Why do you want to learn to play piano?

TLH21 · 2024-06-24T19:29:35+00:00

After reading an 'op-ed' article this morning I was pondering motivation. Different people have different reasons for wanting to become competent piano playe...

TC3

I took up piano about a dozen years ago in my early 40s. At the time, I was playing my upright bass quite a bit (classical in a local community orchestra and jazz in some small combos) but I wanted something more self-sufficient. I had tried classical guitar for a couple of years but I was TERRIBLE at it, so I thought I'd give piano a try. I had dabble in piano a few times earlier in life but it never really spoke to me then. This time, I fell in love with it right away and seemed to have some small aptitude for it (at least compared to classical guitar).

I don't have any illusions that I'll ever play at a professional level but I have a lot of fun with it. I think I have realistic enough goals, such as coffee house gigs and garage band jam sessions (I'm mostly interested in blues music and other adjacent non-classical styles such as rock). The good news is that one doesn't have to play at a high technical level in order to make good music. It's an enriching and rewarding hobby and it makes me glad that I exist. 🙂

Pallas

TC3 It's an enriching and rewarding hobby and it makes me glad that I exist. 🙂

👏👏👏

HeartKeys

SouthPark Piano is one instrument that allows one person in real-time to sound sort of like a mini-orchestra. Ok -- not 'literally' a mini orchestra, but provides enough sound and activity in the instrument music to express ourselves in a very nice way.

SouthPark Although, the piano has features that makes it a force in music. A musical force that produces musical magic.

Amen, echo, +1, to those statements. There are so many incredible instruments available to learn and play. The piano, meanwhile has its distinction for its ability to play a plethora of notes - and sustain them - in unparalleled ways. And the ability to hit 10 notes simultaneously - if desired. As such, the mini-orchestra description/ analogy resonates with me a lot. On that same vein, I recently played Adagio for Strings on the piano, and it worked out quite well. It's really cool being on an instrument that can mimic/ emulate an orchestra, even if it's not going to sound precisely the same timbre-wise. But the piano can capture the "gist" of almost any music, even for music not originally intended for piano.

While on the topic of piano instrument itself, another thing I like is, the ease of sounding "not terrible." By that, I mean it would take me perhaps months or years to even play a decent note on a violin without sounding like scratching a chalkboard. With the piano, it's (relatively) easy to get started, and operate at a beginner level, and sound decent, or at least, "not terrible." In my eyes, the piano is both the easiest (to play super-basic), and the hardest (to play virtuoso).

I could go on about my thoughts on above. Anyway thanks @SouthPark for bringing up the instrument-capability aspect of the piano.

SouthPark

For that guy in the article - we don't know enough about him. But he does reckon this -- 'And playing wasn’t giving me the same satisfaction I felt when I heard beautiful music played by others.'

From the article itself, it does look like he gained quite a lot of experience in playing the piano.

At the end, it just looks like he is/was not doing what is/was required to keep progressing/advancing/building - which is simply to keep going (no matter what) - with the help of relevant resources (teacher/information/tutorials/practice etc). So maybe a case of - if he hasn't got the time and effort or drive etc, and not put any more time etc into it, then nothing is going to happen, and he won't know what nice breakthroughs he could actually make in the piano and music area.

The nice thing is -- just because he says he quit, and the piano is silent, it doesn't mean that the piano will remain that way, or that he won't start up again later, even if he implied permanent quitting. He's always welcome to un-quit later.

HeartKeys I could go on about my thoughts on above. Anyway thanks @SouthPark for bringing up the instrument-capability aspect of the piano.

You're most welcome HeartKeys. Thanks for adding those other very relatable and excellent comments about piano. That comment about ease of sounding 'not terrible' was so excellently-put. Piano is certainly one of those somewhat self-intuitive instruments - where a beginner can indeed just hop on, and have fun working out and remembering what sequence of keys to push in order to get something going - such as a tune they like. The one-to-one finger to note mapping/translation - and the repeated 12 notes pitch pattern along the keyboard - is quite convenient! And which is quite unique. That gets the foot into the door of the piano/music world very nicely.

