Questions for piano players

[Guest daxeun]

One: When did you first start playing the piano? Were you forced to or did you really want to learn how to play/someone or something inspired you to?: I started playing when I was 5 and I was pretty much forced to play it.

Two: Who taught you how to play? If you took classes, how much did it cost for the classes?: This one female teacher (I forget her name) and I don't know how much she got paid, honestly. Hahaha~

Three: When first starting out to play, what did you find most difficult?: getting myself to practice

Four: Can you read piano notes? How long did it take you indentify the notes & what's the best way to fluently read them?: yes, I can read them. It took me quite some time, because I didn't practice as much as I should've. Therefore, taking me a little bit longer than a few people. I think the best way to read them is by playing the scales...haha~

Five: How many songs can you play and what's your favorite?: not much (I've stopped playing for a long time now...) and I like Canon in D

Six: What's your advice to beginning piano players?: PRACTICE!

[Guest Smiley0.o]

One:

I started playing piano this year, it've been only a few months. I wasn't forced to play piano. In fact, I wanted to play piano proffessionally.

Two:

I took class with people, but not private class. It cost about $10 per day.

Three:

I was confused where are the A and b keys. There are part you have to play loud, soft, and moderately loud. I just didn't know the diffences between loud and moderately loud, lol it sounds the same to me.

Four:

I'm still having a little bit difficult to read the high notes, especially when there are new notes. Watch out for the sharp and flat notes, but it will be fine when you get used to it. I just keep practicing to improve it.

Five:

not much, but I like the silent night song.

Six:

I'm still a beginner, but like everyone said that practice is the key.

[Guest love990024501]

One: When did you first start playing the piano? Were you forced to or did you really want to learn how to play/someone or something inspired you to?

I dunno, I've played since I was 5, so I don't remember if I was being forced to.

Two: Who taught you how to play? If you took classes, how much did it cost for the classes?

Um, I've went to several different piano places, and had a few private piano teachers. The private teachers were around $15~30 an hour.

Three: When first starting out to play, what did you find most difficult?

Practicing.

Four: Can you read piano notes? How long did it take you indentify the notes & what's the best way to fluently read them?

Hmm, I'm not very good @ sight reading. I guess I can fluently read the music notes, but I'm not the best at it! I'm only good with treble clef reading.

Five: How many songs can you play and what's your favorite?

I've played MANY songs over the years, I don't think I can remember. I don't have a favorite either. Hehe.

Six: What's your advice to beginning piano players?

Listen to your piano teacher, and just do as he/she tells you to. =)

And... don't just 'play' music, make it musical.

[Guest C4Y --Crazy 4 YeongSaeng--]

One:

I started playing piano ever since I was 5. I wasn't forced to at first, my mom just asked me one day if i wanted to play, and i was young, so i said "yes" without thinking. Then ... she started pushing me to keep on playing even tho i wanted to quit. So .. its pretty much forced.

Two:

I took classes. It was $60 per hour.

Three:

My hands are very cold and stiff, just genetically. So it was hard to have the song flow and mostly very fast songs were difficult because ... well they were fast and the it was hard to keep the tempo smooth.

Four:

Yes. Uhrm ... not long. I started when I was 5. So by the time I was maybe 6-7? I was able to read the notes well.

The best way to read them is to memorize the "every good bird does fly" and all those other word thingys (i suddenly forgot what its called -o-). Once you keep on doing it, reading notes will come naturally.

Five:

i can play A LOT. like .... alot alot. i dont even want to go back through my books and counts XD hahahaha~ i've been playing for over 10 years. and i learned about 6+ songs a year on average, i think. Sometimes more sometimes less. so probably somewhere around 60-ish songs?

my favorites? ive learned classical music all my life.

but after i quit, ive started to play non-classical and just really pretty songs.

my favorite right now is "Kiss The Rain" by Yurima :]

Six:

If your forced to do it, you'll hate it and won't get better.

But when you play songs you want to learn, you do SO MUCH BETTER.

so learn piano for the right reasons, and if you do that, then you will succeed :]

[Guest bLufurBaLL]

One: When did you first start playing the piano? Were you forced to or did you really want to learn how to play/someone or something inspired you to? One year ago. I reallly wanted to.

