Pianos!

[APenguinRawr]

Thanks! That Helped A Lot! biggrin  

[Wings]

Huh, I don't really agree with the gradings for the pieces in the 4th post. If you're around, Septomor, you should consider revising it. :T

This thread is kinda dead, isn't it? *pokes*  

[Violet the Wind Master]

Hello! I suppose introductions are in order! I've been playing piano for... a few years now, but a horrible crutch I have is that I played violin first. Therefore, it is a lot easier for me to read treble clef than it is to read bass clef. I am not good at reading bass clef. I can do it, but it comes slowly.

If anyone has any advice, it would be much appreciated.

Oh, and thank you for listing some pieces throughout. I may run them by my piano teacher.  

[`Kel`]

Wings

Huh, I don't really agree with the gradings for the pieces in the 4th post. If you're around, Septomor, you should consider revising it. :T

This thread is kinda dead, isn't it? *pokes*

It's not that it's dead, it's just incredibly new. xp The guild is very new and im working hard on getting more people in to chat and get it going. So the more you post the more the threads start moving.  

[Wings]

LOL, it's just that the last post before me in this thread was from 2 months ago--we'll see how busy we can get then. ;3

@Violet: Reading different clefs just takes practice...however, if you form landmarks on the stave (i.e. knowing for sure where ACEG (the space notes) are), then you can read intervallically from the landmarks, which might save you some time than figuring out notes individually.

My approach to reading in foreign clefs are to go intervallically from the previous note and using the landmark approach whenever appropriate. ^^  

[Piroshki]

*raises hand and jumps up and down*
I PLAY PIANO. eek

For about 10 years now.
And I want to start a discussion on something, but I don't know what.

.. What songs are everybody learning to play?  

[Wings]

I'm mainly working on Bartok's Suite Op. 14 at the moment.

I've been playing...uh, close to 15 years? XD  

[`Kel`]

I actually just started learning piano ay school. I've been playing not quite a year. Im learning Fur Elise atm.  

[Piroshki]

*Looks up Bartok's suite op. 14 on Youtube*
Ooh, that sounds fun. 4laugh

Für Elise is a fun one, too. And a great starter. 3nodding
I started on Mary Had a Little Lamb, though. Now that's classic.

I recently found music for a bunch of songs from the Mario games and Legend of Zelda, so I've been scrutinizing those of late. xp
I've also got some songs from The Sims, though, which I haven't printed yet, but they have a more classical feel to them.
And I started learning this song, which is absolutely amazing, but I've decided to put that off until a later date. sweatdrop (I got a few parts of it down, at least. XD)  

[RanDiesel]

Hello. ^_^
I've been playing piano for about, mm... *counts back* eight years now.
Well, technically more because I'd play by ear before I started lessons, but whatever. :] Wow, that means I've been tickling the ivories for over half my life.
I'm good with reading and playing, it's just finding time to actually practice so I can play the songs right. Sigh. And my hands are all screwed up as of now, so that hasn't helped my practicing.
I really want to learn Presto Agitato from Beethoven's Sonata Quasi Una Fantasia. That song is other worldly in its beastliness. O_o If I could learn to play that, I believe I could die happily.
But right now I'm practicing Waltz in A Minor by Chopin. :]

 

[Wings]

@Piroshki: Bartok is always fun. *bounces*

Ooh, that piece in the YouTube vid sounds fun. Do you have the sheet music to it?

@RanDiesel: I think Beethoven has two sonatas he labelled "quasi una fantasia." You're probably referring to the Moonlight sonata though? I agree the 3rd movement is awesome--ripping through the chords is oddly satisfying, haha.

Chopin is always wonderful. I could think of at least 2 waltzes he did in A minor so I have no idea which you're referring to, but I like both, so. xD  

[moosiklady]

Just joined the guild! I've been playing piano.....FOREVER! (Or at least - longer than most of you've probably been alive....30+ years)

I've been teaching private lessons a long time - and do a lot of accompanying (choirs, church, weddings, etc.)

On briefly reading through the posts - I just have a few comments:

Technic MATTERS. The reason ideas about good technic are used is because they WORK. Technic is really applying the most natural and relaxed hand position to playing various pieces and styles. Bad technic usually leads to tension and tension slows you down!

As for becoming better music readers - my best advice is to become proficient at reading distances (intervals). If you start with the notes you do know, and then read distances - you'll be right! If you stop to think about every individual note name you'll always have pauses.

Also, from my experience as an accompanist - metronomes are a MUST! They enable you to stick with someone elses tempo. As an accompanist I have to follow director's, soloists, song leaders, etc. And let's face it - the paying jobs are accompanying! I've had a few jobs as a soloist (usually background music), but most of my work is accompanying.  

[gutter [GD]]

I've played Piano for several years, performing for churches, schools, and in local bands.  

[Piroshki]

Wings

@Piroshki: Bartok is always fun. *bounces*

Ooh, that piece in the YouTube vid sounds fun. Do you have the sheet music to it?

I do, actually.
I found it on the internet, copied it into Paint and divided it all up so that it would fit on 9 pages in Word. burning_eyes

If you know of a way to post Word documents like we can post images, then I'll happily share it. Otherwise, I still have it in big-huge-long scroll image form. razz  

[Septomor]

Wings

Huh, I don't really agree with the gradings for the pieces in the 4th post. If you're around, Septomor, you should consider revising it. :T

This thread is kinda dead, isn't it? *pokes*

lol I just listed some random pieces, if you can get some others for me then that's great. I'm trying not to put pieces that everyone knows because then they'll know how it goes and then they'll want to play it like that and I want to create individualism here.