The ease of 'not sounding terrible' is accurate.

TLH21

iternabe

Previous one - juggling 6' grands?

thepianoplayer416

Going back to the man in the article a lot of people can relate to his experience. People would get a teacher and attend weekly lessons for a while. They learn the assigned pieces. The progress is slow so they eventually quit.

Like learning a foreign language. The people who go to class every week and do all the assignments would go so far. People who watch TV, videos & listen to music in a foreign language would go further. Some would find a language partner and talk to each other regularly become fluent much sooner. When it comes to learning music, there is a lot of listening to others’ recordings and comparing them. Learning different things off videos online by teachers. And download the pieces you like to get more fun during practice.

People like myself realized from the beginning not to practice like exercises. I started recording from day 1 not just to track my progress but to experiment with sound like a Rock band making soundtracks. I think of wrong notes as not getting the ideal sound than mistakes. After a while you start sounding better in recordings and your techniques improve.

The first year or 2 we’re beginners. Many struggle to read. Once we get passed the first stage playing gets a bit easier and we’re less likely to quit. People like myself can read sufficiently. The things to focus on include learning the beat patterns & finger sequences.

People who tried playing but quit not only due to talent. A large part has to do with efficient & effective practice to achieve results.

SouthPark

The nice thing is that people that did/do quit can have their chance to un-quit later. People definitely do make choices in life, and they say that with certain choices come 'consequences'. So basically - if somebody does quit for many many many many years, and then comes back to the piano (unquit) - there can then be a time-constraint consideration, and other considerations - such as what they intended to want to achieve (considerations). And that happens/happened due to choice. And that's a part of nature and life - because as we know -- there are many cases where in the future - at least some people will say that 'if I had known ...... then I wouldn't have made that choice ....'. That's a part of life/nature of course. This just means - if someone does quit for ages, then that's just what happens, regardless of what happens.

But on the other hand - once they do un-quit, they can certainly still keep progressing and/or enjoy what they do learn and apply. Beginners and resumers can and will and do make pianos sound nice - with whatever they are learning or playing. When somebody is at the controls - at the piano - the piano comes 'to life' - both piano player and piano - together - come 'to life' - and that is very special indeed.

Also - being 'good' at playing piano or even learning to play pianos is certainly not a requirement in life. So just un-quitting and continuing is nice already. And it is definitely not an issue if somebody doesn't want to learn piano. There are lots of things in life to keep people occupied and happy too of course.

Pallas

SouthPark Also - being 'good' at playing piano is certainly not a requirement in life. So just un-quitting and continuing is nice already. And it is definitely not an issue if somebody doesn't want to learn piano. There are lots of things in life to keep people occupied and happy too of course.

I think it's really important to support the notion that it's ok to try things and move on if it's not meeting your needs. I've tried and abandoned several activities, and it's not necessary or helpful to carry those things around as failures. That's just a bunch of baggage you can choose not to carry! (I loved the orchid photos!)

thepianoplayer416

SouthPark
Many people quit because of bad experiences either with the teacher, lack of progess or something else. They need to set realistic expectations what is achievable and track their progress according.

When I learned violin with my sister in school, neither of us had expectations the different techniques we'd be learning and the repertoire. Everything was left to the teacher to decide. We're paying for the teacher and we need to be in the driver seat what we want to get out of the lessons.

The people who quit because of a busy schedule or other commitments are more likely going to return later. The ones who had bad experiences are less likely going to un-quit unless they change their expectations.

SouthPark

Pallas I think it's really important to support the notion that it's ok to try things and move on if it's not meeting your needs. I've tried and abandoned several activities, and it's but necessary or great to carry those things around as failures. That's just a bunch of baggage you can choose not to carry! (I loved the orchid photos!)