Two: Who taught you how to play? If you took classes, how much did it cost for the classes?

My teacher.. $20 for .5 hour

Three: When first starting out to play, what did you find most difficult?

sharps and flats... and 32nd notes..

Four: Can you read piano notes? How long did it take you indentify the notes & what's the best way to fluently read them?

Yes. Practice.. esp. with music you like..

Five: How many songs can you play and what's your favorite?

Considering that I've played for one year.. I only know about 10-15 songs..

I enjoy mostly playing River Flows in You, Kiss the Rain, and Maybe.

I'm learning Chopin stuff now though

Six: What's your advice to beginning piano players?

Practice as often as you can.. if you don't want to, then take some days off.. and stop when ur hand hurts.. normally one hand will hurt.. so practice with the other one by itself.

[Guest +_lena]

One: it`s been on and off, but i started when i was 5. i was forced.

Two: a family friend of mine, she was a piano teacher anyways. $30 an hour.

Three: playing both hands at the same time. i have suchhh bad coordination, it was hard to make my left hand do something different than my right hand. i think the internet helped though (typing )

Four: um, i`ve always had my teacher play the song for me before i started and i mostly went by sound. but i started being able to sight read after...6 years of practice =_= sight reading meaning i can play almost any piece i want by myself/being able to play a piece i've never seen before with ease.

Five: how manyy? way too many. i think my favorite is "almost one year" by brown eyes. :]

Six: even if you don`t like it at first, or get sick of it, stick with it :] i hated piano until i learned how to sight read, and then i started being able to play pieces that i loved instead of pieces that my teacher made me play. now i love piano :]

[Guest sujinah]

One: When did you first start playing the piano? Were you forced to or did you really want to learn how to play/someone or something inspired you to?

I used to be forced when I first played piano, because I started at like.. 5. I took boring Suzuki until middle school, and then switched over to traditional with the brilliant Kelli Stephens, and since then, it's been much better. I need a tough teacher, or I get lazy. -__-

Two: Who taught you how to play? If you took classes, how much did it cost for the classes?

I was taught in Suzuki method for five-ish years.. And then later, I was taught in the traditional method for three years. The traditional lesson classes were about $30-40 an hour, which was a really huge bargain. ^^

Three: When first starting out to play, what did you find most difficult?

Well... I started playing when I was five, so I hated reading notes. But later, it became hardest to break bad habits.

Four: Can you read piano notes? How long did it take you indentify the notes & what's the best way to fluently read them?

Yes, I can read piano notes, and it didn't take very long at all to identify notes because I'm pretty visual. The best way to fluently read them is to practice and to go slow when you first start.

Five: How many songs can you play and what's your favorite?

I have no idea, since it's been a while. At least a 100 or so? Though quite a few of the beginning ones are very simple things that composers wrote for beginners. My favorite songs are.. Chopin Nocturne, C Minor (opus posthum!) Waltz to the Moon, (FF7, I think..) and Pink by some guy who's name I don't remember.

If you want classical music, since not many people reccomended songs from this time period- Chopin, Tchaikovsky, and Bach are my favorites at the moment.

(I didn't like Mozart much for some reason though.)

I don't really have one. ^^

Six: What's your advice to beginning piano players?

If you hate it after a loong time, it may not work out. But if you can't bring yourself to quit, just stick with it. It took me a loong time to learn how to love the piano, but once I got it I started practicing like.. two hours a day on average, and then like 3 or 4 if my parents didn't get mad.

Also, keep your fingernails short. If you're going to play for non-practice, like a competition or recital, cut them the day BEFORE you need to go, so you can get used to the feel again. It's better to cut them a day in advance rather than in the car or something right before.

[Guest #35]

One: When did you first start playing the piano? Were you forced to or did you really want to learn how to play/someone or something inspired you to?

i started piano when i was in kindi or year 1? i wanted to learn. =]

Two: Who taught you how to play? If you took classes, how much did it cost for the classes?

Don't remember how much probably around $30~$60. When i first started I went to a small class but then after a year got private and changed teachers about 5 times throughout around 10 years

Three: When first starting out to play, what did you find most difficult?

