless you know the tune already. Some people who play by ear hate to learn to read the notes. They would find at least 1 recording of a piece, listen to it and try to reproduce the piece (no reading involve).
Basically every skill requires time to learn. There is no shortcuts. But you have to organize your learning well to develop different skills simultaneously. This is the toughest part of being self-thought. As a self-thought my biggest problem is training session structure. Sometimes I spent too much time on one aspect of playing like learning new piece only, or do scales/arpeggio/Hanon exercises only during few days or even weeks. Typically I omit or spend way too less time on boring/difficult stuff. Music theory is not as big problem like a history of music. To play classic music you have to know the history, structure of different types of songs, old composition rules (the octave rule for example). And the last thing - sight-reading. I have huge motivation problems in that topic. I can read quite well but I can't play a vista. After about two years I can play Fur Elise, Turkish Marsh as well as River Flow In You or Nuvole Biance or Le Onde by Einaudi and few other "intermediate" pieces. But my sight-reading ability is at "Marry has a little lamb" level, with blocked chords of course, broken ones are to difficult for me still to sight-read.
I have a question. I am a beginner pianoist. I tried playing Fur Elise first. I couldn't play it well at the start. Then I eventually got it but not quite full. Then I love this Titanic theme. I tried learning it, it was very very hard. The hand movements are just crazy and co ordinating my hands were hard. I still eventually got like 70 percent of it. I can play with slow speed without mistakes. Now when I went to play Fur Elise, it appeared way easier. My question is, did I skip too much? Were these pieces out of my reach yet? If so what pieces would you recommend? Thanks a lot in advance.
OMG! Music theory! I started playing the piano at age 7 and the trumpet at 10. Now I'm 65 and learning the violin and relearning the piano. Through all this I've never know anything about theory or chords or whatever. Major fail for me. I might try one of the books you recommend. Thanks.
I love your advice. The humble way you deliver it along with the useful side of it all! I’m an adult: would like to find a book for adult learners of piano for the summer. To practice once school is over. I’m around 4-5 ABRSM. Thank you!
I take music theory seriously, I'm self taught, my problem is, I fail to see it when I am playing and learning a piece. It took me years to understand some of the basic knowledge. Why didn't I get a teacher? Because English is not my first language. My family would constantly move (for every school year, a new school), and were poor. It sucks that this was what life gave me and here I am in my 30s trying to understand one hobby in this life.
Thanks for playing Mozart. I just heard it this evening and could not remember the piece. Then, I saw you play it & looked it up. I didn’t realize it was written by Mozart. lol! I just got out the book @ 11 pm and played it & I had not played this piece in 30+ years. My teacher said I would have been at piano had I practiced b/c I was good at sight reading. I was only 10 years old. I am sight reading again. I may be slower, but I can do it. Yay! I am also practicing more than I ever did as a kid. lol! Funny thing I never thought about the technique of playing it probably b/c I started as a kid and must have learned it then. I have never felt tension in my wrists.
Honestly, after a few years as an adult learner, I'm figuring out that I need to rethink how I practice. Practice was always fun, because I only did what I wanted to do. I chose songs I loved and chipped away at them for as long as possible. I memorized, mostly. While I'm proud of the progress I've made in this time, I'm realizing I'm hitting a wall or plateau. Noob gains are fast and exhilarating, but eventually one needs to be more thoughtful to keep progressing. I need to incorporate more of the things I suck at. Sight reading. Theory. Slowing down way, way more. None of this is "naturally interesting" to me (unlike everything else I've done, up to this point), but neither is exercise and eating salads. If I want to tackle the much harder pieces I crave, I need to earn it through more grindstone work.
Since returning to piano after a nearly 40 year hiatus I was initially frustrated that I wasn’t anywhere near the level I had once been after 10 years of consistent lessons. I had never learned any theory at all and had only learned by slogging through line by line to recital day. When I picked up piano again I began to think maybe improvisation is learnable and realized many of the great improvisers actually practice as much, if not more, than sheet music readers. Now I really enjoy sight reading easy pieces, and appreciate apps like TomPlay where I can compare the different techniques between easy versions, intermediate, and advanced. Easy versions make it a bit easier to see the chord progressions and rhythm of a piece while the advanced versions make it easier to see where different chord qualities and fills are applied. I’m going on 5 years into my improvisation quest and admittedly have conceded that there is a rudimentary knowledge lacking that has kept me from progressing, so I’ve dedicated this year to the Major and Minor scales in 12 keys. For example, I want to be able to identify and play any chord in any key as easily as the key of C.
Since returning to piano 2 months ago, I have returned to this video at least 3-4 times to make sure I am not straying. I believe I focused too much on exercises at first rather than repertoire which although productive, got boring very fast. I now read a lot of sheet music to help me sort them based on key signature and complexity. Reading and notating sheet music has been very helpful to me for identifying the pieces that are within my reach and for working out the fingering before I even start (the most frequent cause of why I get stuck). If I get stuck with a particular piece, I start on another until I get stuck again and start another. Going back and forth with the exercises that address my problems and then to repertoire has led to some frustrating practice days but exhilarating success days when my practice work (Hanon and Czerny mostly) gets me past where I get stuck in the repertoire. At my early stage of learning, there are lot of things I need to fix and fixing even one can lead to quick progress in 2-3 pieces. I have 5 pieces that I work on every day in addition to one that I just want to walk through. That seems to be what my routine is going to entail. I don't mind the Czerny and Hanon exercises when I know what my problem is. I am also listening to and buying a lot of music to add to my collection. If nothing else, this is making it all worthwhile. But at some point, I am sure I will reach the point where getting the advice of a professional teacher will be important. I imagine it would be tedious to teach an old guy like me essentially from the start (I skipped the "Mary Had A Little Lamb" and Ten Little Indians" phase) but in a year or so, I expect to be hitting some kind of a stride and having someone evaluate my progress would be very helpful. Once my brain and fingers get on the same page, things will get better faster. It's like learning how to ride a bike. It seems impossible at first but suddenly everything clicks. That's the moment I am waiting for, when I stop fixating on notes and see patterns.
