Piano Lessons

[Dr.K]

I'm probably gonna start taking piano lessons pretty soon, and would be really grateful if anyone having lessons at the moment, or who has had piano lessons before could just give me some insight as to how tutors (generally, of course) conduct their teaching, for instance: -

a.) Is it imperative you have your own piano? (Silly I know, I'm gonna buy one if needs be - just wanna make sure)
b.) What pieces they started you off on, and what kind of things they taught you in your first few lessons.
c.) How does a standard, new piano cost? How much did yours cost if you own one?

I'm quite good on music theory, I basically need to get the pianist technique though.
Thanks for any help.

[Rye]

You need a large keyboard, but when you get very advanced, you need a piano. It's better to get a piano if you're committed, because I have trouble playing on a keyboard because the sound and keys are different.

I learned Symphony 9 in my first lesson, pretty simple. Then I learned Yankee Doodle and some other simple songs.

Good luck with them!

[Such Great Heights]

I took piano lessons years ago, and never stuck with it (saxophone, please) but yes, you do really need your own piano unless perhaps you're a college student with access to some sort of music center piano-but still, it's obviously best to get your own.

[Little Miss Awesome]

I can't actually give you much advise apart from saying have fun and practise a lot I would love to play the piano, you are really lucky!

[boris no no]

i would advise you get a piano/good keyboard to practise on
you cannot get good by just going to lessons, you need to practise at least twice a week
good pianos are reasonabley priced, theres a lasrge range of prices but you can get cheap ones that need work on for a few hundred pounds (this is the lower end of the range...second hand)
i actually son't play the piano myself, flute player me but i have friends that do
but yeah
i wouldn't TOTALLY go on my price though i may be WAAAAAAAAAAAY off

[crazybayman]

I took lessons. From Grade 1 to grade 8. You need to practice almost every day, so yeah you'll need your own piano, or at least a big, piano-size keyboard at first. Like Rye said, you'll need a piano at some point, as there's a tremendous difference between even the best keyboards and an actual piano.

Chances are, you won't spend too much time learning modern music. You will learn some, but not a lot. Instead, for the most part it'll be simple tunes like Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star at first, and Sonatinas other classical music as you get more advanced, and other music that allows you to see the theory you've learned applied in music composition. And yes, you'll learn lots of theory. At least, that's what I was taught. I got sick of it after 7 years, and picked up the guitar. Although it wouldn't surprise me if I got back into the piano again, sometime down the road.

[Samuraid]

You must have a piano (or very nice keyboard) as you will need to practice a lot...like 6-7 times a week.

Piano starts out with very very basic stuff. It may seem boring and very monotonous, but it's essential to learning more advanced stuff. Be very patient while learning, the process can take a lot of hard work with little results at times.

A real piano can be very expensive, as can a good full-size keyboard. If you find yourself short of funds, you can see if someone you know has a piano that you could use for practicing. Also check your school to see if they have a music department/room with a piano you could use for practicing during the day.

[Yamaneko]

software synth + midi controller = not as expensive

[Old Manus]

It's Keethoven

[rubah]

We got our piano used for $800. It's an upright Whitney and this was nearly ten years ago.

my piano teacher was a lady who is our neighbor now, and it was $32 for once a week for an hour each month.

I stopped taking lessons before I finished the book series we worked out of-- I had stopped practicing and got burnt out I guess, but I can still play and play a lot now recently.

I wouldn't get a keyboard. *I* want one, but that's just because using my mom's laptop to record music and having to manually enter MIDI is so much trouble xD

[Midori]

I'm going to school for piano and I have a few songs I am determined to learn how to play. I am aware that it might take me a very long time, but I am more than ready to put in the effort. The only problem is that I am jobless ={ I have a chance to work as a PA for major movie productions but it takes all of my morning and afternoon. Sadly enough, my piano class is between (9:40am-11:15am) and work if 5 days a week from 7am to 5pm. Anyway, I was hoping for any advise as of how to be able to learn a not so much faster way, but more of a better way at understanding music theory. Oh and one of the songs that I am dying to learn how to play is (FFVII Battle Theme) <----yeah I know!!! goodluck right!? lol Its just wishful thinking at the moment.

[Dignified Pauper]

a good keyboard with weighted keys = perfection. You'll spend in the upper hundreds low thousand mark for one though.

[Optium]

I played for years on a crappy Casio with no touch sensitivity, and missing
like 4 octaves. I got a new keyboard that's only missing 1 octave, but
still the keys aren't weighted, on Christmas of last year. Just a month ago
I aquired an actual piano from a friend who passed away.

Basically, if you're commited, all you need is a few keys at first. If you
want to be able to HAVE FUN while you're practicing, I'd suggest getting a
good piano. If it sounds good you can start to improvise like crazy and
then you end up practicing without actually practicing.

Good luck though. Even if you stop taking lessons a couple months into it
like I did, keep practicing on your own (Nobuo Uematsu songs are good to
learn) and in time you'll really get the hang of it.

.opt

[Rainecloud]

I struggled learning Piano with my Keyboard. Certain things just aren't the same.

You could see it as a big challenge, I guess. Good luck.

[Monster Hunt]

Umm... well if your going to have a piano lesseons you at least need a keyboard to practise on. In the first few lessons I learnt stuff like hand position and simple stuff like the short and easy version of "ode to joy" and "raining cats and dogs (all you have to do is the notes like this= cdcdcdcdcdcd!)". Unfortunately I don't know prices... my piano i've got is acctually my landlady's! But i've got a mini organ and a keyboard and and other instuments like the recorder to practise the notes on!

Anyway if you decide to take the lessons good luck and have fun!