Probably chords?

Four: Can you read piano notes? How long did it take you indentify the notes & what's the best way to fluently read them?

Yep....best way is to pratise? Its just like reading to me

Five: How many songs can you play and what's your favorite?

A can play quite a lot and I like the romantic kinda pieces better

Six: What's your advice to beginning piano players?

Fall in love with your piano! piano is really fun =] so pratise hard but GOOD pratise will get you to perfection not just any pratise. You have to concentrate to get your technique right.

[Guest ginaaax3]

One: When did you first start playing the piano? Were you forced to or did you really want to learn how to play/someone or something inspired you to?

I learned when I was about six, and I wasn't forced, my parents suggested it, and I agreed

Two: Who taught you how to play? If you took classes, how much did it cost for the classes?

A piano teacher taught me, that time I was in the philippines so it was very cheap compared to Koera.

Three: When first starting out to play, what did you find most difficult?

Chords.

Four: Can you read piano notes? How long did it take you indentify the notes & what's the best way to fluently read them?

Yep, I can read them. Like, when I just look at them, I don't need to think. I know where it is on the keyboard, and I suggest you just practice reading them, they have those work book things you can do.

Five: How many songs can you play and what's your favorite?

Wow, I can play a lot, maybe more than 200. LOL. But I can memorize like 60 only. And these days I like playing BoA songs a lot. hahaha.

Six: What's your advice to beginning piano players?

Keep practicing!

[viedeluxe]

One: When did you first start playing the piano? Were you forced to or did you really want to learn how to play/someone or something inspired you to?

I started when I was 4.

I don't even remember. It was such a long time ago.

Two: Who taught you how to play? If you took classes, how much did it cost for the classes?

Some lady.

It used to be cheap back then but now it's around $30-$40

Three: When first starting out to play, what did you find most difficult?

I don't remember. Nothing was really difficult for me to play. I guess sight reading though.

Four: Can you read piano notes? How long did it take you indentify the notes & what's the best way to fluently read them?

Yes.

It took me a month I guess. & To fluently read notes, I guess flash cards are the best. I used flash cards when I started out.

Five: How many songs can you play and what's your favorite?

I can play too many songs.

My favorites are playing genres like new age and hymns.

Six: What's your advice to beginning piano players?

PRACTICE. ALWAYS practice.

[Guest Juli~<3]

One: When did you first start playing the piano? Were you forced to or did you really want to learn how to play/someone or something inspired you to?

11, forced.

Two: Who taught you how to play? If you took classes, how much did it cost for the classes?

this french woman. RUBBISH. cost £25 hour, but she did teach me french for 30mins. then this other guy £18.50 45mins =.=

Three: When first starting out to play, what did you find most difficult?

reading notes.

Four: Can you read piano notes? How long did it take you indentify the notes & what's the best way to fluently read them?

cant. need letters.

Five: How many songs can you play and what's your favorite?

not a lot. i like the bare necessities one and theres this other one thats quite jazzy.

Six: What's your advice to beginning piano players?

you have to feel it.

[weirdnshort]

wow.. old topic.. eh.. nothing better to do:

One: When did you first start playing the piano? Were you forced to or did you really want to learn how to play/someone or something inspired you to?

@ 6? I wanted to cuz of my sis.. but later after starting.. i was forced to continue.

Two: Who taught you how to play? If you took classes, how much did it cost for the classes?

private lessons.. cost depends on the level. Towards my later classes it costed about $40Cdn/lesson. I think...

Three: When first starting out to play, what did you find most difficult?

I don't remember.. but later it's my concentration level. After 5 mins into a piece i zone out. It gets quite repetitive playing the same piece over and over... I don't have much music intuition so playing it all sounded the same to me.. I suck at rhythm too.Most peices I play required me to play an octave at some point, but my hands are small. Syncopation or whatever it was called (playing triplet on the right while playing notes with an even beat on the left) i sucked at that too. And my hands are small... it's difficult for me to reach an octave. And the time.. god I never find the time/will to practice.

Four: Can you read piano notes? How long did it take you indentify the notes & what's the best way to fluently read them?