My problem is im stuck on intellectualizing what I learn. Like "why" this chord, how the progression works...too much left brain, not enough right brain.
🕘 Timestamps
0:00 Intro
0:47 Gap 1
4:14 Gap 2
6:44 Gap 3
7:36 Gap 4
8:52 Gap 5
Can you make a video about sustain pedal use?
Nice. Shalom.
The worst part of learning piano is that every RUclips ad becomes a "learn to play the piano"
I needed this video right now. I had a teacher at around 8 years old and his main focus with me was teaching me how to read music and getting me sight reading from the start. I remember how exciting it was as a child to get to that point of looking at a piece of music and being able to hear it. When I stopped playing I always wanted to go back to it but, life happened and after about 15 years I lost the ability to easily read past G on the staff. I picked up guitar and learned songs but never learned music theory or went back to sight reading. During my first guitar lesson exactly a year ago, I was craving going back to piano more than ever and couldn’t absorb a word of what my guitar teacher was saying in terms of theory. Music theory became my main focal point in learning because I wanted more musical freedom with improvisation. Over the past year between books and RUclips, I learned the basic fundamentals of theory. Now I know I need to focus more on mastering sight reading. What felt really overwhelming for me was not having that most basic technical understanding of music theory. While I’m waiting to start Berklee Online courses, I am at this kind of impasse where I feel i should connect with an instructor again and go over what I’ve learned, where my biggest focal points should be at this phase, get a more solid game plan going. I’m ancient now in terms of beginner musicianship. I’m 41, but music is my passion and I’m not letting that stop me. 😂 I agree with everything you’re saying and i have to stop going back to regret that I ever stopped-that’s not going to do anything for me-and just keep with steady forward movement. I’m a fast learner, find that a lot comes naturally to me musically and I’m dedicated & determined.
I have a similar experience however my first piano lesson was at 35. I took for 8 years and quit because my lessons were too stressful. My teacher never taught me how to practice, never taught me chords, and never taught me theory. Every week I was given two or three new pieces to learn for the next week. That was it. I continued to play the same pieces for the next decade. Fast forward………..at 73 I bought myself a new piano. Through Jazer I’ve learned how to practice and I study theory. My sight reading skills are really good and I’m finally learning theory. I don’t think it’s ever too late to learn. I’ve never been able to play by ear and still can’t….some day maybe.
@@g.970this is very inspiring to be honest. keep it up!
Pretty same although I had a piano teacher 8-15 years old but never a word about theory. It is a game changer! In my 2nd semester at Berklee Online and 63 years old. It’s never too late and you are never too old to fulfill your dreams!
All of the replies and the main comment on this thread are very optimistic and inspiring to read.
I'm very proud of you all, Music gals! ❤ 🎶 🎵 😊 🌻
NEVER QUIT YOUR DREAMs! The journey is as exciting and full of rewarding personal growth and self motivation, for the destination was well earned! ✨️
I restarted at 65. I have made great progress in the last 2 years by dedicating time. 41 is so young, you really should make great strides if you want to - just get a little bit better on part of one or two pieces each day (I think Jazer said something similar in another video), it adds up fast!
Learning anything is never too late. I'm preparing for a music audition to study piano major in my mid 40s now. Although I've played the piano many years ago and only restarted it recently, his videos help me tremendously to master some of the piano techniques that I didn't realise existed before. So good luck to your music learning journey and thank you Mr.Lee for helping us to become a better pianist and music theorist. ❤
Some formally trained musicians have worse concepts than some self taught musicians I know. Generally, a significant number of self taught musicians take the time to understand why certain things sound good a certain way, and may intuitively pick up on some new chord change based on a pivot note for example. What they may lack is proper technique.
On the other hand, there are quite a few formally trained musicians who are extremely proficient at sight reading and have efficient techniques. But strangely some have wierd locked-in concepts. I had a friend like that and for some reason he had a rule that "minors go up and majors go down," and when I asked him what he meant, he couldn't fully explain. And then I slowly garnered that his theory was extremely weak but he'd somehow managed to impress everyone due to ability to sight read and play back wonderfully. While discussing key modulations he gave a blank stare and then he was extremely surprised when a friend (who was self taught by the way) sitting close by started strumming the chords on his guitar (after he determined by ear which key on the guitar and adjusted to whatever was being played on the piano) and the one on the piano was like, "How did you know what to play without your chord charts or staff notation?"
I think this is the perfect example of what can go wrong: i) an extremely proficient self taught musician who can just play anything by ear but not knowing theory/can't read staff notation. ii) A formally trained musician who can sight read and play the most complex pieces but freezes when asked to play accompaniment to a new song and somehow picked up wrong concepts while being taught music theory.
Hello, thank you for posting this video! It was very helpful. Also, yes. This is the first comment on this video. 🎉❤
I got injured thanks to being a self-taught pianist. I was pushing the keys of my non- weighted keyboard too hard without using the proper technique to do so. After 9 months of playing now I have to take care of my arms and wrist so I have to stay away from the keyboard.
Please if you're a self-taught pianist due look for all the videos you can find on the correct posture and technique when playing the piano. I used to think it wasn't that important but here I am right now. Take care of your body, that's the real instrument, not the piano itself
@was28323 Hope things have improved. 🙏🏽
As a self taught piano player I believe you hit the nail right on the head. Specially the level skipping, it robs you of knowledge and experience that you need to play easier and properly. The only thing I don't think you can fix is having amazing hand flexibility or long enough fingers to reach over an octave. I have to choose either lower or top keys, maybe a completely different piece all together. 😅
Self-taught, beginning about 11 months ago. I’ve been working my way through the Neil Kjos piano theory books, and I’ve found it extremely helpful in understanding how key signatures and chords work and, maybe most important at this early stage of learning, how to identify notes and intervals as I encounter them in sheet music and get my fingers to respond in kind.
I think about your tips very often when I practice piano. They always help me not to stumble in certain ways. However, it takes a lot of patience, discipline and perseverance. But you're really right. In the end it's worth it and you get support from it.
