Well, Im new to Ichigos and just would like to thank them for providing such great masterpieces, anyway here it is.

I noticed that many piano players have two ways of learning the piano, some learn through notes, while others listen and can compose the same thing with ease. However, my situation is much different than that. I cannot read notes, nor can I listen and compare. So how do I play the piano, well, I use finger movement.

I copy the notes onto a program or just print out the notes, I then use the keyboard to copy all the notes. I watch and learn, playing piece by piece. Then when its all done, I play it so perfectly.

Some people were shocked that I couldnt read notes nor could I use the listening technique. So, I just wanted to get your opinions as great pianist that you are....

i'm not a great pianist, but i'm ok. I learn through all of those methods, but i learn best through all of them at once. i look at the music, listen to it, watch someone else play it, look at the music again, and practice with the music playing at the same time, then eventually play it on my own. it works for me!

hmm. see that method is very demanding though. First you need to find a program to process the notes, then you need a keyboard to copy from. Not all of us has those kinds of things (i have a keyboard, though).

But that method is very interesting. I dont know if that can affect the speed of your playing afterwards.

I guess I just used the "Old fashioned way" and learned how to play the piano by knowing the notes. But, the fact that I was in a choir and learned to read music (a little) helped me a lot. But, I still am not the greatest, and do have problems with some things, but I can get around okay. Also, I have only been formally learning the piano for a year, so I have a lot to learn.

I also have a keyboard... A VERY handy Yamaha DGX-500... :drool: ... and I do tend to use all of it's features, such as multiple part recording capabilities for "conductor's scores". That way, there can be up to six different mes at the same time playing different parts. But, I rarely use Them for single part or double part songs, which I am capable of playing myself.


As to your method, I also am not really a computer person, so I don't think that I could use it myself. But, if it works for you, go for it! But I would like to finish by saying that it is essential to learn the notes, along with all the symbols in music. A clear understanding of all of the terms and conceptsof music is what makes an excellen musician, in my opinion. For a beginner at the keyboard, your method is okay, but in the end, you WILL have to know whats on that dotted, lined sheet of paper, so it's a good idea to start learning now. That's all I have to say on the matter.

um...that method is interesting. But once you get to a higher level this method is useless because for let's say MoonLight Sonata or Pathetique, there are so many pages of notes and so many chords...how you going to be able to use that method and figure out the notes? It will take too long and you'll end up giving up.

When you play Ichigo pieces...eh it doesn't really matter what method you play because the pieces are usually for all grades.

Originally posted by Itachi@Jul 14 2005, 07:55 AM
Then when its all done, I play it so perfectly.


Ok how do you know you can play it perfectly if you can't listen and play or read the notes?

The method you say sounds very demanding. As neerolyte said, you really have to try not to use that technique as it's a hindrance and very problematic.

I learn stuff from my keyboard using the method you do because I don't have the music and I can't be bothered to look it up. Those are only songs already programmed into my keyboard though.

Start learning notes is my suggestion if you can't listen. You'd learn so much quicker that way. The most musically gifted are the ones that can do both of the mainstream techniques you have said.

That's just my opinions though. Also not everyone at ichigos is brilliant at piano. That depends on what you think is brilliant. We're just like you really learning to become better. Plus you never know how good people are just because they say so. They could be exaggerating for all we know. :blink:

I think I'll freak out if I have to learn a piece by staring at a keyboard with keys going up and down. I actually find it easier to read the standard notation.

I'd recommend reading sheet music. It's very effective, and by ear, you might mess up in the scale. By listening, the only thing I can do is get the melody right, but like someone said, how about songs like Moonlight Sonata? :unsure:

Its normal, I believe it was called muscle memory. That is how we learned patterns in Tae Kwon Do, though, it would be easier to read sheet music, or listening, depends whichever is easier, and better for you. I know a blind person who can actually play the piano perfectly by ear.

The only way to fail at playing the piano is not to play.

The methods that one learns to play pieces are only important if you are able to use them to play to your satisfaction.

My last words of wisdom are these: Playing any instrument, whether it be a Piano or the Violin is always a learning process, the greatest musicians are those who acknowledge this fact and persevere towards the goal of perfection, not neccessarily in spite of, but rather because that goal is unatainable.

:think:

Let me rephrase a sentence.....I don't use a program to process the notes onto the keyboard......

I use something else, its called imitation. I have the notes on my side, while I play it on the keyboard, I look for the notes and correspond it with the keyboard, like how some keyboards have the notes on the screen, so i just copy and paste it in my mind....

Oh and I have heard the music once, I think once is enough. THen I just use memory and see if it sounds right, believe it does. Like I said, it can be played perfectly.

BUt I guess most of you are right, I shouldnt use that technique alot. I need to figure out how to read notes.

Here are just a couple of piano tunes I learned to do with the memory technique (no joke, really): Sadness and Sorrow (naruto), Eternity (FF X-2), Zanarkand (FF X), Beaming Sunlight (FMA), Magus's theme (chrono trigger), and Radical Dreamers (Chrono Cross).

Thanks for help guys!

PS: I wouldnt mind giving moonlight sonata a try, if I can find the sheet. Though Im out for the summer, so I cant play till like end of August. GOD I Miss my piano...

Yeah I get what you mean now Itachi. Yeah my keyboard is like that too. To be honest, I don't think you can be amazing by just playing anime songs. You really have to integrate theory with practical to become better (even though I hate learning theory). That means learning all the notes, all the scales, all the techniques (which only a teacher could probably teach, but then some of them don't know all of them either). A lot of people think they're good, but they don't know these things and they don't see the details which really make someone very good. Things people miss are phrasing and articulation of notes which are the more advanced grades really. You can carry on using the technique you want to use Itachi but really, to improve musically, you have to learn how to read the notes. Listening and imitating helps but you start to miss things instead of realising certain things about the music you play. So really, learning the notes is the best option. If you think I'm good just because I'm saying all of this, then don't, I'm not that great.

@LinxusOutlaw - depends what people perceive as perfection.

Your method sounds very obscure for learning an instrument. It's OK now, but in the future when you move onto more difficult pieces it will be nearly impossible to use this technique. Learning to read music will benefit you greatly, so you might aswell give it a try.

I agree with DarkClone...but yeah, that's an awesome thing. Yeah, still you should learn to read notes. Those who learn by listening still struggle when the levels advance...

By listening, the only thing I can do is get the melody right, but like someone said, how about songs like Moonlight Sonata? :unsure:

I learnt how to play the first movement of Moonlight Sonata by ear, and I don't have that much piano experience. It was in Cminor instead of C#minor, that was the only difference.

I use that method a while ago when I started, its fine, but theres one really big problem. If you learn to play like that, and you later get a real piano, which you may later in your life, you have no way of learning new songs because you cant read notes. Im trying to get out of that habit as we speak, but after years of playing like that, its very hard.

That idea is stupid an inethhical as a musician. You can't call yourself a musician playing like that. Why ? You know nothing about music. You'd be best calling yourself an athelete because all your doing is exercising yoru fingers in a pattern on plastic panels. Please learn to play the instruments properly. If you took all the time to learn how to do all of that stupid crap im sure you can take the time to learn the note names. You don't even have to be able to complete a roudiments exam to play high level music you just have to know the notes.

Jeez.