Learning to play Piano

[bowdirk]

When I was young, I had a couple of years of forced piano lessons and really regret that it had not been presented to me in a way that I could have embraced and stuck with.

For the last decade or so I have been thinking about learning to play but have a couple of questions that I will just throw out here.

1) Keyboard, what to get? I would love to have a 'proper' keyboard with weighted keys and some kind of integration with recorded music. By this I mean I could go through a menu of some kind, select a piece of music, hit 'play' and read the music on an integrated monitor while the keyboard plays the piece. I could stop, rewind, etc. at any point and alternate between my attempts to play it and hear what it should actually sound like. If their was some keyboard that integrated through a regular PC via USB or something that would be fine.

Does such a contraption exist?

2) I would love to get some kind of Classical Piano Primer set of CD's that I could listen to and learn from while commuting. Something that would intersperse commentary with listening that would tell me what was happening in the music etc.

Anyone know of such a thing?

Thanks,
Bowdirk

[Root]

Budget?

[The Emancipated Freak]

If you're gonna play piano listen to jazz. Jazz piano is one of the most dificult, but one of the best styles

[bowdirk]

Budget?

Pretty variable, I know years ago I was looking at actual player piano's with some of the functionality I listed.

But they were 10k and up in price, which is a LOT more than I want to spend at the beginning of a hobby.

[bowdirk]

If you're gonna play piano listen to jazz. Jazz piano is one of the most dificult, but one of the best styles

I do love me some George Winston, but some other types of jazz sound like complete random 5 year olds just banging on a piano...

What Jazz artists do you recomend?

[rumblefish]

When I was young, I had a couple of years of forced piano lessons and really regret that it had not been presented to me in a way that I could have embraced and stuck with.

For the last decade or so I have been thinking about learning to play but have a couple of questions that I will just throw out here.

1) Keyboard, what to get? I would love to have a 'proper' keyboard with weighted keys and some kind of integration with recorded music. By this I mean I could go through a menu of some kind, select a piece of music, hit 'play' and read the music on an integrated monitor while the keyboard plays the piece. I could stop, rewind, etc. at any point and alternate between my attempts to play it and hear what it should actually sound like. If their was some keyboard that integrated through a regular PC via USB or something that would be fine.

Does such a contraption exist?

2) I would love to get some kind of Classical Piano Primer set of CD's that I could listen to and learn from while commuting. Something that would intersperse commentary with listening that would tell me what was happening in the music etc.

Anyone know of such a thing?

Thanks,
Bowdirk

http://mobile.musiciansfriend.com/home-digital-pianos

[JM3]

I do love me some George Winston, but some other types of jazz sound like complete random 5 year olds just banging on a piano

what a coincidence- what do you think you are going to sound like for a couple of years? Seriously though- go for old stuff- more accessible harmony and sturdy melodies.
Try reading some Fats Waller charts or something- its all pop but swings. Hey! you smoke pot- learn the Viper- thats a good intro to Rhythm changes, fun dope lyrics and once you get those under your hands its like 30 songs you just learned.

[ColoWayno]

I do love me some George Winston, but some other types of jazz sound like complete random 5 year olds just banging on a piano...

What Jazz artists do you recomend?

You will like Dave Brubeck.
Give Theloneus Monk a try as well... Might have to grow on you.

That's for listening... Start with basics to try to play.. Old standards, etc. To learn chord voicings.

[JM3]

Monk is my favorite- I almost said that- but the harmonies may be a little hard for a beginner.

[ColoWayno]

I'm having fun learning some rock styles... Chicago, Doobies, Elton John, Stevie Wonder.

Start with Isn't She Lovely... It's pretty easy.