hey all, i dont post very much, but its 4 AM and i'm bored. I took piano for a number of years (6 i think) and then i quit (worst mistake ever). One or Two years ago i decided to start again and i had to relearn a lot of things (not to mention i'm playing on a cheap keyboard and not an acoustic). The first things i picked up when i restarted were a few songs from .hack//sign. Slowly I began to remember some of the basic skills. Right now I'm playing Rhythm Emotion (from gundam wing), i find it is great practice because of its unusual rhythm and the need to play left and right hands some-what seperatly. I was wondering if anyone can suggest some songs that would be good practice for some piano techniques (advanced techniques, anything really!).

At the same time, i just started learning Every Heart from Inuyasha. It's a great song and played quite fast. However, i'm having very much trouble with the song because it is played fast. Listening to the midi file, the same notes played fast sound a lot different than the same notes played slowly. And because when I play, i need to focus on melody, i have trouble with this song. The slow speed at which i can currently play makes the melody foreign to me. Also, how the heck do you play that thing in measure 14?

I highly advise that you get the 60 exercises by C.L. Hanon entitled "The Virtuoso-Pianist". They help strengthen all fingers equally and will reinforce what skills you've lost. :)

hmmm, i too did quit piano after 10 years....but i started playing just little bits and pieces for the heck of it....

everybody has their own technique in getting back into playing. If u DID retain your old techniques, u should be able to play just fine ^_^...it's all about emotion and feeling, not always technique too...so yeah...i don't really believe in those 60 drills and techniqical stuff...

and just cuz the piano piece is writtin in a certain way (like every heart) doesn't necessarily mean u have to play it the same ^_^ hahaha, yeah...cuz in the chorus of the real song, there's those 5 notes that play in between each line... *i'm not sure if you know what i'm talking about...* but i added them back in cuz they weren't found in the piano score from ichigo's

and not only that, u don't have to play it at the same speed either...it sounds just as great if you play it a little bit slower, cuz it sounds like it fits the mood better *plus i use the pedal...* unless if u have some sort of e. piano that can play the exact same tune as the original...but *ok...lost thought...*

i&#39;ve never really mastered the pedal :-p, i dont know when to release ><

:think: there&#39;s another thread abit like this that might help you
http://forums.ichigos.com/index.php?showtopic=697

lol... disney songs&#33;
anyways, time to get serious:
for pedal, you basically release it when you start a bar. so on the first beat of every bar. for me, i play drums for fun, so i naturally play the pedal whenever (come to think of it, i keep releasing the pedal in a pattern like a bass drum would...hmmmm) so i don&#39;t really worry about it... but yeah, i quit piano too when i finished grade 8 piano and starting back on it with final fantasy music... i like the composer&#39;s style.... good sight reading too&#33;

I&#39;d tell you to get a teacher, but it seems like it&#39;s not possible... I strongly advice against playing Hanon and Czerny exercises without the guidance of a teacher.. bad habits will result in long-term injuries; you wouldn&#39;t want that.

I&#39;m sure you&#39;ve learned scales and arpeggios, though, so practise them -- yes they&#39;re boring, but I guarantee you that it&#39;ll improve your technique.

if the melody sounds foreign to you when start learning....its ok....just as long as you know your fingers land on the correct note...then pick up the speed...its so much eaiser to correct mistakes when played slowly than fast coz you have more time to think about it....soon you&#39;ll familiarize(correct spelling...correct word??&#33;??hmm.. :think: ) with the melody and....voila....you can play piece ^_^ &#33;

pedals are a pain....just give the piece the pedal when you think its needed...and release when you think you have to then there you go....there really isnt a limit to how long you need it down...etc tec....but everybar is ideal....mind you......sometimes you might need to pedal everynote if they are big chords....

hope this helps....kinda babbled a lil... :P

Pedal: as someone said earlier, usually at the beginning of every measure, but not always. Beginning of every phrase is probably better. In a lot of pieces, this should be marked though.

As for practice: scales are good. Also, practicing the left and right hand parts individually is good too. Triplets on one hand and eighths on the other have always bothered me, so I think it&#39;s good to practice those too. It&#39;s just like any other instrument though: work extra hard on the parts that trouble you.

@ kenjiusesglock: At mesure 14, it is taken free from tempo in the piano version (but if your good, you can try; I actually saw someone do it, so it is possible). In the original arangement, though, 4 different parts for viola (or violins) play it.