Thread: Learning to play the piano.

A friend of mine at work is selling her piano. I've always had an interest to learn the piano, but I've never started because a) I don't have a piano, and b) I'm not sure if I have the dicepline to learn it.

However, as there is one available from a friend I thought why not, buy it and give it a go, and if I don't like it I could always sell it on right?

So what I want to know is. Is it possible to learn to play the piano via the internet - so could I look at tutorials online and learn to play? lessons here are quite expensive so not sure if I would want to pay someone to teach me when I could learn on my own. Although if buying a piano I might as well pay to learn...

Thoughts?

It's POSSIBLE, I'm sure. But you mentioned not having discipline, so finding a teacher who you sort of have an obligation to meet because you've paid them, might be the better way to go.

Having said that, I played piano for 7 years when I was younger, and have been meaning to get back to it for a while. My plan was to get back into it with online tutorials. From what I remember, its not rocket science or anything. Learn the notes, practice, devote time to it......you should be fine.

I had lessons for quite a while and now just learn the occasional song that takes my fancy by downloading sheet music or checking out tutorials.

Theres some good tutorials on youtube that teach you how to play without needing to know how to read music. It would definitely be better if you had lessons first but if you're dedicated you should be able to teach yourself some songs with the help of a tutorial.

It's true, I have learned to play some songs off of the internet. I had to memorize them and then run to the piano room to play it.. lol that's only because My laptop is stupid, but it is very possible. You can start with just learning chords, or go straight into learning songs.

Cool thanks guys - I think I will give it a shot

Let me just say that you can teach yourself to play almost any instrument without a teacher breathing down your neck.

The only things you really, really need to know - things the Internet can teach you - are nitpicky (but important) things like posture, the correct hand positions, etc. [Or in a guitarist's case, how to correctly hold the plectrum, what angle you should tilt the guitar during play, etc.] These things may seem unimportant at first, but holy shit, do they make an difference. (I actually learned to play bass holding the plectrum wrong, so I had to "re-learn" to play the right way...and my playing improved like fivefold.)

And then there's basic scale exercises, but once you've got all that down, you're pretty much set to start experimenting on your own. You can then start making up your own exercises to help teach yourself how to play with both hands simultaneously.

Good luck.