Learning piano, again
Discussion
I had lessons from 8-12 and got to grade 2 I seem to recall, so not great. Really didn’t enjoy it.
My youngest showed a passing interest in piano last year so I procured one through fb marketplace for free off a couple of very nice young ladies who were emigrating abroad together. The standup piano was a bit ropey but I thought it would do as a starter for 10. Small issue was the room/house it was due to go in was not ready when I had to collect it, so it lived under a couple of dust sheets in what was effectively a building site from June until September.
I gave it a good clean up today, it is still terribly out of tune and some keys are problematic but…. I found myself ‘having a tinkle’ and really enjoying the challenge of reading and playing music again.
Any phers come back to piano later in life? Any recommendations for resources. I’m not very good at all so please be gentle. Thank you.
My youngest showed a passing interest in piano last year so I procured one through fb marketplace for free off a couple of very nice young ladies who were emigrating abroad together. The standup piano was a bit ropey but I thought it would do as a starter for 10. Small issue was the room/house it was due to go in was not ready when I had to collect it, so it lived under a couple of dust sheets in what was effectively a building site from June until September.
I gave it a good clean up today, it is still terribly out of tune and some keys are problematic but…. I found myself ‘having a tinkle’ and really enjoying the challenge of reading and playing music again.
Any phers come back to piano later in life? Any recommendations for resources. I’m not very good at all so please be gentle. Thank you.
I had a few lessons when I was doing my A levels back in the late 70s. I joined a couple of bands in the 80s but never really progressed my technical skills or knowledge.
3 years ago at the ripe old age of 56 I decided to start having lessons. I passed my grade 5 exams last year and am now moving on to grade 6.
For me, a weekly lesson with a professional teacher provides a structured approach that allows you to build the skills and knowledge at the correct pace for you as an individual.
Hopefully grade 8 not too far away!
3 years ago at the ripe old age of 56 I decided to start having lessons. I passed my grade 5 exams last year and am now moving on to grade 6.
For me, a weekly lesson with a professional teacher provides a structured approach that allows you to build the skills and knowledge at the correct pace for you as an individual.
Hopefully grade 8 not too far away!
PianoManYork said:
I had a few lessons when I was doing my A levels back in the late 70s. I joined a couple of bands in the 80s but never really progressed my technical skills or knowledge.
3 years ago at the ripe old age of 56 I decided to start having lessons. I passed my grade 5 exams last year and am now moving on to grade 6.
For me, a weekly lesson with a professional teacher provides a structured approach that allows you to build the skills and knowledge at the correct pace for you as an individual.
Hopefully grade 8 not too far away!
That’s fantastic to read, well done. Not sure I’m up for lessons at the moment but……. And another yorkie too? Hello.3 years ago at the ripe old age of 56 I decided to start having lessons. I passed my grade 5 exams last year and am now moving on to grade 6.
For me, a weekly lesson with a professional teacher provides a structured approach that allows you to build the skills and knowledge at the correct pace for you as an individual.
Hopefully grade 8 not too far away!
58 here and started as a complete beginner in 2006. I have passed all the piano grades and completed 2 grade 8 exams with distinctions. Now studying for a level 1 diploma. I practice for 10 hours a week.
I recently bought a hybrid digital piano which is amazing, it has the same hammer mechanism as a top end grand piano but uses digital sample modelling. Never needs tuning and can be used with headphones for when I play very early in the morning.
I devote a lot of my time to practice but it feels worth it, there is so much wonderful piano music out there.
I have a weekly 1 hour lesson which is essential. There are a ton of really good instructional videos on YouTube which is a good place to start to get a feel for playing again.
I recently bought a hybrid digital piano which is amazing, it has the same hammer mechanism as a top end grand piano but uses digital sample modelling. Never needs tuning and can be used with headphones for when I play very early in the morning.
I devote a lot of my time to practice but it feels worth it, there is so much wonderful piano music out there.
I have a weekly 1 hour lesson which is essential. There are a ton of really good instructional videos on YouTube which is a good place to start to get a feel for playing again.
dieselgrunt said:
58 here and started as a complete beginner in 2006. I have passed all the piano grades and completed 2 grade 8 exams with distinctions. Now studying for a level 1 diploma. I practice for 10 hours a week.
I recently bought a hybrid digital piano which is amazing, it has the same hammer mechanism as a top end grand piano but uses digital sample modelling. Never needs tuning and can be used with headphones for when I play very early in the morning.
I devote a lot of my time to practice but it feels worth it, there is so much wonderful piano music out there.