So right and true Pallas! I couldn't have said the above any better. Actually - I could have --- but. No ... haha. I could not. Was only kidding. That is so true what you mentioned. If a person has trouble with particular burdens - that option for reducing the burden is always there. It can make their life more nicer or better etc. Excellent comment you made Pallas - and thanks so much for letting me know you like the orchid pics! Best regards.

SouthPark

thepianoplayer416 The people who quit because of a busy schedule or other commitments are more likely going to return later. The ones who had bad experiences are less likely going to un-quit unless they change their expectations.

Know what you mean there TPP416! Cue Piano Tell forum and get them to come to talk to us, and we'll see what we can do to inspire them to 'get back in the saddle' --- like in Top Gun hehe

It is true that the statistics are always there - as in there really will be a number that won't get back in the saddle. But hopefully if some really want to resume, then they can join for example Piano Tell to start with. Or - even without joining anything - just sit down at a piano and begin - to start up again.

WieWaldi

My story is short: I got bored during CoVid 19 locksdowns and ordered an instrument.

thepianoplayer416

WieWaldi
You’re more in tune with the times as more adults like myself get into playing as a hobby.

Many people in my family think we need to start an instrument at a young age to make progress. The instrument you learned as a child is the one you’re stuck with as an adult. My brother wouldn’t play anything except a guitar sort of thing.

WieWaldi

thepianoplayer416 As child I learned accordion. But I never got really into this instrument, nor did I like this kind of music I learned.

SouthPark

thepianoplayer416 The instrument you learned as a child is the one you’re stuck with as an adult. My brother wouldn’t play anything except a guitar sort of thing.

TPP416 - but you learned violin as a child, and now you're also doing piano, so you have best of two or more worlds.
I'm now learning 'erhu' - as I had always wanted to play that - but had never got around to it. It's amazing to me. I love that one.

TC3

WieWaldi Someday I intend to learn a bit of accordion, but it likely won't be the usual "classical" accordion repertoire. I like accordion as it shows up in folk music and such.

Pallas

TC3 I like accordion as it shows up in folk music and such.

I feel the same about the violin. Calling it a "fiddle" makes it easier to play, RIGHT!? 😄

Sophia

Pallas Calling it a "fiddle" makes it easier to play, RIGHT!? 😄

LOL be careful with the discussions this might start... Is it still a "fiddle" if you are only into "classical"? Etc etc. Just like the never ending discussions whether we are still learning piano properly if classical is not our thing or when we're using a non approved method? Good for many hours and long messages where those nuances are dissected into atom sized particles - thankfully not in this forum though 🤣

TC3

Pallas Yes, there needs to be a name for accordion that is analogous to "fiddle"!

TLH21

Pallas
😄

Player1

ranjit

Mastery of a craft isn't all that it's cracked up to be.

Several decades ago I decided that I wanted to learn how to do high end custom woodworking. I started with the usual small stuff and progressed to bigger stuff, often from published plans, and eventually started designing and building stuff of my own. I got really good at it. I mean really, really, really good at it. All aspects of it.

One day I looked around and realized that none of it was a challenge anymore. I could wander out to my shop, grab some wood, and start cutting and assembling nearly anything that crossed my mind. No plans required and the end result would be as perfect as human hands can make it.

It wouldn't even take hardly any time to make something that once upon a time could have taken days or weeks. There literally wasn't any challenge at all and no purpose remained.

I quit. I still have all the tools and machines but haven't touched them in 15-20 years. Mastery of any craft has its desirable qualities. One of which is to teach. But mastery for the sake of mastery and nothing else is a dead end street.

Pallas

Player1 This is my favorite of all of your posts. Well said. It's the striving I love best. I don't have to fear I'll ever master the piano! The challenges will go on forever, and I love that.

Pallas

Sophia I'm afraid I kinda like those discussions, as long as people don't call each other names! That's where I've had to learn how to use the handy ignore function and send my eternal gratitude to the moderators for keeping us all polite. ❤️ (I love you guys.)

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