I used to have piano lessons and am now a self-learner. I'll probably buy another piano lesson soon.
I have a great friend who is an excellent self taught guitarist who has been self teaching himself some piano lately. He showed me how he has learned by ear part of a classical piece. The thing is… his fingers were flayed up in the air with his hands looking like a frightened spider😬 I demonstrated what it looks like to play with relaxed fingers, and he said okay, and proceeded to play the passage exactly the same way. Oh boy. Sooo much tension. I’m glad I had the chance to have piano lessons when I was a kid (and now). I’m sure he’ll figure it out but I know first hand how it’s more difficult to unlearn bad habits than learn correct ones.
Great video, thank you! I am self taught, I love the theory part because it syncs with my otherwise scientific brain. When people say, "Be the Music," or "Feel the Music," I can't relate. One thing I have difficulty with is applying theory to practical playing. I get what the scales are, I can even play them. I understand the chords and always include them in practice. I know about some keys and chord progressions. But I have difficulty applying all of that to practical playing. In your example, you used the easy version of Silent Night. I can look at it, pick out the rhythm, and pick out the intervals, but I can't look at it and apply the theory. I can't look at a series of notes and determine, Oh that's just an arpeggiated "G" chord with a 7th added. I can create the circle of fifths from memory and see where it might help composing, don't see how it helps my playing yet. So I still tend to look at it as just a series of notes with intervals as you said. I know about the circle of fifths and I can create scales and determine the I, ii, iii, IV, V, vi, VIIo chords but so what? That just isn't translating into better playing for me. Or maybe it is and I just don't know it. I'm learning about modes, but again, don't see where that is helping for playing as opposed to composing. Anyway, it's all good, it's all fun. Just how far should music theory be taken for people who just intend to play pieces for fun and enjoyment? Most of have no desire or the time to become a concert pianist. So knowing how much theory is enough and realizing that point of diminishing returns is important to us. Perhaps a video on analyzing a relatively simple piece of music and how you go about it would be helpful. What are you looking for and what elements do you pick out to help you learn a piece faster?
Hi Jazer. I had lessons on and off for 30 years. And to be honest I was too lazy when younger so have knowledge gaps so I'm not as good as I should be really but I love to play.
I got about 30 favourite pieces I would like to work up overtime. I seem to concentrate on slower shorter pieces but of high quality music.
I look at top pianists on youtube and learn at least some of the pieces they can play. I try and play different styles. Bach, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Schumann but also Late Liszt, Stephen Hough, Scriabin and Mompou.
If something is good enough for Arcadi Volodos or Martha Argerich to play then you know your not playing rubbish!
In some respects it is how well something is played rather than what it is. Listen to Horowitz or Volodos turn a "easier" piece into something utterly amazing by playing it on the highest level possible.
This is why music theory, is a theory, because there's no end to what you can make, and once that piece is set in stone, if you change some notes and scale around, then just create another theory.
Hello Jazer Lee! Thank you for this excellent video! After watching it, I suddenly realized that I also learn pieces that are too hard for my level! I am a 66-year-old self-taught pianist. I began to learn to play this beautiful instrument some 19 months ago. I practice at least 45 minutes each day. After your video, I searched for lists of easy piano pieces for beginners, but they are not easy to find! Maybe I should begin to learn the 5 + 5 + 7 = 17 classical pieces mentioned on your channel (5 Classical Pieces Beginners Shouldn't Skip, 5 Classical Pieces Beginners Shouldn't Skip (Part 2), 7 Piano Pieces Beginners Should Play). Maybe you could suggest other lists of easy piano pieces for beginners? If so, I would really appreciate it.!!!
I thank my teacher for introducing me to Hanon exercise book when I was a kid. Although, I was not able to go further to advance level. It really helped me alot to at least know how to play basic scale with proper finger position. I remember we always start with the Hanon exercise then proceed in studying different piano pieces. So it's like doing a warm up before strenuous exercise.
And now as a busy adult (who doesn't have much time anymore to play the piano.. there are times that I haven't touched piano for years due to busy schedule T.T), it's nice to be able to play easy piano pieces that are new to me on the spot, and be able to study early intermediate pieces. I wish I could do better and hone my skills even more (sight reading, jumps, chromatic scale, chords, playing in general, etc. And yeah you're right music theory and the circle of fifth, patterns and relationship) but for someone who play the piano as a hobby, I think I'm fine lol.
My problems are I have difficulties playing pieces in key signature with 4 sharps/flats and up. And for some reason, I just can't read notes in ledger lines! It's my frustration. It's easier for me when it's just indicated to play in higher or lower octave 8ve*.
Currently, I use musescore for FREE digital access to music sheets.. I love it cause it's free. But print out is really important so you can write on the sheet that helps you in studying the piece. Like, me personally, I just encircle some notes to know that it's sharpened/flattened; it just makes it easier for me to sight read and play (Idk if it's a good habit but it works for me 😅).
And for those notes in ledger lines that I can't read, I just write down the letter what note it is.
Really great video. I really like the tip about sight-reading easy pieces. That thought had never occured to me before. I learn and play by ear and sinple songs very quickly and often just from memory of listening to a song before. I had never thought to combine that approach with the sheet music to build the sight reading skills. That seems like a very logical way to 'get there fast' without wasting time. Its exactly as you said - Even though i learn many songs I fail a lot at fully mastering most of them because I do not take the time to read and learn every note. The old saying: 'A jack of all trades is a master of none.' is very applicable here. This tip will change my practice habits. Thank you, Jazer!
When I started learning, my teacher didn’t teach me sight reading so I have to train myself in it and it’s really not easy because I’ve been improvising for about 9 years now and I’m just 17😭
Strangely chord progression of the different styles and genres of music in the different eras was something I never learnt in the ABRSM syllabus.
In fact, I'd argue that the syllabus was / is broken. Going to teachers who only teach according to exam syllabus is not very useful either. I did that as a child but now thinking back, it was the wrong approach.
