Does anyone fancy a piano chat thread?

[LemonViolet]

I’m awaiting delivery of a new piano, squeee!!! I haven’t played regularly for 20 years. I got to grade 6 as a teen, failed grade 7, carried on tinkering for a bit but have not really lived anywhere with a piano since age 18 so am well out of practice.

Whilst I hope/plan to put a baby grand in our front room, once it is done up - which may be some time - at the weekend I just realised, what am I waiting for, I want a digital anyways for playing at less sociable hours, so went ahead and ordered myself a nice Kawai digital and it arrives on Friday!!!

There’s a music chat thread on the extracurricular board but that’s more parents discussing their offsprings’ exploits, I have seen on the music board it’s quite pianissimo but there clearly are other grown up women around here playing/learning/relearning piano for our own pleasure, entertainment, therapy etc! So thought I’d post to see if anyone else is interested in hanging out on a piano thread to chat about our piano journeys, successes and failures, pieces we like, what we’re practicing etc?

It could be called the piano bar or the pianist beaker, seeing as this is MN

If there is one I’ve just failed to find, please point me in that direction.

I'm happy with my piano but I'm jealous of your fish and chips, @Knittingnanny

Ooh so excited for you! My Kawai is (I think) a step ‘down’ slightly from that but looks very similar, feels soooooo lovely to play. Keeping me very happy :-)

@GlomOfNit welcome!

Yea very excited. On way home now and will order a couple of books online tonight ready for Friday

I've got a question: when someone asks me if I play the piano, I can truthfully say 'Yes, every day'. But I don't even have Grade 1 yet (roll on November) At what point can one call oneself a piano player?

It took me years of running and two marathons before I felt qualified to call myself 'a runner'!

Well, if you practise any musical instrument you are able to play. You are constantly learning. It's a work in progress. I am fine with Auld Lang Syne, and some Christmas sheet music. But struggled with Harry Potter sheet music 😩

TheFoundation it's how well anyone plays is really the crux. I am still beginners level too. I practice chords and scales daily. Keeping the fingers dexterous.

Knittingnanny congratulations on the Kawai🎉🎹🎼 I have a Kawai upright, piano tuner was in last month, said he reckons it's around 40 years old but still sounds incredible.

Enjoy your digital, heard the sound quality is phenomenal these days on them. A lot has improved since I played a Roland EP3😂

@Buggerthebotox thanks for your message, I'll have a look at your recommendations, and I'll pm you about your kind offer

I remembered that our library has a music section so yesterday had a browse. Limited to a couple of shelves but I’ve brought home 6 books of assorted pieces ranging from east arrangements to Mozart sonatas to try out tomorrow. I’ve also ordered the grade 4 piano pieces book that was recommended on here as that looked about the level I might be able to get back to after a lot of practice!
I’m going to dig out my certificates and have a look at the dates on them.

Easy not east!

It’s my afternoon off today, but we’re going on holiday on Saturday so I have to spend today doing all the prep for that cos no other bugger is going to but the temptation to just say sod it sit down at the piano is sooooo strong! I will miss her whilst I’m away!

I've just bought a copy of a book containing pieces I learned as a child. I've been looking for it for ages online and suddenly found it very unexpectedly. It's called Playtime.

The pieces are aimed at children but are lovely and have a classical vibe. Composer is Krentzlin(Sp?).

Glad we're all still enjoying our piano-ing.

I've been working on the Chopin waltz in A minor. There's one difficult section where the E major arpeggio is played very fast, but other than that, I think I might actually be able to play it. And the tricky part will come gradually. It's made me feel renewed enthusiasm!

Feel a bit wobbly and emotional tonight. Just played my old piano for the last time. 😭😭😭

I didn’t want to play anything long or complicated as the reason it’s going is because it’s not as good to play anymore. It’s beyond repair, it doesn’t sound beautiful like it used to. So I just played twinkle twinkle little star… it was the obvious choice as I’m pretty sure it was the first thing I played on it when I was given it 24 years ago.

Can I admit to now hiding in my room having a little cry?

It’s the right thing to do, it’s not even good enough to give away and charity shops don’t take them anymore. So it’s not that I’m sad about. Just the end of an era!

Tomorrow afternoon, I have my first lesson in about a month and, until yesterday, I hadn't played in all that time. I was a little rusty and my wrists ached but I soon bounced back. I hope Mrs Teacher is in a forgiving mood.

@LilaGrace yes I think I always slow down a bit when it comes to those few bars!!!! It’s a nice piece though isn’t it.

@SingToTheSky aaawww. That is emotional I get it!!! Are you just going to stick with the digital now? Or will there be a new acoustic in your life as well?

@WildRosie hope the lesson goes ok. I guess that’s the thing as an adult, you’re learning for yourself anyway, you’re paying for your own lessons. It’s up to you how much you want to work on it isn’t it. There’s no one else telling you what to do.

I did play a bit today. Can’t clean and tidy all day! Mostly things from my “Contemporary Masters” book. Plinky, relaxing music. Decided I want to learn the one in there from Howl’s Moving Castle as a surprise for DP because he likes that movie.

It’s here! And there is a big pile of ( tricky!) music books with it as well.
Annoyingly my husband now has to go off for a hospital appt but did have time to put together the piano stool

My brother handed over sheet music we used to learn from years ago. Ceilidh music 🎶. I managed to play some of the notes but it was a struggle 😭 need more practice on hand independence!

Glad it's finally with you knittingnanny good luck with assembly later on👍

@Knittingnanny how exciting. Let us know how is sounds/feels. Which music books have come with it? Are they your level- or do they just send a selection ?

@LemonViolet I'm absolutely loving the Chopin. If I can perfect that I'll be very pleased with myself! Any recommendations of other Chopin pieces that are a similar level?

@LilaGrace haven’t looked closely yet but seem to be about 6 or 7 books of classical music, quick look inside the first and it seems hard at least grade 6/7 so will be ignoring that to start with. There is also a book called scales and exercises so that will be useful. My grade 4 solos came yesterday and that looks a good starting point for me after a good few years off
On our way back from hospital appt now so hopefully it will be ready to try out soon! My sons piano came ready assembled in Singapore and with no music books.
Apparently this piano has some “ magic” pieces ie plays itself so I’ve told my neighbour to listen out for “ my recital”!
I’m so excited! If I hadn’t stumbled across this thread a couple of weeks ago I would still be pianoless.
I will generously offer to make the tea so he can get on with the assembling. It’s very very heavy

Came with these books ( and apparently are in the innards as lesson songs???) and bloody Hanon has been included to haunt me!

Loads to keep me going plus the books I got from the library!

My lesson went far better than I dared hope. It helped that Teech had completely forgotten what we'd been doing at our last lesson back in July so I was able to wing it for a while. We also spent some time talking about harmonies and relative pitch. Normal business will nearly resume next week, followed shortly by face-to-face lessons once again. Hurrah!

@LemonViolet thank you so much! I’ve played some easy stuff from Miss Saigon and a bit of a Mozart sonata very badly but I love it!
I’ve now renamed my sewing room the creative room.
Going to search for my little clay model of a pianist and grand piano. It was given to me way way back when I was musical director if a local amateur music society and I used to despair of the tenors! Apparently the model looked like me in despair mode!