I'm learning to play piano. Advice?

[Messianni]

Hey folks,

I recently just started to learn to play the piano. I'm taking lessons from someone that was recommended to me at my work (I work for a school district, a music teacher at one of the schools made the recommendation). I'm having a great time so far! My teacher had me buy Alfred's Basic Adult Learner book, the first one, and we're going through that. It has a good balance of music, music theory, technique and exercises, which I'm more than halfway on. Likewise I also picked up a book of Hanon's first 60 exercises (I can play the first two fairly well, working more on varying dynamics and tempo). My teacher says I'm going through the material much faster than her other adult learners.

To challenge myself, I also picked up a book of Erik Satie's three Gymnopedie and three Gnossienne pieces. I'm currently working on the first Gymnopedie and have, maybe, the first 20 measures or so down. I'm also starting on a piece called "Dream" by minimalist composer John Cage. Here is a video of it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExUosomc8Uc

Both of these were recommended by a very good friend of mine who is a music major and does performance piano. She also gave me Bach's Menuett, an interesting piece called "Changes" by Canadian composer Alexina Louie (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKgX5rj93Gs&feature=related), Harpsichord Pieces by Rameau, "Little Serenade" by Hadyn and Mozart's Menuet in G. I won't get to these for a while, but they're all things to work towards and, frankly, much more fascinating than most of the songs in my Alfred book. "Blow the Man Down" can't really compare to Bach.

So there is some backround, do any piano players here have advice for an adult learner such as myself?

 

[Daedalus12]

Hmm I got nothing. I started learning piano really young. Did it for 14 years until end of my high school. One musician I do recommend is Muzio Clementi although not until you are a bit more familiar with the notes.

 

[Messianni]

Are there any pieces in particular you would recommend?

 

[SicOne]

Good thing you selected the piano. I've been learning to play the harmonica. Problem is, when on the locomotive and practicing, when I go down into the nose to use the toilet, I come back and find it's gone. My conductor knows nothing. I've gone through five harmonicas thus far. Maybe I should try the banjo.

 

[Smiley]

Just keep on practicing. Even though the Alfred stuff is a little more basic, it's necessary to master fundamentals first. We don't play scales because they are exciting, we play them to train our fingers.

 

[Messianni]

Indeed. Are the Hanon exercises good to do as well?

 

[Braindeer]

My only advice is keep your nails short! The sound of nails tip-tapping on the keys is upsetting...also, it'll make the fingerwork easier.

 

[Holdfast]

So there is some backround, do any piano players here have advice for an adult learner such as myself?

Patience.

I've thought about learning as an adult (having taken lessons as a kid that never really went anywhere because I never practiced). I've never mustered up the patience to learn a musical instrument though.