I have a weekly 1 hour lesson which is essential. There are a ton of really good instructional videos on YouTube which is a good place to start to get a feel for playing again.
Thanks for the info, I will have a look at those hybrids. I think you might be a bit more committed than me after reading that lol.I recently bought a hybrid digital piano which is amazing, it has the same hammer mechanism as a top end grand piano but uses digital sample modelling. Never needs tuning and can be used with headphones for when I play very early in the morning.
I devote a lot of my time to practice but it feels worth it, there is so much wonderful piano music out there.
I have a weekly 1 hour lesson which is essential. There are a ton of really good instructional videos on YouTube which is a good place to start to get a feel for playing again.
I’ll be happy banging out The Entertainer or Fur Elise, perhaps a few contemporary tunes mixed in.
M1AGM said:
PianoManYork said:
I had a few lessons when I was doing my A levels back in the late 70s. I joined a couple of bands in the 80s but never really progressed my technical skills or knowledge.
3 years ago at the ripe old age of 56 I decided to start having lessons. I passed my grade 5 exams last year and am now moving on to grade 6.
For me, a weekly lesson with a professional teacher provides a structured approach that allows you to build the skills and knowledge at the correct pace for you as an individual.
Hopefully grade 8 not too far away!
That’s fantastic to read, well done. Not sure I’m up for lessons at the moment but……. And another yorkie too? Hello.3 years ago at the ripe old age of 56 I decided to start having lessons. I passed my grade 5 exams last year and am now moving on to grade 6.
For me, a weekly lesson with a professional teacher provides a structured approach that allows you to build the skills and knowledge at the correct pace for you as an individual.
Hopefully grade 8 not too far away!
M1AGM said:
I had lessons from 8-12 and got to grade 2 I seem to recall, so not great. Really didn’t enjoy it.
My youngest showed a passing interest in piano last year so I procured one through fb marketplace for free off a couple of very nice young ladies who were emigrating abroad together. The standup piano was a bit ropey but I thought it would do as a starter for 10. Small issue was the room/house it was due to go in was not ready when I had to collect it, so it lived under a couple of dust sheets in what was effectively a building site from June until September.
I gave it a good clean up today, it is still terribly out of tune and some keys are problematic but…. I found myself ‘having a tinkle’ and really enjoying the challenge of reading and playing music again.
Any phers come back to piano later in life? Any recommendations for resources. I’m not very good at all so please be gentle. Thank you.
I love listening to solo piano, whether it's classical / ragtime / jazz / blues whatever. Sadly, I can't play the piano so I'm not sure I'm much help.My youngest showed a passing interest in piano last year so I procured one through fb marketplace for free off a couple of very nice young ladies who were emigrating abroad together. The standup piano was a bit ropey but I thought it would do as a starter for 10. Small issue was the room/house it was due to go in was not ready when I had to collect it, so it lived under a couple of dust sheets in what was effectively a building site from June until September.
I gave it a good clean up today, it is still terribly out of tune and some keys are problematic but…. I found myself ‘having a tinkle’ and really enjoying the challenge of reading and playing music again.
Any phers come back to piano later in life? Any recommendations for resources. I’m not very good at all so please be gentle. Thank you.
However, I do play the guitar and - after dipping my toe into music theory about four years ago - I've now migrated to some piano tutorial channel on YT to expand my learning. I've subscribed to David Bennett and Bill Hilton on YT, and whilst some of their lessons obviously focus on piano techniques they do both frequently touch on music theory. I find them approachable and easy to understand.
Just started learning piano over Christmas, previously played guitar which doesn't require any music theory as such.
I'd politely suggest that a piano piano, rather than a digital piano, is a lot of faff for learning on re having to get it tuned, serviced. Check out reviews / blind tests of something like the digital Roland FP10, £400, it's brilliant, plug and play.
I'm using an app, Simply Piano, you'll probably find it a bit easy at first but it's really good for learning sheet music and fingering PROPERLY. As an app it obviously listens to you playing, corrects you, you can practice at your own pace etc.
£89 for a year's subscription.
Loads of great youtubers you can follow as mentioned above. Never been easier to learn instruments properly.
I'd politely suggest that a piano piano, rather than a digital piano, is a lot of faff for learning on re having to get it tuned, serviced. Check out reviews / blind tests of something like the digital Roland FP10, £400, it's brilliant, plug and play.
I'm using an app, Simply Piano, you'll probably find it a bit easy at first but it's really good for learning sheet music and fingering PROPERLY. As an app it obviously listens to you playing, corrects you, you can practice at your own pace etc.