I can read... in music class at school they taught us to read notes. I only really learned in violen lessons after the teacher got frustrated with us. hm.. it took me a while. but remember the acorynoms:

FACE; All Cows Eat Grass; Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge; I don't remember the other one..

We had cue cards with notes at the front and the name on the back to help me remember.

Five: How many songs can you play and what's your favorite?

um...a lot. . but now I've forgotten so much >_<. My fav. Debussy's Arobasque (sp?). I like chopin too, but my rhythm sucks.

Six: What's your advice to beginning piano players?

hm... learn how to hold your fingers properly.

[Guest infinityyy]

wow.. old topic.. eh..

Old topic, but it's still helpful to me. The advice for beginning players is useful<3

Ok, so now I'm still trying to find some piano classes (maybe ranging from 20-45$) (sight)Reading is really hard for me T___T The notes are really small and I can't really read the high notes for the right side and the low notes for the octaves. (Make sense? The notes not on the main staffs.)

I'm really having trouble memorizing them--but I'm doing pretty good teaching myself piano. I need time to practice too--and that's hard. Chemistry and math are so time consuming. I need at least an hour on the piano but I usually only find a few minutes on it. T___T

The ring and pinky fingers are really hard to control/play with, too. I think it was in the Hanon (sp?) theory books saying that the ring finger is almost useless because it's so confined by the muscles around it, so it's not as flexible and controllable as the index or middle finger.

My fingers are just a bit short, too, so that's something I need spend time on--just stretchig them. I'm a bit superstitious about cutting my nails too.. >o< But I'm going to have to cut them--it really is better playing without the long nails tapping on the keys.

Anywhoo--just a bit of my update

I still can only play a few songs =/ I'm just starting on 'River Flows in You'--Yiruma; 'Only Human'--K; and this one song (I think Grief?) from the Naruto soundtrack. Lmao x)

[Guest snapple!]

actually, everytime my piano teacher sees me with long fingers

she makes me play on the old piano =((((((((

and wow! your playing River Flows In You already??

i started that just like 5 months ago .. and i played the piano for 6 years O_O

and Hanon is very good for your fingers, it makes your fingers stretch and makes it faster ... : )

[Guest infinityyy]

^ Ahaha, I only started playing piano (learning by myself) this summer.

I'm trying to play 'River Flows in You' but I don't have much time =/ I'm starting tennis soon, too. It'll take me a long time to play the whole song T___T

Hanon is a good theory book.

*sighs* I wish I coulda taken piano when I was waay younger like most of you T____T

[shir0-chan]

I'm a little late arent I?

-----

One: When did you first start playing the piano? Were you forced to or did you really want to learn how to play/someone or something inspired you to?

12 years old (three years ago)

None...my mom one day randomly asked me if I want to try it. I said okay and I ended up doing it until now.

Two: Who taught you how to play? If you took classes, how much did it cost for the classes?

My piano teacher of course...she's only four years older then me though. Cost? Around $21 per half an hour.

Three: When first starting out to play, what did you find most difficult?

When I first started out, it was playing everything with two hands was most difficult. But I practiced hard and got everything together.

Four: Can you read piano notes? How long did it take you indentify the notes & what's the best way to fluently read them?

I often can identify it straight away, but not always, I sometime forgets and need to go back to my basics. It took me a few months also. The best way? Well as long as you remember your basics. There are some notes I can remember by heart and I just work it out by counting the spaces the next note is far from it. That's how I play. XD

Five: How many songs can you play and what's your favorite?

My favourite song is Presto and Priere de martin and The enchanted castle. I'm not quite sure on how many songs I can play, I've forgotened many songs. Since I stopped practicing them.

Six: What's your advice to beginning piano players?

I've only got 3 years of experience...and that's not much.

But like my teacher always say. "Practice is the only key".

And determination is the key word.

[Joanna]

One: When did you first start playing the piano? Were you forced to or did you really want to learn how to play/someone or something inspired you to?

my parents didn't force me but they wanted me to play it since so many of her friend's daughters play but i also wanted to play it myself

Two: Who taught you how to play? If you took classes, how much did it cost for the classes?

