Piano

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Piano

Postby squ1d » Mon Aug 11, 2014 8:43 am

After 25 years of procrastination I finally fulfilled a lifelong dream to start learning piano. I have wanted to play piano since I was a child. Unfortunately we could not afford such luxuries as pianos and piano lessons. Later as a teenager I managed to get myself a guitar and a bad attitude, but the piano remained elusive. As my "career" got going, I applied myself less and less to music and gradually it drifted away altogether. Constantly I would think and talk of my desire to learn the piano, and yet never would I do anything about it.

So a few months ago I finally bought an electronic piano. The kind that is a piece of furniture with pedals. It is not as good as a decent acoustic, but getting one of those into my flat would be a nightmare, and since I'm just starting it really doesn't matter that I don't have a Steinway grand. I get lessons every Wednesday from a very experienced teacher who has been playing and teaching longer than I have been alive. Because of my previous experience with music I can read and know some theory so that has helped jump start things. I have realistic expectations, so I do not find anything about it frustrating in the slightest and I am pleased with my progress thus far.

So there's my good news story: 25 years of dreaming and/or procrastination, followed by actually doing something, and it feels good.
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Re: Piano

Postby geonuc » Mon Aug 11, 2014 11:20 am

Sweet, especially the 'not frustrating' part.
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Re: Piano

Postby squ1d » Tue Feb 10, 2015 9:38 am

I am now halfway through the prelude of BWV 845 and loving it! Also have been doing a music theory course to fill in the blank spots. Spending quite a lot of time that I didn't think I had practicing, which goes to show that you make time for the things you really care about.
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Re: Piano

Postby Rommie » Tue Feb 10, 2015 11:26 am

Yay!

So btw, I never asked, but why piano specifically?

I ask because my violin as chosen instrument was more through chance in many ways- the first instruments they taught at school were violin or cello (the woodwinds and brass were the year later) and my mom told me a cello was too heavy for me to carry and she wasn't going to carry it for me, so I became a violinist.
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Re: Piano

Postby squ1d » Thu Feb 12, 2015 11:05 am

For as long as I can remember I wanted to play the piano. I have no idea why. I have been a huge fan of Baroque music since my teens and so it was also a good fit to pick an instrument that is capable of polyphony with a solo performer. I played guitar and drums in teens/early 20's but somehow they never captured my imagination like the piano did.

I like your story about the cello. I guess I got a cheap nylon string acoustic when I was young because it was a darned sight more affordable than a piano for my parents!
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Re: Piano

Postby SciFiFisher » Thu Feb 12, 2015 2:38 pm

I recall taking ukulele lessons in middle school because that was what the school could afford for the music/choir classes that everyone was required to take in middle school. I might be able to still do "Hang your head Tom Dooley". :P
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Re: Piano

Postby pumpkinpi » Thu Feb 12, 2015 3:20 pm

SciFiFisher wrote:I recall taking ukulele lessons in middle school because that was what the school could afford for the music/choir classes that everyone was required to take in middle school. I might be able to still do "Hang your head Tom Dooley". :P


I learned the Uke in 4th grade. It was probably about a 4 week timespan. It was my last time I've played anything you have to strum. I wish I could just pick up a guitar and play some chords. It's just not something I have time to do right now.

I played the piano for about 6-7 years, and the flute/saxophone for about 12 years. All jazz, baby.
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Re: Piano

Postby Rommie » Thu Feb 12, 2015 3:58 pm

I have a cheap acoustic guitar in my apartment on which I can play a few chords, just enough to sing a few songs at the drop of a hat. It amazes some people that I can play all of American Pie for example, but TBH I think it's more just embarrassing I can't do more after 15 years of violin. :?
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Re: Piano

Postby code monkey » Sat Feb 14, 2015 4:17 am

squ1d, how wonderful that you are enjoying your lessons. there's a wonderful passage in 'the glass bead game' (das glasperlenspiel) by hesse in which the main character plays music for himself. alas, i no longer have the book.
and still i persist in wondering whether folly must always be our nemesis. edgar pangborn

come gentle night. come loving black browed night
give me my romeo. and when he shall die
take him and cut him out in little stars
and he will make the face of heaven so fine
that all will be in love with night
and pay no worship to the garish sun. william shakespeare
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Re: Piano