£89 for a year's subscription.
Loads of great youtubers you can follow as mentioned above. Never been easier to learn instruments properly.
PianoManYork said:
Just outside the city
Strensall/Sheriff here 
cherryowen said:
I love listening to solo piano, whether it's classical / ragtime / jazz / blues whatever. Sadly, I can't play the piano so I'm not sure I'm much help.
However, I do play the guitar and - after dipping my toe into music theory about four years ago - I've now migrated to some piano tutorial channel on YT to expand my learning. I've subscribed to David Bennett and Bill Hilton on YT, and whilst some of their lessons obviously focus on piano techniques they do both frequently touch on music theory. I find them approachable and easy to understand.
Great thanks for the info.However, I do play the guitar and - after dipping my toe into music theory about four years ago - I've now migrated to some piano tutorial channel on YT to expand my learning. I've subscribed to David Bennett and Bill Hilton on YT, and whilst some of their lessons obviously focus on piano techniques they do both frequently touch on music theory. I find them approachable and easy to understand.
Hammersia said:
Just started learning piano over Christmas, previously played guitar which doesn't require any music theory as such.
I'd politely suggest that a piano piano, rather than a digital piano, is a lot of faff for learning on re having to get it tuned, serviced. Check out reviews / blind tests of something like the digital Roland FP10, £400, it's brilliant, plug and play.
I'm using an app, Simply Piano, you'll probably find it a bit easy at first but it's really good for learning sheet music and fingering PROPERLY. As an app it obviously listens to you playing, corrects you, you can practice at your own pace etc.
£89 for a year's subscription.
Loads of great youtubers you can follow as mentioned above. Never been easier to learn instruments properly.
Sounds like a good idea, thanks.I'd politely suggest that a piano piano, rather than a digital piano, is a lot of faff for learning on re having to get it tuned, serviced. Check out reviews / blind tests of something like the digital Roland FP10, £400, it's brilliant, plug and play.
I'm using an app, Simply Piano, you'll probably find it a bit easy at first but it's really good for learning sheet music and fingering PROPERLY. As an app it obviously listens to you playing, corrects you, you can practice at your own pace etc.
£89 for a year's subscription.
Loads of great youtubers you can follow as mentioned above. Never been easier to learn instruments properly.
I'm 31 and had lessons from age 7-15. I stopped because the music school I was with kept making us do end of year performances and my nerves would always get the better of me. I remember playing Pachebel's Canon in D at the NIA in Birmingham to a couple of thousand people and it terrified me.
Anyway, I moved into my house in 2018 and my wife surprised me with a Yamaha electric piano. I had mentioned a few times that I'd like to start playing again and she must've liked the idea! It didn't take long for me to get used to it again, but I was taught mainly to play classical music. I'm trying to learn blues and jazz but all of the sliding off black keys and the timings are completely mind boggling.
I'd suggest youtube like others have said, just to get the left hand chords and the melody correct and then you can build on it. I always learn chords first, followed by a recognizable bit of the song (chorus normally) and go from there.
Anyway, I moved into my house in 2018 and my wife surprised me with a Yamaha electric piano. I had mentioned a few times that I'd like to start playing again and she must've liked the idea! It didn't take long for me to get used to it again, but I was taught mainly to play classical music. I'm trying to learn blues and jazz but all of the sliding off black keys and the timings are completely mind boggling.
I'd suggest youtube like others have said, just to get the left hand chords and the melody correct and then you can build on it. I always learn chords first, followed by a recognizable bit of the song (chorus normally) and go from there.
Dad was a Rector so we grew up in a religious environment. I started playing the piano aged 5 and finished Grade 8 RSM aged 13 with a Distinction. I was also playing the church organ from 12. I had played in York Minster Cathedral, and the Albert Hall back in the 80's. Sadly I discovered motorcycles, women and alcohol and "church and all" went straight out of the window 
I used to be able to read sheet music and pretty much play anything after basic familiarisation.. couldn't play by ear. I recently bought a Yamaha ModX 8 to get me into playing again but what I found is:
1) I cannot read music I've forgotten how.
2) I can play from ear if I listen and play along with what is on the radio for example.
3) I've lost my flexibility in my fingers so I need to practice scales again to get them anywhere near where they need to be.
4) I have lost my muscle memory and even playing plastic keyboard keys is hard work. I used to bash the hell out of a Steinway or Bechstein concert grand, no chance now.