Seeking out a teacher is a must but so is seeking out the right one. Those are rare.
I know this video is about self taught vs having a teacher but what if the teacher has never played the pieces you're trying to play? Especially in terms of the techniques and tricks required to play it at speed as well as the practise techniques? I know i can't expect every teacher to have played say the prelude in g minor by rach but if you haven't played it before, are you able to teach it properly without knowing the pitfalls and the difficult parts where you'd need pre requisites in practising finger agility etc before attempting it?
My formal training was in viola and in voice, specifically Indian classical music and European opera. A lot of what you say can translate to piano. Not exactly one to one on every point, of course, but the ideas are very similar. What I love about self-teaching from a different instrument is that you already have the basic insights. You just need to find how you're going to translate them to this new instrument.
Love this vid! I’m self-taught musician, also music teacher. I take the “always the student, always a teacher” approach and I immerse myself in various instruments as well as read/research theory. Sight reading is my biggest limitation and what I’ve been working on, and this video helped direct me and affirmed some things I was thinking, so thank you! It’s interesting being able to “read,” but then applying to real-time sight reading… you gotta want it 😊
Great video.
Playing by ear is clearly better for me. No lie. Piano is not only for sheet music. I know all my theory. I play from the heart. Playing piano by ear is masterable. I play one tune in different ways everytime, different reharmonization, own runs and licks in all keys, I can improvise progressions, own arrangements. Most music readers can't even improvise. All pieces they play are already familiar to the ears which takes away the fun in it. So Playing by ear unlocks the creativity that's with in you, for me sight reading is like a painter learning how to paint what has already been painted exactly as is. But I feel like everyone has their own goal to why they wanna learn piano, but mine is definitely not to play classical music but to improvise modern songs with my own taste and accompany singers and have fun. Playing classical music to me is like playing a tape of old music which sounds like that everytime, it never changes.
I sometimes also improvise with classical music. That's also possible and fun for me. ;-). But first I learn to play it exactly as written. From there I love to play a bit with the piece. 😂 And sometimes go back to. "playing by the book" again. Just for fun and to stay creative.
I play by ear and I know a little bit of sight reading. But because I play by ear once I get the song the ear takes over. But I also have dyslexia so my ear of course takes over everything when it comes to music.
I also like to play with chords arpeggios are my favorite and when I do random arpeggios my hands go everywhere all over the keyboard not knowing when to stop. It's almost like a run on sentence on piano. I got piano lessons on and off when I was a kid but my parents could not always afford piano lessons. I quit piano lessons when I was 15 the piano teacher felt as if I was a lost cause. She loved my brother he caught on quicker than I did. I couldn't help it I had difficulty reading anything because I couldn't see very well. I stopped playing my piano all together by the time I was 18. I started up again at the age of 45. I transcribed my music to letters and started songs that I like.
I don't care for my keyboard it only has 62 keys. But yep to play by ear is great so is sight reading though sight reading is a little slower. My play by ear goes way too fast that I miss several parts of a song sometimes. But I haven't played piano much because my housing situation is up in the air or my financial situation gets challenged.
So it's a little slow hopefully I'll save a little money to get a better keyboard and maybe a couple sessions with an instructor.
I'm super curious about the books you have in the background. I hope you will do a video briefly going through some of them and how they personally shape you.
Great video! One thing though..when reading Silent Night and demomstrating the rhythm I think you missed a really crucial point and that was the importance of counting loudly until it becomes internalised...and that then the rhythmic figure of the melody fell on 1 (2) AND 3...1 (2) AND 3 ... etc. and that students should count along like this immediately when they hear any piece of music....kind of transcribing the rhythm in their heads and then onto paper...and then this when reverse engineered helps reading rhythm..which in sight reading is probably more important that the pitch of the notes..a few fluffed notes won't matter but if the momentum, ot the pulse is interrupted...it's a fail...😂
I was a music major in college in violin. For a long time I thought that the 2 years of theory I had to take and 1 year of music history were the biggest waste of time but now that I'm trying to improve my piano skills that knowledge is really helpful. The second year of theory was modern music (Debussy, Stravinsky, Bartok, etc) and the techniques those composers used.
FANTASTIC video! Thank you. Now, for my comment: I studied music theory up through ABRSM Grade 5, and aced my exercises. Problem is, they all seem out of context. When I learn a piece, whatever I did in music theory doesn't seem to apply - or, stated another way, how do I connect the dots?
Appreciate the info! Can't stress how important finding pieces that are slightly above your difficulty level as a self-taught musician is. I've been playing for four years without a teacher and I think the ABRSM curriculum is a good barometer. There are videos all over RUclips of the compositions that show proper playing technique for those compositions, so people can learn through synesthesia, but sight reading is essentially required for anything beyond the second level. It's always helpful to have a plan!
I have been looking at ABRSM testing! Do you find it worth it? I have 10 yrs of formal lessons but never been "tested." What value do you see in the testing and levels?
@@sevareilly Getting tested? Nah! Using the curriculum to see where I am with my technical skills? Absolutely!
I'm self-taught for the last 5 years and using the levels lets me know what I technical proficiencies I need to work on if I can't play a piece.
@@sevareilly Great question.
@@mrwalkershood Cool answer.👍🏾
Jazer! You are totally helping me, i started 'not letting myself play the wrong notes' yesterday, and wouldn't allow myself to move until i played it perfectly 7 times. Its working!
Hey @jazerleepiano, another great video, many thanks! I am self-taught since about a year and can much relate to each of the 5 things you describe. I have tried to be mindful about them from the beginning but feel I keep falling short of my expectations. Why? The honest answer is probably: Lack of discipline. ;-) It is so much more fun to try to play pieces than working on techniques and music theory. From the beginning I had the idea that I "somehow" would pick up proper techniques/theory automatically while working on pieces. I realise this is wrong and I need to invest more in the basics (even though they can be a bit boring) and resist more temptations to play pieces.
