Learning to think like a pianist

[Psionicist]

So, for kicks I bought a Yamaha 61-key keyboard today. I have never played a musical instrument in my entire life but somehow I've managed to learn how to play the left and right hand of a simplified version of Canon. The problem is of course using both hands simultaneously, and while I was sitting there trying to make my right fingers press different keys in a different pace than the left hand, I realized it was 1) pretty hard, 2) not at all as using a computer keyboard.

My question is, about how long does it take to learn the basics of piano (well, keyboard in my case) playing for someone who has pretty easy learning new things? With basics I mean you know a couple of songs and can, with a little violence and trial-and-error, figure out how to play basic melodies by "ear" (or "memory" is a better word). I should probably mention here I am _not_ interested in becoming a great piano player specifically, I am more interested in learning new ways of thinking, different ways of using my brain, and different ways of problem solving. Sight-reading would be pretty cool to know too. To learn how to think like a pianist, I probably have to learn how to use the instrument. This is the first step.

A little background if the above doesn't make sense: I'm mainly a programmer and math guy. When I decided to learn photography last year, I noticed my math and programming skills helped me a great deal learning photography. More interestingly, I also noticed the things I learned about and from photography helped me in programming and a little in math too. I figured learning photography trained my brain in a completely new way and therefore let my brain solve programming problems and such in new ways (I'm not a neuroscientist, it probably doesn't work this way ). So I got the idea of learning music, to help me learn how to think like a musician. It's mostly an experiment and if it fails, well, at least I've learned how to play an instrument.

I realize this is highly individual but are we talking one or ten years?

Best regards,

 

[mojo1701]

Unless you have some sort of mental deficiency, it shouldn't take you ten years (I apologize in advance if someone doesn't have one, and if it did take you this long). When I first played, it took me a while to build up. The first type of songs that I learned to play are the one-handed simple songs (Hot Cross Buns, etc.). Then moved on to simple melodies with chords in the left hand. Then eventually, I learned some more songs, that required both hands.

I do realize that it is a challenge, and I myself only can do the somewhat more complex ones with a bit of practice.

 

[orchid blossom]

The good news for you is that music and math are closely related, so your theory that learning music will help your other skills is sound.

A little background about me, I learned flute in 6th grade, tenor sax in 10th grade, took 3 semesters of piano in college, and was in choir from 7th grade through the first couple years of college.

I've never been able to learn to play "by ear." I can sit at the keyboard and pick out a melody by trial and error, but I can't go straight from note in my head to key on the piano.

What I'd recommend is learning how to read music. You can't sight-read unless you can read music, obviously. Your math background would be very useful here,

When it came to learning to use both hands independently, I didn't really. I tried to think of the hands together as one motion. A lot of people would learn the left hand part, then the right hand part, then put them together. That never worked for me, I had to learn them as one whole, if that makes any sense.

Seriously, go to your local music store and get a beginners piano book. They will use the piano keyboard to teach you to read music. There's key signatures and time signatures and rhythm to understand. Learning scales, etc.

Anyway, with my three semesters of lessons and prior ability to read music, I can play things from easy piano books with some practice. I don't know how well you'll take to music or how much time you'll devote to it, but I can't see it taking you more than a year to get a good grasp of the basics and start seeing your work through musical eyes.

 

[Django]

The best thing you can do at this point is pony up the dough for lessons. I have learned instruments in a variety of ways and have found that while teaching oneself to play is fun and adventurous, its not nearly so quick and efficient as finding a good teacher to help.

With the help of a teacher, you'll be playing right at the start. Of course, the stuff you will be playing is graded to fit your current skill level and so it may seen a bit simple. A good teacher will constantly be pushing the envelope a bit at a time - always keeping just ahead of you so that you're always playing something just a little bit harder each lesson.

Give yourself a year of lessons and you'll be set for life. If your really hooked, then you'll continue the lessons.

 

[LightPhoenix]

For what it's worth, I can play a little bit of piano, so I kind of know what you're going through. IMO it really depends on a few things.

First, how much musical experience you have, with any sort of instrument. Knowing the theory is good, but being immersed in it is better. Also, most instruments have similar requirements with regards to posture, especially with the wrists. Finally, unless you're playing drums, it generally strengthens the muscles in your fingers, which means you'll be able to handle the transition a little better.

Second, if you've played an instrument that requires both hands to work independantly, that will help too. Drummers generally have an easier time with the left/right independance because they do that already on a drum set, and with their feet too. Same thing with guitarists, who IMO have it even easier, since they're using their fingers. Non-musical activities can help, if you use both hands. However, it's not just using both hands independantly, but doing it in time as well.

As an aside, I don't really consider typing to be left/right independant. Unless there's something going on I don't know about, you're really only typing one key at a time. That's usually not the case with piano. Sure, you're using both hands, but there's not the coordination that you would see with playing drums or guitar. For the same reason, something like the flute or clarinet doesn't count either, because you're really only playing one note at a time. It's a very different way of thinking and moving that does take some time to get used to. But the good news is there are very, very few people who can't manage it with a bit of practice.

Which leads to the third point - practice. That's the only way you get better at it. You really have to play every day, for at least half an hour. I would recommend an hour. It sounds tedious, especially when you're just starting out. And it is. Playing scales (with both hands, of course) for an hour is just not that exciting. But that's how you have to start out.

Finally, I too would recommend trying to get lessons. I would check the local colleges, as you might find some good deals there. It is certainly possible to learn to play piano, or any instrument, by yourself. However, the basics really need to be cemented down, and lessons are a good way to make them polished. It's much easier to start off on the right foot than start on the wrong one and correct it. It's up to you how long you would want to take them for. Depending on how often they are, and how often you practice, I would say between four months to a year would be enough time to really go off on your own.