Has anyone learnt to play the piano from scratch as an adult?

[Kellamity]

We bought a piano today. The DCs want to learn to play and I have always wanted to learn. Am I too old at 41. I am not very musical but did learn the cello for a little while as a teenager.

Not too old at all! I teach piano and have a 40-something year old guy who comes for lessons and is doing very well. As long as you are motivated and willing to practise every day you'll be fine. Sometimes adults are better pupils because they are doing it solely because they want to, not because one of their parents thinks they ought to play an instrument.

My 46 year old dh has taught himself over the past year. He can bash out a few hymns and songs.
His current one he's murdering learning is Kum by yah. Its driving me potty...
But he's enjoying himself so...

I have a grown-up friend who learned from scratch and in 6 months can already play nice tunes. Do it! And I intend to learn the cello when I retire.

A woman I work with who retired last year had been learning for the past 2 years or so (since her mum died and she had personalm time again). It was something she'd always wanted to do and now had time and space in the house for a piano.

When we meet up for lunch, she regales us (she comes to meet 2 of us still working - although in different offices now) with her stories of practising etc, and the fun she gets (when she's not petrified with nerves) at the grade exams. Cos there are lots of grandparents there with kids as so many mums now work - and they are all trying to figure out which kid she is there to mind (and there is lots of pointing and whispering - and "oh help" kind of comments from some kids when she stands up to go in for her exam).

But she loves irt

But you don't have to do exams if you don't want to. That's the beauty of it - do what you want! You'll love it.

My children's piano teacher has one and only adult learner.A lady in her late 30s, a teacher, is doing grade 7 now!!!!!

I started learning age 6 and my mum started at the same time as me in her 30s. We progressed at a similar rate, although she practiced more than me, as she desperately wanted to learn, whereas I kind of enjoyed it but at 6 wasn't really aware of what a great skill it would be.

As an adult you can learn some beautiful music, classical, pop songs etc, but as a child I remember playing pieces called 'the dwarf with the wooden leg' and 'cherrystones' Go for it! Its a good way to make sure you give yourself half an hour a day just to do something you enjoy too.

Oooh and cello-wise what can you recommend for a complete novice? I played the double bass at school and my DM bought me a cello for my 30th b-day as a surprise but 8 years later I've never really got into it. I would dearly love to play something haunting and beautiful on it. I tried to learn Brandi Carlise's 'The Heartache Can Wait' at Xmas - will perfect it for next year!

I have in mind when I think I'm going to take up the cello when I retire. Ambitious? Me? (That video has a pretty odd ending. )

oh yes! I downloaded the sheet music for this but I think it may be a little ambitious to start with? I have managed the first bar or two but have no idea where the bow is supposed to be going

DoingItForMyself where do you download sheet music from? I'm currently completely desperate to get hold of but it's either the wrong transcription or it won't bloody print. It's making me very unhappy.

I can't remember, it was a while ago, I just google the piece I'm after with the words free sheet music and see what comes up - there are usually loads but some of them need you to register or only give you page 1, so I have to search around a bit.

Love the comment underneath your link saying "Beautiful! Normally Bach on a piano sounds like hitting boulders with sledge hammers, but this transcription and performance are really wonderful"

Youtube has even more nutters than MN. I've seen comments criticising Rachmaninoff's playing of his own composition.