Maybe your No. 5 is my biggest shortfall. I find it hard to choose the "next logical" piece and often find myself picking things which are too difficult yet. It would be super helpful (I guess for all of us self-taughts) if you could compile a list of pieces that you think form a logical sequence to practice in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd year of the piano journey. Thanks a lot again for your excellent videos, tips and pointers you give. They are priceless!
I'm learning from several Keyboard beginner books (some of the titles you have in your description here, and other, much older books(ie: E Markham Lee 'From the Beginning/Moving Along/The Upward Way' is one set) ... I like to read the books from beginning to end, then work my way through them at the keyboard. I have Chord Books and a lot(lots)of classical & popular music sheet books... lol: I like books ;). I learn for fun. I also have a subscription to Yousician - a course that has no interaction/tailored lessons for the individual on a personal level, the course is instructive/fun though .. and I watch utube vids. I like many of your teaching methods & suggestions and agree we are all students throughout life and should mix-it-up as much as possible & enjoy without the need to excel.
Thanks for your videos-i'd consider signing up for a course if I reached a point where I was applying myself more seriously to playing.
approaching the end of my first year of self teaching piano. just finished the first level of faber's adult piano adventures, did the method book and all three song books. Definitely going the route of learning a lot of songs. Each song has its unique challenges that teach me something. Even if they are all rather easy to learn and play so far. Just starting Level 2 today!
I am self taught, but I priortized music theory a lot more than even playing piano at first, and now what happens is I can understand how things are functioning, or putting chords that our of thirds in thirds, and the boring I V, classical musical really had at the end of the day, but then when I got involved into learning jazz , and jazz voicinggs, my brain kind of went well you can't learn to play both classical and jazz it's almost like you have to either split your time or choose, and that's something I don't like.
because you're praciting a lot of scale runs in modes , and vociings, vs Triplet arrpegs , and harmonic / major scales. in 4 octaves. (which is almost useless in jazz lol)
I am thankful for apps that to do sight reading on the daily, whenever you aren't busy or even doing something else you can just quickly get some rounds done, or pick up a pdf and practice that way,
but I would agree with you in theory dept , it's kind of sad that a lot of musicians, don't understand somethings so simple as circle of 5ths or scales / key signatures, when its all in order of the alphabet and has those MMonics, and at the end of the day is how musicians especailly in (Jazz) speak to each other.
one part of theory I find a lot of people don't focus on in their piano playing in general , is the Thirds and 4ths and
and I think dicking around with your ear is stupid too.
I currently am playing my first chopin nocturne in F minor op 55 ,and when i got to the FF B theme, it has been pretty difficult but I do find it challenging to make enough for a year goal XD.
Great video. It really hit home for me. I'm self taught for almost 2 years now. I think I'm tackling pieces that are too hard for my level. You opened my eyes to some of the mistakes I'm making. Thank you!
can you please teach on how to approach hymns. I mean knowing how to play four parts hymns. please i beg you
Do you think this would apply to learning via a VR headset as well? I'm self taught, but I want to dive into music theory, but I'm currently disabled and stuck in bed. There's VR piano programs now. You donxt get the feel of the keys, but it would be great if all of that really did translate into practical experience. What are your thoughts on VR piano?
ABSOLUTELY AGREE with you!! Knowledge is POWER. I actually really like Theory. ( am l crazy?.) I was taught by two great teachers. But l think just l’m ‘lucky’ in the way l was bought up; as an embryo l heard jazz & classical- l couldn’t improvise. But, when l started the guitar, l started learning rock guitar rhythm/lead, teaching myself. Classical & jazz will always be my favourite. Combing the two is great fun! I know that music is a lifetime of study-it is for me anyway!! 😃🎹✨👊🏾😈
One thing I never understood was how to warm up properly, how long should you warm up? Does the length of warm ups depend on your skill level? How do you warm up?
Very interesting video. I have a lot of resources for those who want to learn Arranging and improvisation that works for any style.
I have all of these problems and I am self self-taught (YT taught) pianist. I fully agree with the importance of sight reading. One can remember 10 songs but not 50 without the sight reading.
Jazer, do you have any recordings of you performing full pieces? If so, let me know.
I agree theory is important and a useful thing to know. I play quite well by ear and did classical music at school passing up to grade 5 without doing a theiry exam. I hated theory but dud exams in later. I love your videos.
T hated hated
There's a difference between a piano teacher and a good piano teacher.
I took lessons for 4 years as a kid. I'm good at sight reading.
But, I have a lot of problems with a lot of theory. She didn't really teach it. I finally got frustrated and quit.
Very insightful points. I guess I am an unusual self-taught pianist then because I do prefer only to sight-read everything and I cannot really play anything by ear or memorization. I can memorize, but it would take me a long time. Sight-reading is key for me. I also don't think I skip anything or go to advanced pieces quickly. In fact, having no teacher means I am never ashamed at the fact that my progress is so slow because no one knows it but me - I can take it as slow as I want. If I spent 4 months on Sonatina in G by Beethoven - who knows it but me? No pressure, no expectation to progress. It's been three years of my self-teaching and the only thing that's problematic is my left hand. I needed someone to assign me to work on it more - now I am catching up.
I am self taught. I am 68 years old. I had a couple of months of lessons when I was a teenager. Since watching your videos, my sight reading has improved and I am learning to take pieces and work on small bites and perfect them, something I hadn’t been doing. I would just keep making the same mistakes. The thing that is most challenging for me is correct fingering. I can read the music, I understand it, but sometimes it’s not having good fingering that causes glitches in my playing. I also tense up my shoulders a lot when I play which is aggravating a neck issue. I am trying to be more aware of this and to relax my shoulders.
As for me, I preferred to simply memorize the pieces that I wanted to play. Because I didn't like the idea of reading music quickly. I also didn’t like studying music theory. No regrets)) But now I’m very interested in learning it and reading notes as quickly as possible. I just want to level up now))
I started my piano journey about more than a year ago (March 2022). First piece that I learned is Petzold/Bach minuet in G. After that I learned Beethoven Moonlight Sonata 1st movement. After that I learned Chopin Nocturne Op.9 no.2. Then I focusing on Scott Joplin ragtime. I have learned the Entertainer, Maple leaf rag, the Easy winner, and Peacherine rag. I think I skipped too much and not really build a strong foundation to many pieces. But I still very satisfied with my progress as my objectives is to just enjoying playing piano pieces that I really love.
