Calling all musicians/pianists!

[nath]

How do.

Right, my housemate just broke out his keyboard and started to learn how to play a number of songs he downloaded sheet music for. He knows how to play the piano and indeed how to play sheet music. Subsequently he taught me how to play Pyramid Song and Everything in it's Right Place. I'm learning these by memory as I've no idea how to read music. All of a sudden I'm very interested in learning stuff.

I was just wondering if peeps had any recommendation on a cheapo keyboard (something that I could plug in to my amp perhaps), and some guide books on how to play piano properly and read sheet music. I'm not really that interested in taking lessons since I have my mate to tell me if I'm doing something terribly wrong etc. so I just really want to learn how to play my favourite radiohead songs and then see where it takes me.

Ta muchley!

 

[Sharma]

Theres a difference between keyboard and Piano i think, so decide which one you want to play since i think the techinques are different, on a piano you have foot pedals to use too.

 

[Tom]

There are loads and loads of cheap synths on ebay. Get full sized keys, preferably weighted (like a piano).

If you want a nice electronic piano, look at clavinovas and the like.

My advice would be to learn your scales before you learn to play tunes, that way you will be able to play chords properly, and it will also help improve your dexterity.

 

[stubbyrulz]

get lessons probly easyist way to learn that way if your doing something wrong your teacher will be able to point it out

 

[nath]

Well, as I said, I'd rather just get a cheapo synth and I've got my mate who knows piano to point out when I'm going wrong. As for the scales thing Tom, I know what you mean.. fortunately the two tunes I learned were taught to me by my mate, and he made sure I did it the right way despite not necessarily being the easiest (for me).

 

[Sharma]

I tried learning sheet music for 3 years, i am still none the wiser heh.

 

[shanks]

I come from the school of musical teaching that suggests you should start trying to play what you want to play instead of scales and such. Sure, scales are useful but your very likely to bore yourself out. So start trying what you want to play and as you feel more at home with your instrument learn the scales. It's often more important to develop a love for the instrument then start of with the technicalities right away. But I guess that depends on your charchter, if you can actually stand starting with scales, do it. And as someone suggested, having someone there to teach you is always good unless they are the really boring kind that makes you play boring stuff you dont like over and over. Good luck!