Beginner Question

[paradise5]

Hello all. I'm new to the forum and new to playing keys, about a month. I have a question regarding my current lessons and practice. Let me explain.

 

I've been studying from an Alfred book, that currently has me playing simple tunes in the key of C, G position, putting LH5 and RH1 on the G key as I play. I'm still at the stage of trying to fully memorize the notes on the staff.

 

I'm also seeing an instructor and he has given me a piece to study in the key of Am, which locates LH5 and RH1 on A. I really like the piece by the way, as its so much more fun to play then stuff in Alfred's book.

 

My problem is that I tend to get confused with the notes as I switch back and forth from G position to the Am key. I'd like to get your guys opinion on if this confusion is good confusion or bad at my stage of learning, or if you feel it is slowing me down. In other words will it slow down my learning of the notes and finger memory associated with them, or help get me used to having versatility on the keyboard. Keep in mind I've been playing a very short while and am just forming memory of the notes on the staff.

 

 

 

 

[kanker.]

I've been playing piano for over 30 years and I still get confused - don't worry about it. It will all make sense in time with practice and an inquisitive mind.

[timwat]

At this stage, I wouldn't worry about it at all. You're starting from scratch and the orientation stuff will go away with practice. Talk to your instructor about it, and just keep practicing. You don't state how old you are, but if you are a young (or not so young) adult, the most difficult part will be maintaining a disciplined practice regimen...which will pay untold dividends for you if you can stick with it.

 

Lots of us started as children and so had the practice imposed upon us by loving parents - my mom used to set an egg timer on the piano every day, I couldn't get up until the timer went off.

 

Apply yourself to what your instructor is giving you, and you'll get this orientation thing down and make lots of progress quickly. And welcome to the forum.

[paradise5]

I'm starting late myself at 46. I'm lucky in that I do have lots of time to practice most days. I usually play over an hour each day, closer to two most.

 

When I started playing the Am piece by Bartok, along with the Alfred material, my progress seemed to slow quite a bit. Working on the Bartok piece for a couple of days then going back to the book, I found myself make major mistakes. Forgetting some notes that I thought I knew well. So it seemed that was a low in point in the month I have been playing. Topped off by royally blowing some simple songs in front of my instructor on my second lesson with him.

 

But I'm expecting peaks and valleys along the road. I just want to make sure that I'm not purposefully driving through pot holes.

[J. Dan]

I've been playing for 33 years, and if I learn new material that I have to spend a particularly long time on, I'll sometimes have to "reorient" myself to another key. Most of the guys on this forum are probably more fluent than that. But for me it's all about comfort level, and that comes from repetition. Repetition, Repetition, Repetition. If you learn all your scales and practice them over and over, it gets pretty monotonous, but it will pay off because songs in that key will come more naturally. I wish I would have practiced more when I was young and taking lessons. I didn't really get better until I started playing in bands and learning everything by ear. So now I'm really comfortable in all the typical keys that pop rock songs are in, but throw an oddball in there and I really have to practice before I'm OK with it. Don't worry, as long as you practice, it will all fall into place. Give it at least a good couple years before you start questioning yourself.

[stepay]

At this stage, I wouldn't worry about it at all. You're starting from scratch and the orientation stuff will go away with practice. Talk to your instructor about it, and just keep practicing. You don't state how old you are, but if you are a young (or not so young) adult, the most difficult part will be maintaining a disciplined practice regimen...which will pay untold dividends for you if you can stick with it.

 

Lots of us started as children and so had the practice imposed upon us by loving parents - my mom used to set an egg timer on the piano every day, I couldn't get up until the timer went off.

 

Apply yourself to what your instructor is giving you, and you'll get this orientation thing down and make lots of progress quickly. And welcome to the forum.

 

This is very good advice.

 

To the OP, if you have the desire to get better, you will. Hopefully playing will bring you the kind of joy it does most of us. I can't imagine not being able to do it every day.

[Mr. Nightime]

You also want to make sure your instructor is not just teaching you the notes, but the technique as well. Improper technique has been known to cause damage to your hands, so you need to get that right away.

 

Remember there are only 12 notes, but many different ways to put them together. After a while, they'll start making more and more sense. Learn not only the notes, but the underlying theory behind the notes, and it will get easier.