Amazing piano learning 😍
I understand why it is useful to learn chords in the left hand but not in the right hands. Can you explain it please 😊
Very useful and practical ! Thanks for your advices. I'm a self taught pianist and I always wonder what's good or ban on what I'm doing. Now I know !
I'm a "self-thaught" pianist. I had a teacher for roughly 8 months and I've been playing for almost 4 years.
I have a poor memory and I'm not good by ear so I developped my sightreading alot.
I tackle a lot of different songs. I do maybe 5-10min a day of sightreading and try to understand the patterns. I revisite the songs that I learned.
I use the RCM books to guide me and other piano technique book to be sure that build the basics with reachable pieces at my level (SMART)
I takle my pieces by chunk depending on how hard it is and play it slower and slower till and can do the passage perfectly.
For me the toughest part is the rythm for pieces that I'm less familiar with, playing with a metronome is not always easy.
As for my technique, I'm watching all kinds for video to understand what to do because there is difference of opinion out there.
Thank you, so on the point! I have all these problems. On how to practice: I always play through the whole piece daily once memorized, because I'm afraid to forget it if I don't play the whole piece, so I almost never do "chunking". And yes, I memorize and don't do sight reading--if I don't play a piece for months it will take some effort to be able to play it again. I learned Mozart 545 and some Bach inventions before I became aware (by accident) of the existence of Clementi sonatinas, so I learned the Sonatinas 1-5 later (and found Sonatina 1 so much easier 😊)!
Do you need to play the songs perfectly before moving on to a new song when you are a beginner?
Self taught pianist here and completely agree. Especially on the sight reading and music theory. It really is a pain to practice it for everybody i guess, its way funnier to play pieces.
Thanks Jazer, an interesting watch. I've been debating whether I should set myself the task of learning to read music and wondering, as a decent self taught pianist, how long it might take to get to a good standard will it much quicker because I already have an understanding or maybe it wouldn't make much difference. What do you think?
I was thinking about learning from a perspective of it potentially getting me more work opportunities.
I am self taught, and great key point’s on theory!
You're Absolutely Right Sirjee 😊
But In this youtube scenario everybody wants to learn music but in general or basic and then he or she going to youtube finds his her favorite songs
Thats It 😊
It's okay but they really don't know that techniques and theory is must
For Every Music Learner
😊
Thank You 😊
Funny. I'm basically self-taught (though I had violin lessons) but that is a KEY reason why I had an understanding of music theory, where this is apparently something not taught in lessons. My drive to play piano was a love of harmony (which was more limited on the violin) and sight reading for "orchest emulation"
You were the inspiration to go buy a piano. Your videos have been invaluable tools, and I'm doing your 5 finger warm-ups almost every day. Now I'm trying to learn repertoire, but my inner ear problem is causing some problems with sightreading. I've talked about it with my teacher and he thinks that the technical exercises are helping me progress despite this handicap. I've become a bit of a music theory geek despite my limitations with keyboard skills.
Your video is spot-on for many people. One comment: For some piano learners of a certain age, today's piano thinking will conflict with what they learned as a child. What do I mean? I'm 66, and students in the 1960s were taught to keep themselves rigid, moving only their fingers. I can still remember my teacher saying, "Imagine yourself as encased in iron." It causes problems now.
Self-taught here and I totally agree with the points you made. I started out following a book that was feeding me simple songs but then I'd hear other, more difficult songs, and think "that's what I want to play." Instead of following a sheet, I just watched a couple videos and tried to follow along. I coupd succesfully do this for a single song, but it took a lot of work and frustration.
I'm now going back to the book with the simple pieces and learning the basics, along with learning the chords and how to read sheet music, all of which is explained in the book.
I love how you are so good and can play anything BUT you still see yourself as a learner. 💯
I swear this video was dedicated to me specifically...this is exactly why I hope to work with you in the future. Tks!
P.S How do you gage what's considered 'easy' reading to go through a larger quantity to help speed up your reading abilities? Tks!
p.S I plan on learning a few new Christmas songs as reading practicing this holiday season. I tend to attempt Vince Guiraldi's every year but that I don't consider that easy I thought about trying something like the Eagles Please Come Home for Christmas - but problem is finding a written version that is actually accurate. Even most of the online Tutorial's I've seen on RUclips are not 100% correct. Looks like it's another one that I will need to learn by ear ....again....Cheers!
ruclips.net/video/5LUfDEATQHM/видео.html
I had lessons for a very long time, which came to an end when my teacher became too old to continue. We're still great friends. I'm now going it alone and I don't find it easy, but on the upside, I have been forced to think for myself. My teacher gave me the tools to sort out fingering, I passed grade 5 theory (94%!!) but my biggest hurdles now are self discipline (improving), techniques like trills etc, how to advance in scales etc, and how to know when it's time to push forward with more challenging pieces. Thanks to this video I had a go at memorising yesterday and realised I had memorised more than I thought!
Awww, thus is just what I needed to hear! 2 things resonated immediately, one being the pinkie finger not staying down (I’m almost sure, will check) & the other being the wealth of music that I’ve inherited, bought, been given, much of which is probably way beyond what I should be attempting for my level. I think I’ll be investing in the boot camp course very soon as I’ve just reached state pension pension age. Every year that Xmas comes around I can’t play the carols any better! There’s not going to be a magic flow that will just arrive; I think I need to get my pitiful skinny first & second scales books out & work at them. I’m afraid I’ve not thought it even remotely important to know their names since I won’t be taking any exams. I’ve bought in the past various books/courses for learning piano but some are really, really easy, some too learn-set-chords-then-play-popular-songsy (not really my thing so far), or too crammed with the history & structure of music & music theory. Well, I think I’ll be revisiting some of these! I’ve never learned the names of the bass notes and just think of them as fake a, b, c etc! Does that matter? No exams ever for me & no person-to-person piano lessons for me (cost plus total meltdown & public incapacity) I think Mr Jazer Lee is going to be one of my mainstays this coming year, starting today. No more excuses or vague music hopping from piece to piece - I’m ready to work! ❤ ps I still haven’t learned anything by heart yet, apart from für Elise, easy version, and even then I make lots of mistakes. I need a piano doctor and I’ve found one here 😊 pps yes I do have two flying pinkies and my piano stool means there is a gentle slope from elbow to hands. Piano needs tuning, who can afford that? So I’d better set up my digital keyboard where I needn’t disturb my elderly neighbour & can ‘play’ with earphones or v low volume. And maybe the right height chair or stool. I wish my piano would self-tune!