I'm also considering lessons!
I used to be able to read sheet music and pretty much play anything after basic familiarisation.. couldn't play by ear. I recently bought a Yamaha ModX 8 to get me into playing again but what I found is:
1) I cannot read music I've forgotten how.
2) I can play from ear if I listen and play along with what is on the radio for example.
3) I've lost my flexibility in my fingers so I need to practice scales again to get them anywhere near where they need to be.
4) I have lost my muscle memory and even playing plastic keyboard keys is hard work. I used to bash the hell out of a Steinway or Bechstein concert grand, no chance now.
I'm also considering lessons!
Glad you've brought this up OP
I did piano lessons in the 80's - upright piano (was free) and a weekly lesson from a lady up the street. She played in the Methodist Chapel and I can still hear her humming the odd hymn and laugh when I hear her singing along with an Elton John track (Rolling like thunder, under the covers, Don't it make your brown eyes blue), she was 80+.
Anyway I have a Yamaha keyboard but it sits there gathering dust, my son used it for a year while doing music at school but since then, other than an occasional watch of a Doctor K lesson it's unused. I've got the time, just need the motivation.
I did piano lessons in the 80's - upright piano (was free) and a weekly lesson from a lady up the street. She played in the Methodist Chapel and I can still hear her humming the odd hymn and laugh when I hear her singing along with an Elton John track (Rolling like thunder, under the covers, Don't it make your brown eyes blue), she was 80+.
Anyway I have a Yamaha keyboard but it sits there gathering dust, my son used it for a year while doing music at school but since then, other than an occasional watch of a Doctor K lesson it's unused. I've got the time, just need the motivation.
LordFlathead said:
Dad was a Rector so we grew up in a religious environment. I started playing the piano aged 5 and finished Grade 8 RSM aged 13 with a Distinction. I was also playing the church organ from 12. I had played in York Minster Cathedral, and the Albert Hall back in the 80's. Sadly I discovered motorcycles, women and alcohol and "church and all" went straight out of the window
I used to be able to read sheet music and pretty much play anything after basic familiarisation.. couldn't play by ear. I recently bought a Yamaha ModX 8 to get me into playing again but what I found is:
1) I cannot read music I've forgotten how.
2) I can play from ear if I listen and play along with what is on the radio for example.
3) I've lost my flexibility in my fingers so I need to practice scales again to get them anywhere near where they need to be.
4) I have lost my muscle memory and even playing plastic keyboard keys is hard work. I used to bash the hell out of a Steinway or Bechstein concert grand, no chance now.
I'm also considering lessons!
I have a vaguely similar background, thanks to mental parents I was accompanying congregational hymns on piano or organ from 10-11 through my teens (which is excellent as a musical discipline as I'm sure you agree) and learned piano through grade 8 (though never actually took it) in my secondary school years. Unfortunately my family situation turned very dysfunctional at the age of 12-13 and I ended up going without lessons, then having different teachers, never quite getting my exam syllabus up to scratch, my school was absolutely rubbish and did nothing to foster my ability despite having a very good grand in the hall which was under strict lock and key even for the few of us that were very able players. I left for a much better 6th form who were the exact opposite encouraging participation in anything musical, and I had a resurgence of focus in my later teens resulting in A level music and an overall good standard of playing around or just beyond grade 8, but before long was off to uni pursuing things unrelated to music, like you mentioned I used to be able to read sheet music and pretty much play anything after basic familiarisation.. couldn't play by ear. I recently bought a Yamaha ModX 8 to get me into playing again but what I found is:
1) I cannot read music I've forgotten how.
2) I can play from ear if I listen and play along with what is on the radio for example.
3) I've lost my flexibility in my fingers so I need to practice scales again to get them anywhere near where they need to be.
4) I have lost my muscle memory and even playing plastic keyboard keys is hard work. I used to bash the hell out of a Steinway or Bechstein concert grand, no chance now.
I'm also considering lessons!
I got back into piano in my mid 30's in a 'pre mid life crisis' and the first thing I did was found a good teacher in the area and took the Grade 8 so I could finally say I had passed it at 35
I've taken this further now as I had a one off opportunity to buy a very decent instrument last year, which I did, and just having that standard of instrument at my disposal regularly has really elevated the playing to another level. I'm planning to do the ARSM in the near future when I can finally tear myself away from work for long enough to give it that extra time and focus.
Glad to hear other people are getting back to it later in life. To the chap in his 50's who started ~15 years ago and did grade 8, that's really some achievement and goes to show its never too late to start.
