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.

Hello ladies, I thought iD pop in and say hi, how are we all doing ?
im about to book my grade 5 theory exam.

does anyone get pianist magazine ? If not I highly, highly recommend It. I get it delivered, best fiver I spend ! It's just 4.50 delivered every other month. There's a fantastic piece in there to learn this month from the 2022 composing competition - totally love it !

Good luck with your theory exam @DaphneDeloresMoorhead . I remember doing mine when I was about 14. My teacher didn't make us do any other theory exams so I found it really hard. Thankfully DCs teacher got them to do each theory exam as they did the practical one which seems like a much better idea.

I'm thinking of selling my piano as I've retired and want to practise but my horrible neighbours would just complain. I want to treat myself to an electric piano but can't find anywhere that wants to buy my lovely piano 😔

Good luck @DaphneDeloresMoorhead ! I did mine when I was heavily pregnant with twins and the examiner let me wander around between questions as I was so uncomfy! (I was the only candidate). I got 98% I think and then promptly forgot it all. 😅 I used to get Pianist magazine but international shipping got too expensive. I agree it's very good.

@RaraRachael You could always have a silent system added to your piano instead. My neighbours are lovely but I wouldn't inflict my practising on them.

Ah I'm so pleased to see this thread re-appear! Place marking for now ... will post something later.

Hope you are still all enjoying your playing.
I’ve just bought Simon and garfunkels “ sound of silence” piano book from eBay. I had a copy when I was a teenager in the 70’s
When I started playing it, I heard my late dad saying “ play my favourite again “ the sound of silence”

So please I found this thread! I’ve just got my digital Yamaha down from the loft.

Id really like to teach myself Nuvole Bianche to surprise my mum for Xmas, I’ve had a play and it’s a lot harder than I imagined

I used to be able to read sheet music but that was 20 years ago! Can anyone recommend any beginner books please?

Thanks

Honestly, I would say go back to Grade I or II (the Faber "best of" books are very good) and find a piano teacher. A teacher will make you make it happen iykwim.

Bonsoir pianistas !
i got a distinction on my theory [preens] and have my g6 on the 22/11. Dd has been asked by the director of music at school to apply for a music scholarship so that was a bit of a shock. We are off to the peak's tomorrow for a week taking the keyboard and flute with us 😂
im trying not to think about lever harps if she succeeds.... DoM has already asked if she would learn it 🤣

Broomhandledmouser, the Classics to Moderns are a really good series with a great mix of repertoire

This is the entry level book
www.amazon.co.uk/Classics-Moderns-Piano-Bk-1/dp/0860014037/ref=asc_df_0860014037/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=310081590442&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10369026755537211858&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9045120&hvtargid=pla-406001398226&psc=1&th=1&psc=1
I find them well edited with good fingering

🙂That’s lovely. I am starting lessons again next week. I decided that I need a bit of help. It’s a friend who is willing to give me a lesson every now and again. Hope it works out.

That sounds like a good idea. Although I passed grade 7 in the 1970’s, I’m realising that I’ve never been taught how to use the pedals properly so I might book a lesson with that solely in mind.
on the plus side, looking at the new 2023/4 piano syllabus, I’ve noticed a piece I’ve learned from an old ( 1981) grade 7 book by Tchaikovsky, is now listed as a grade 8 piece!

Yes, I also have Grade 7 under my belt but feel I don’t really know how to use the pedals! I am going to ask for more guidance on that too.

Excellent news@DaphneDeloresMoorhead. Enjoy the Peaks and good luck for the G6.

When my kids were doing exams I found that several pieces were for 2 grades higher than when I'd done them. I had one grade 2 piece that was ridiculously difficult imo.

I learned on an upright with 2 pedals at my piano teacher's house and at home. When I did my grade 7, I was faced with a grand with 3 pedals! I hadn't a clue which one did what 😢

I just wanted to say 'hi' as I'm new here.

I've been learning since Sept 2021. I have a 30min lesson once a week and am working at ABRSM grade 2 atm.

My confidence with this is rock bottom. I've always wanted to play but grew up in a house with literally no music, never touched an instrument, and am pretty sure I can't carry a tune when I sing. Got an ear training app I'm trudging away with but it's painful stuff. It's good to find this thread as I need to persevere and the lovely things all you at higher grades can play will hopefully help!

Hi Animal Crossing. Do you plan to take the Grade 2 exam or is it just for fun? If you've only been having lessons for a year, it sounds like you have come a long way.

Working to grade 2 in a year is great going!
Especially for no musical background, don't under-sell how much you've learned!

Undecided. I think it might help my confidence to take the exam.

I think for an adult beginner up to grade 2 in a year is about average (from what I've seen online). My worry is more I'll reach a point I can't get past because it needs to be more 'musical' and I struggle with aural tests and dynamics, etc.

You are doing very well to be doing grade 2. For what it's worth, easy piano sheet music is about grades 3. Once you got to this level, you should be able to play all the easy sheet music you can buy in music shops. That will open up a lot of music to play. Keep at it.

I didn't know the Easy books were about grade 3. That suddenly feels achievable (plus a huge motivator!) Thank you! That's so good to know. Massively worth posting for that info alone!

I'm having a crack at Put Your Hands Up by Ryuichi Sakamoto. Sounds easy but it isn't. My teacher hasn't yet discouraged me though. I have a habit of picking familiar, simple-sounding tunes which are anything but!

I've decided to put my piano lessons on hold until at least March. I've been struggling to find motivation recently and I've been floundering from one tune to another with zero direction. Thankfully my teacher has given me her blessing.

@WildRosie I did a similar thing in November 2021 and restarted in February 2022. It did me the world of good to take a break as it was becoming a stressor for me rather than a stress reliever. Enjoy your break and I hope you find renewed enjoyment when you come back to it.

I spent Christmas mastering Satie’s Gymnopedie no1 which was a delight and trauma in equal measure. Only to find a YouTube video today proclaiming it - and the new piece I’m struggling with, Moonlight Sonata - is a great piece for “beginners”. Dented my achievement a little until I remembered all YouTube experts are self-described.

Now I have to learn how to play a whole melody with my little finger. Nothing like a challenge for the long, cold nights.

Sometimes I'm tempted to give up my piano lessons when I feel overwhelmed by life and all my other commitments. Then I remind myself it's one of the few things I do for ME and me alone and I have an end goal in sight. So I plod on. The biggest regret of my life is giving up piano lessons when I was 14 and Grade III. Honestly, above all other regrets, and all the other things that have gone wrong for me, that is the biggest. So please go back to them as soon as you can xx.