I‘m a self taught guitarist and now I‘m taking piano lessons for the second year. If you really want to get far in music a good teacher is needed.
Thank you Jazer
I'm learning Piano for a month and half ,with couple of RUclips channels, of course my favorite is you,
and I wish I could share the progress that I've made in less than two months ♥
thanks for your notices, they're very helpful
I appreciate these tips ALOT especially as a beginner myself. I’m 2 months into taking private lessons and what I don’t learn from my instructor I’m learning from resourceful videos like this one 👍🏻
Maestro Jazer: I am a self-taught....and a very bad one. I am trying to follow your advices and, needless to say, very grateful for your efforts to teach us. Un fuerte abrazo desde La Palma.
Great video!! I’m self taught and I struggle most with rhythm on a new piece. I typically cheat if I can access an audio recording of the song and then ‘feel’ how the song goes rhythmically.
I am a self taught pianist and I did go to a teacher for few months recently but tbh I do learn a lot from your videos sir!!
Master! I am new in learning to play the piano. I will watch every video that you post. You really have a talent for passing information. Crystal clear explanations and arguments how to do things....thank you so much! 👍
Super. I have had 2 piano teachers. Bad experiences.. One came into my home and just told me everything I was doing wrong - which of course is most of it. As a teacher myself I always start with what the student is doing well. I teach English. If I stopped them at every grammar mistake or mispronounciation mistake they would never speak a word. I listen to them for a while, say what is good and then correct what is bad. The second teacher told me 3 times in 5 minutes my nails were too long!!! I asked her to tell me what I was doing right and she said 'I do not give delusions'. Needless to say I did not use her again. Constant interruptions by the teachers....I let the student enjoy the sound of English and then motivate them to learn the language and we work on the corrections. You cannot learn the piano if each time you touch a note, the teacher stops you. Therefore I find your videos excellent. This is a good reference" My students go from 4 out of 20, usually to a distinction - so the method works!!
this video was put together very well. i definitely feel like as a self taught musician, i could benefit from learning more songs and how to read sheet music 🎼💯
Hi Jazer Lee! I'm a self taugh musician playing drums guitar and piano. The thing that help me to progress is when I teach music to kids because it makes me realise :" hold on, I do the same mistake that became bads habits than the kid! " On the piano I love playing pop, rock, and classical music! Thanks for your good advices , it helps a lot .
The best in music is that there's always something to learn.😋🥰🤗
They are all good points. Right around the point where I was able to play the 12 majors hands together, I decided that I would download a Joni Mitchell piano song called “River” that I had known for….well, 30 or 40 years in my head, and someone online had made a transcription, and even though it was beyond my abilities, figuring out step-by-step how to play that song gave me motivation and confidence, as I translated the sheet music into my hands on the keyboard. I use it as my daily exercise and when I don’t have time to sit down and do a full piano practice, I will at a minimum sit down and play that song so that my brain knows that this piano thing is not going to go away and it better get with the program and start cooperating. I’m only half joking about that. Now I’m starting to work on Linus and Lucy, which is a wonderful tune that sounds deceptively simple until you try to play it.
Yet another excellent video, with great advice and engaging presentation.
Hi Jazer your contents are always insightful. Keep it up!
Very useful tips, I learned for years with a great teacher, Jazz, classical, and even pop, but then had to stop for a long time as I started travelling for work. Now that I started practicing again, i wanted to go back to my previous level straight away, and it has been tough, some of your tips on practice (that I was not applying at first) have been really useful as well as the reminder to not learn pieces by memory, which i do a lot...
Yourself and Susan from Piano Roadmap are by far my favorite people to watch, listen to and take guidance from on RUclips.
Thank you!
So loved this video!
I'm self-taught because I have never been able to find a good teacher like you in my city. Excellent pianists don't make excellent teachers unfortunately.
I rely on muscle memory and I try to tackle pieces that are technically too challenging.
It's very hard for me to take a step back and play lullabies for example, although it might be the right thing to do.
My repertoire is always around 10 to 15 songs. If I try a new song and I'm focussed on it too much (months), I will forget other songs if I don't practise them.
Really good vid and well explained. Thanks Jazer!
What a wonderful video. Thank you! I just started sharing videos on my RUclips channel in hopes of making music literacy accessible to all people.
I love your videos and they are very helpful to me. I have a question. Are your tips valid for playing with an electronic keyboard instead of a classical piano? Is there any difference? My keys are not weighted. Thanks in advance.
4:30 talked about playing by ear. People who have some reading skills wouldn't be considered playing by ear if they read the notes on paper. People can't always reproduce a piece reading it just once. Someone like myself who have been playing for a while would need a few hours of practice to play a short piece well. If a piece is rather difficult, reading it once is not enough unless you know the tune already.
Some people who play by ear hate to learn to read the notes. They would find at least 1 recording of a piece, listen to it and try to reproduce the piece (no reading involve).
Thank you so much for this great video...your tips are very helpful...🎵🎶🎵🌹
Yoga. Fellow yoga person, or that's just a random clip. Hehe. Vegan.
Everytime when i can't play piano properly, my only motivation: atleast I am trying
Self-taught... but since few weeks I also have a Teacher... on Piano Hand Coordination Bootcamp;)
Basically every skill requires time to learn. There is no shortcuts. But you have to organize your learning well to develop different skills simultaneously. This is the toughest part of being self-thought.