Postby Sigma_Orionis » Sat Feb 14, 2015 1:41 pm

Squid's playing the Piano cause he wants to be like Christian Grey :P
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Re: Piano

Postby squ1d » Thu Dec 03, 2015 5:43 am

Who the hell is Christian Grey? smack:

I can now play some JSB, the E maj prelude from WTC 1, stuff from Anna Magdalena notebook and now working on invention 1 in C.
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Re: Piano

Postby vendic » Thu Dec 03, 2015 6:19 am

Damn squ1d, the long response to Sigma reminds me of "Slap Fest" on "How I met your Mother". lol
Which was awesome btw.
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Re: Piano

Postby SciFi Chick » Thu Dec 17, 2015 11:34 pm

vendic wrote:Damn squ1d, the long response to Sigma reminds me of "Slap Fest" on "How I met your Mother". lol
Which was awesome btw.


Wasn't it just? roll:
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Re: Piano

Postby Sigma_Orionis » Fri Dec 18, 2015 3:31 pm

squ1d wrote:Who the hell is Christian Grey? smack:

I can now play some JSB, the E maj prelude from WTC 1, stuff from Anna Magdalena notebook and now working on invention 1 in C.


Or was it Richard Clayderman? :P
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Re: Piano

Postby squ1d » Fri Sep 30, 2016 10:11 am

I'm still toiling away.

My upcoming exam pieces are:

Baroque: J.S. Bach - Menuet BWV 842
Classical: Clementi Sonatina Op 36, 1st and 2nd movements
Romantic: Burgmüller- Le Courant limpide
Modern: Ivan Sings - Aram Khatchaturian
Extra list: J.S Bach, Invention #1 BWV 772
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Re: Piano

Postby SciFi Chick » Fri Sep 30, 2016 12:39 pm

:cheer: Good job! :D

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Re: Piano

Postby geonuc » Fri Sep 30, 2016 2:12 pm

I'm always amazed by people with musical talent, because I have none.
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Re: Piano

Postby SciFiFisher » Fri Sep 30, 2016 2:49 pm

geonuc wrote:I'm always amazed by people with musical talent, because I have none.


I am sure you and I have musical talent. Bad... but talented at it. :P
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Re: Piano

Postby Sigma_Orionis » Fri Sep 30, 2016 4:31 pm

SciFiFisher wrote:
geonuc wrote:I'm always amazed by people with musical talent, because I have none.


I am sure you and I have musical talent. Bad... but talented at it. :P


I bet you both are very talented at playing Air Guitar. I know I am :P
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Re: Piano

Postby geonuc » Fri Sep 30, 2016 6:38 pm

Sigma_Orionis wrote:
SciFiFisher wrote:
geonuc wrote:I'm always amazed by people with musical talent, because I have none.


I am sure you and I have musical talent. Bad... but talented at it. :P


I bet you both are very talented at playing Air Guitar. I know I am :P


No, I suck at that, too. I'm good at sitting at a table in a club, nodding my head to the beat while I drink beer.
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Re: Piano

Postby Swift » Fri Sep 30, 2016 6:42 pm

SciFiFisher wrote:
geonuc wrote:I'm always amazed by people with musical talent, because I have none.


I am sure you and I have musical talent. Bad... but talented at it. :P

You can't be as bad as my wife. She can't carry a tune in a bucket. I believe, what she calls singing, has been classified as a WMD by the Homeland Security. :P
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Re: Piano

Postby Sigma_Orionis » Fri Sep 30, 2016 9:11 pm

Swift wrote:
SciFiFisher wrote:
geonuc wrote:I'm always amazed by people with musical talent, because I have none.


I am sure you and I have musical talent. Bad... but talented at it. :P

You can't be as bad as my wife. She can't carry a tune in a bucket. I believe, what she calls singing, has been classified as a WMD by the Homeland Security. :P


How's her poetry? :P
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Re: Piano

Postby vendic » Sun Oct 02, 2016 4:40 am

Vorlon's cringe.
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Re: Piano

Postby SciFiFisher » Sun Oct 02, 2016 3:53 pm

vendic wrote:Vorlon's cringe.


Sounds like she would be a good companion to have in a dungeon quest.
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Re: Piano

Postby geonuc » Sun Oct 02, 2016 5:48 pm

Sigma_Orionis wrote:How's her poetry? :P


roll:

I really need to rewatch HGTTG again. BBC version, of course.
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