Suggestions for a 30-year-old learning to play piano?

May 17, 2004 12:26 PM

Pianists: Any suggestions to someone who wants to learn to play the piano at age 30? (More inside.)

Occasional lessons? Buy a keyboard and a book? I have a decent ear and rhythm, so all is not lost I'm told. Is this true? I'd like my (2 month old) daughter to eventually learn, so I'm getting a jump on it all. How do I set myself up for success? I took some guitar lessons as a kid, but currently am starting from absolute scratch... Thanks

posted by elsar to media & arts (11 comments total)

Learn the 12 major and 12 minor scales, learn to play them with both hands. .
posted by four panels at 12:38 PM on May 17, 2004

Take lessons. A good teacher is there to motivate, correct your mistakes, and teach you how to eventually teach yourself.
posted by Sangre Azul at 12:48 PM on May 17, 2004

One thing you should know is there are many ways to learn to play the piano. Thanks to some early lessons I do know the fundamentals but I cant say thats really how I learned to play the piano. Rote practice and memorization never worked for me.

So I quit the lessons. Later, I noticed that a rock musician (older brother of a friend of mine) I knew could bang out almost anything on piano. And he could improvise a tune after only hearing it once and then improvise on that tune.

The key is that there are both classical and jazz/rock styles of the piano. Most piano teachers out there will only teach the classical style for some reason.

The jazz/rock style is what worked for me and focuses more on chords, common chord sequences and chord variations while also allowing more room for improvisation.

The other advantage of this style is that you can actually start playing music rather quickly. Its the basis of all these "amazing" piano techniques you might see on the web. Here's one such page which doesnt look at all bad. Still, its not a shortcut to becoming a proficient pianist but it does provide better early returns and, for me at least, was much more fun.

However, if you are serious, I recommend a book by a serious musician such as Mark Levine's The Jazz Piano book.
posted by vacapinta at 12:54 PM on May 17, 2004

I say, get a cool keyboard for your home but take lessons. if you're a musically inclined fellow, you can take over your own instruction once you learn the proper techniques and how to read music.
posted by mcsweetie at 3:36 PM on May 17, 2004

Lessons & practice. Like most things ;-)

Lessons once a week & practice once a day for 30mins minimum. A good teacher will probably recommend a daily practice book.

One thing regarding a teacher...find one you like & make sure you discuss what style of piano you want to learn. Do you want to work thru a grade/exam system? Classical, popular, jazz etc?

Good luck...I'm glad I was pointed (not quite pushed!) in the direction of a teacher when I was younger but I wish I'd kept up with it once I got past 16.
posted by i_cola at 4:05 PM on May 17, 2004

I can't play the piano, but one good book full of instructive anecdotes on how and why pianists play is Charles Rosen's great "Piano Notes". It's knowledgeable, enthusiastic and unpretentious. I fully recommend it.
posted by 111 at 4:13 PM on May 17, 2004

Vacapinta, where were you when I needed help?! That first of link of yours seems very good.

By the way, 111's recommended book can be found here (I think).
posted by kchristidis at 6:09 PM on May 17, 2004

And while we're at it vacapinta, can the Jazz Piano book you recommend, be of any help to someone who wants to write pop tunes?
posted by kchristidis at 6:19 PM on May 17, 2004

Hit keys at random.

Interact with the instrument and come up with your own, unique methods.

Then, go to orthodox methods.

Then, back to experimenting - as would a child.

Back and forth, back and forth.

And again.


Remember this too - one can also learn through not-doing, as long as there is a base. I can attest to this - the way in which life learning informs musical expression even through a desert of non-practice.

Enhanced spirit, and wisdom can talk even more eloquently through tarnished or rusty skill than can supple fingers yoked to a shallow heart.

Imagine your fingers, through your keyboard, as a conduit -

For all the joy and all the sorrow you have passed through.
posted by troutfishing at 8:29 PM on May 17, 2004

Hi kchristidis, sorry I never saw your earlier post.

You may want to go to a music store and ask them what may suit your needs. The Mark Levine book is the one I'd get if I could only get one book but it is also has a steep learning curve in places. There might be other introductory jazz/rock piano books out there that might be better for a beginner.

The point is to master chord transitions and variations. This allows you to do some really complex and beautiful things on the piano. Mastery only comes with study and practice.

Once you master the basics though, you can just pick up a Fake book and start practicing. A Fake book is just a bunch of changes (chords) and the basic melody line for a particular song. This is all the info you need in order to either write out or improvise your own arrangement.

Your ability to make this sound good will depend on your ability to render the right inversions and transitions to make it all sound flawless. I'm always amazed by what great jazz pianists are able to pull off spontaneously.
posted by vacapinta at 1:37 AM on May 18, 2004

Vacapinta, thanks!
posted by kchristidis at 3:28 PM on May 18, 2004