As a self-thought my biggest problem is training session structure. Sometimes I spent too much time on one aspect of playing like learning new piece only, or do scales/arpeggio/Hanon exercises only during few days or even weeks. Typically I omit or spend way too less time on boring/difficult stuff.
Music theory is not as big problem like a history of music. To play classic music you have to know the history, structure of different types of songs, old composition rules (the octave rule for example).
And the last thing - sight-reading. I have huge motivation problems in that topic. I can read quite well but I can't play a vista. After about two years I can play Fur Elise, Turkish Marsh as well as River Flow In You or Nuvole Biance or Le Onde by Einaudi and few other "intermediate" pieces. But my sight-reading ability is at "Marry has a little lamb" level, with blocked chords of course, broken ones are to difficult for me still to sight-read.
Nice one sir
I have a question. I am a beginner pianoist. I tried playing Fur Elise first. I couldn't play it well at the start. Then I eventually got it but not quite full. Then I love this Titanic theme. I tried learning it, it was very very hard. The hand movements are just crazy and co ordinating my hands were hard. I still eventually got like 70 percent of it. I can play with slow speed without mistakes. Now when I went to play Fur Elise, it appeared way easier.
My question is, did I skip too much? Were these pieces out of my reach yet? If so what pieces would you recommend?
Thanks a lot in advance.
OMG! Music theory! I started playing the piano at age 7 and the trumpet at 10. Now I'm 65 and learning the violin and relearning the piano. Through all this I've never know anything about theory or chords or whatever. Major fail for me. I might try one of the books you recommend. Thanks.
I love your advice. The humble way you deliver it along with the useful side of it all! I’m an adult: would like to find a book for adult learners of piano for the summer. To practice once school is over. I’m around 4-5 ABRSM. Thank you!
I take music theory seriously, I'm self taught, my problem is, I fail to see it when I am playing and learning a piece. It took me years to understand some of the basic knowledge.
Why didn't I get a teacher? Because English is not my first language. My family would constantly move (for every school year, a new school), and were poor. It sucks that this was what life gave me and here I am in my 30s trying to understand one hobby in this life.
Thanks for playing Mozart. I just heard it this evening and could not remember the piece. Then, I saw you play it & looked it up. I didn’t realize it was written by Mozart. lol! I just got out the book @ 11 pm and played it & I had not played this piece in 30+ years. My teacher said I would have been at piano had I practiced b/c I was good at sight reading. I was only 10 years old. I am sight reading again. I may be slower, but I can do it. Yay! I am also practicing more than I ever did as a kid. lol!
Funny thing I never thought about the technique of playing it probably b/c I started as a kid and must have learned it then. I have never felt tension in my wrists.
Honestly, after a few years as an adult learner, I'm figuring out that I need to rethink how I practice. Practice was always fun, because I only did what I wanted to do. I chose songs I loved and chipped away at them for as long as possible. I memorized, mostly. While I'm proud of the progress I've made in this time, I'm realizing I'm hitting a wall or plateau. Noob gains are fast and exhilarating, but eventually one needs to be more thoughtful to keep progressing.
I need to incorporate more of the things I suck at. Sight reading. Theory. Slowing down way, way more. None of this is "naturally interesting" to me (unlike everything else I've done, up to this point), but neither is exercise and eating salads. If I want to tackle the much harder pieces I crave, I need to earn it through more grindstone work.
Since returning to piano after a nearly 40 year hiatus I was initially frustrated that I wasn’t anywhere near the level I had once been after 10 years of consistent lessons. I had never learned any theory at all and had only learned by slogging through line by line to recital day. When I picked up piano again I began to think maybe improvisation is learnable and realized many of the great improvisers actually practice as much, if not more, than sheet music readers. Now I really enjoy sight reading easy pieces, and appreciate apps like TomPlay where I can compare the different techniques between easy versions, intermediate, and advanced. Easy versions make it a bit easier to see the chord progressions and rhythm of a piece while the advanced versions make it easier to see where different chord qualities and fills are applied. I’m going on 5 years into my improvisation quest and admittedly have conceded that there is a rudimentary knowledge lacking that has kept me from progressing, so I’ve dedicated this year to the Major and Minor scales in 12 keys. For example, I want to be able to identify and play any chord in any key as easily as the key of C.
Since returning to piano 2 months ago, I have returned to this video at least 3-4 times to make sure I am not straying. I believe I focused too much on exercises at first rather than repertoire which although productive, got boring very fast. I now read a lot of sheet music to help me sort them based on key signature and complexity. Reading and notating sheet music has been very helpful to me for identifying the pieces that are within my reach and for working out the fingering before I even start (the most frequent cause of why I get stuck). If I get stuck with a particular piece, I start on another until I get stuck again and start another. Going back and forth with the exercises that address my problems and then to repertoire has led to some frustrating practice days but exhilarating success days when my practice work (Hanon and Czerny mostly) gets me past where I get stuck in the repertoire. At my early stage of learning, there are lot of things I need to fix and fixing even one can lead to quick progress in 2-3 pieces. I have 5 pieces that I work on every day in addition to one that I just want to walk through. That seems to be what my routine is going to entail. I don't mind the Czerny and Hanon exercises when I know what my problem is.
I am also listening to and buying a lot of music to add to my collection. If nothing else, this is making it all worthwhile. But at some point, I am sure I will reach the point where getting the advice of a professional teacher will be important. I imagine it would be tedious to teach an old guy like me essentially from the start (I skipped the "Mary Had A Little Lamb" and Ten Little Indians" phase) but in a year or so, I expect to be hitting some kind of a stride and having someone evaluate my progress would be very helpful. Once my brain and fingers get on the same page, things will get better faster. It's like learning how to ride a bike. It seems impossible at first but suddenly everything clicks. That's the moment I am waiting for, when I stop fixating on notes and see patterns.
My problem is im stuck on intellectualizing what I learn. Like "why" this chord, how the progression works...too much left brain, not enough right brain.