I had a teacher but she quit teaching because she wanted to become a doctor so i changed to another teacher. it was $30 for an hr

Three: When first starting out to play, what did you find most difficult?

reaching some notes and lifting my wrist up

Four: Can you read piano notes? How long did it take you indentify the notes & what's the best way to fluently read them?

yes, it took me a few months to learn how to identify them, i'm sometimes still slow at it. sometimes i memorise the position of the notes haha ><

Five: How many songs can you play and what's your favorite?

Alot.. i can't remember how much, my fav are the Kpop songs i play =)

Six: What's your advice to beginning piano players?

practise ALOT! if u forget your practise, you'll forget everything and need to start over again! practise abuot 2 hrs a day if u hav time!

[Guest BleachFan22]

One: When did you first start playing the piano? Were you forced to or did you really want to learn how to play/someone or something inspired you to? I started playing when I was 5. I think I was forced, but I've started again and this time its through inspiration.

Two: Who taught you how to play? If you took classes, how much did it cost for the classes? My music teacher. It was like...$65 a lesson? I don't remember.

Three: When first starting out to play, what did you find most difficult? Putting my fingers on the right keys. I have small hands.

Four: Can you read piano notes? How long did it take you indentify the notes & what's the best way to fluently read them? Yep. I can read them. It didn't take me long. Practice it and it comes really easy. 6 years of band helps.

Five: How many songs can you play and what's your favorite? I can play like 5 or 6 songs by memory. I can fiddle through like 23 songs. My favorite song is Houkiboshi, but its a hard song.

Six: What's your advice to beginning piano players? Practice and find something that will keep you going because Piano is a valuable skill to have and its fun

[Guest xshinhae05x]

One: When did you first start playing the piano? Were you forced to or did you really want to learn how to play/someone or something inspired you to?

I started playing when I was five. I had a toy piano at home, and started playing stuff, so my parents put me in lessons. I just heard church unnies play and imitated the sounds on the toy.

Two: Who taught you how to play? If you took classes, how much did it cost for the classes?

I've had 4 teachers so far, the first 3 being like 1 year each, and the 4th being the rest of the time I've played. I don't remember the first 3, but the 4th one cost 60 dollars an hour.

Three: When first starting out to play, what did you find most difficult?

memorizing, on account of my friggin short term memory.

Four: Can you read piano notes? How long did it take you indentify the notes & what's the best way to fluently read them?

Uhmmmm i can read... but don't remember how long it took...

Five: How many songs can you play and what's your favorite?

Uhh.. not sure lol memorized, I can play about 6 classical songs right now.. the rest... i have to look lol.. Out of all the classical songs, I like...... Chopin's Fantasie Impromtou.....

Six: What's your advice to beginning piano players?

Practice, which is a given. I wouldn't try to memorize just out of the blue and force your brain to memorize. Play it over and over and over and over again until you start to naturally memorize. Listen to the audio in your spare time of the piece you're learning. There's no time limit on how fast you have to learn the piece. Do a lot of technique, cuz it'll help your fingers to move faster. While playing, read ahead so you don't have to stop to figure out notes. LOL my post is mostly for Classical Piano Players HAHA sorry

[Guest DV]

One: When did you first start playing the piano? Were you forced to or did you really want to learn how to play/someone or something inspired you to?

I started when i was 10, but i eventually stopped. I really wanted to learn how, because my cousin played the piano so well.

Two: Who taught you how to play? If you took classes, how much did it cost for the classes?

The pianist at my church taught me, but i'm not sure how much she was paid.

Three: When first starting out to play, what did you find most difficult?

I couldn't cite-read quickly (still can't). It's just really hard to comprehend for me.

Four: Can you read piano notes? How long did it take you indentify the notes & what's the best way to fluently read them?

I can read them, somewhat. It usually takes me a minute, because i count up from C =__= The best way is to memorize it..

Five: How many songs can you play and what's your favorite?

I'm not sure how many songs i can play..over 25? My favorite is either River Flows in You or a song from a drama.

Six: What's your advice to beginning piano players?

Even though you may want to quit after the first year (like me), just keep playing. It'll all be worth it in the end. Because if you do quit, you'll eventually hear someone play extremely well and you'll want to play again, but not be experienced enough and have to start all over.