Get some lessons. Even if you don’t want weekly ones, get a few to get you up and running- you don’t want to start/restart with bad habits technique wise that will be hard to change. Then have the occasional lesson to check how things are going. YouTube is fine to tell you what to do, but can’t tell you if you’re doing it correctly. Basically, it’s virtually impossible to be the pupil and the teacher at the same time and get decent results.
elise2000 said:
Get some lessons. Even if you don’t want weekly ones, get a few to get you up and running- you don’t want to start/restart with bad habits technique wise that will be hard to change. Then have the occasional lesson to check how things are going. YouTube is fine to tell you what to do, but can’t tell you if you’re doing it correctly. Basically, it’s virtually impossible to be the pupil and the teacher at the same time and get decent results.
Absolutely agree. Correct technique, constantly reviewed by my teacher, made a massive improvement to my playing and accelerated my development.theboss said:
I have a vaguely similar background, thanks to mental parents I was accompanying congregational hymns on piano or organ from 10-11 through my teens (which is excellent as a musical discipline as I'm sure you agree) and learned piano through grade 8 (though never actually took it) in my secondary school years. Unfortunately my family situation turned very dysfunctional at the age of 12-13 and I ended up going without lessons, then having different teachers, never quite getting my exam syllabus up to scratch, my school was absolutely rubbish and did nothing to foster my ability despite having a very good grand in the hall which was under strict lock and key even for the few of us that were very able players. I left for a much better 6th form who were the exact opposite encouraging participation in anything musical, and I had a resurgence of focus in my later teens resulting in A level music and an overall good standard of playing around or just beyond grade 8, but before long was off to uni pursuing things unrelated to music, like you mentioned
I got back into piano in my mid 30's in a 'pre mid life crisis' and the first thing I did was found a good teacher in the area and took the Grade 8 so I could finally say I had passed it at 35
I've taken this further now as I had a one off opportunity to buy a very decent instrument last year, which I did, and just having that standard of instrument at my disposal regularly has really elevated the playing to another level. I'm planning to do the ARSM in the near future when I can finally tear myself away from work for long enough to give it that extra time and focus.
Glad to hear other people are getting back to it later in life. To the chap in his 50's who started ~15 years ago and did grade 8, that's really some achievement and goes to show its never too late to start.
Yeah church is an institution! Hoping to revisit again properly once I've moved house and have room for a proper piano. Great thread I got back into piano in my mid 30's in a 'pre mid life crisis' and the first thing I did was found a good teacher in the area and took the Grade 8 so I could finally say I had passed it at 35
I've taken this further now as I had a one off opportunity to buy a very decent instrument last year, which I did, and just having that standard of instrument at my disposal regularly has really elevated the playing to another level. I'm planning to do the ARSM in the near future when I can finally tear myself away from work for long enough to give it that extra time and focus.
Glad to hear other people are getting back to it later in life. To the chap in his 50's who started ~15 years ago and did grade 8, that's really some achievement and goes to show its never too late to start.
elise2000 said:
Get some lessons. Even if you don’t want weekly ones, get a few to get you up and running- you don’t want to start/restart with bad habits technique wise that will be hard to change. Then have the occasional lesson to check how things are going. YouTube is fine to tell you what to do, but can’t tell you if you’re doing it correctly. Basically, it’s virtually impossible to be the pupil and the teacher at the same time and get decent results.
Yes I find I can't watch the video and see where the fingers are going quick enough and actually comprehend it. Have the same problem with Guitar on you tube. Can't help being a slow learner....My story was very similar to yours OP. I stopped the piano after grade 2 (my teacher said I had goalkeepers hands which is true) and did grade 8 flute. We inherited a Bechstein grand and I started the piano again a few years back and have since played the organ in church a few times and did a carol service a couple of years ago. I had no problem with reading music but finger placement was and still is very difficult although improving. But at this age things just seem to take longer to stick. I mainly play the guitar badly and I used to play something a couple of times and then I had it but now I forget everything almost as soon as I have learnt it.
Youtube is a fantastic resource but I only learnt relatively recently that you can slow it down without the pitch changing and that helps enormously. It's so much better than playing 33rpm records at 16 rpm or whatever it was to try to work out a guitar solo.
Go for it!
Youtube is a fantastic resource but I only learnt relatively recently that you can slow it down without the pitch changing and that helps enormously. It's so much better than playing 33rpm records at 16 rpm or whatever it was to try to work out a guitar solo.
Go for it!
Gassing Station | Music | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff