Learning Piano on the Side

[Ryan Griffith]

Fellow bottom-dwellers,

Here's a hopefully good new topic... as many of us know (especially those who went to music school!), we can benefit alot by learning some piano in addition to bass. I'd like to hear from some of you who took up some piano/keyboards on your own. I'm looking to get some skills on the ivories (well, plastics... it's a yamaha keyboard!) and I'd like to know if anyone can recommend a good book. Learning piano helps us understand theory, and can aid in writing/composition too.

Thanks!

[zujo]

Hey Mac!

 

I took classical piano lessons when I was 12 for about 2 years.I completelly left it alone when I noticed chicks liked guitar and bass players a lot better.

 

I went back to it when I was in a contemporary cristian band where a friend of mine showed how simple it was to put songs together with just three chords. After that I pursued formal intruction on bass with private piano teachers on a side.

 

This is my suggestion. No book will be simpler than an actual teacher for a short period of time. Learn at least a little technique and how to read properly so you can buy your own keyboard method books. Give it a year or so.

[alex_dup1]

Well, I agree that learning piano makes for a better appreciation of music and usually gices you a fresh point of view if you weren't already into pianists. I began as a keyboardist because I was playing it since 9 years old, but turned to bass later when I realized that it was cheaper to get a decent bass rig than to get a decent keyboard rig, among other things.

 

First you need to know why do you want to play the piano. If you just want to play or create your songs, try "Electronic Keyboard Method" from Alfred Publishing. It's a serious book that is easy to follow as well. But if you want to play it on a moderately high level, or want to play it on live gigs, don't cut costs and find a teacher. Because if you haven't, you surely have some technical shortcomings in your bag, just as most self-taught guitar and bass players have. But given the nature of the keyboard, that lack of correct technique can get back to hurt your hands and/or hide your creativity. Once you have the basic technique and can read bass/treble clef effortlessly, you can move to other lessons by yourself.

 

And again, learn to read the classic music notation. It has no sense to learn the piano if you can't read its music. I've met keyboardists that struggle real hard when facing a music sheet, and that's sad. Good luck!

[blackwing]

I agree with alex.books are good but then you only tend to play notes on the keyboard without learning how to apply them in a real gig situation.even with all the knowledge you have learned through books you cant execute them without the proper technique and that is a major problem.I know this through experience coz i have a bachelors degree in music in music education and my major emphasis is the piano.(but a bass player by heart!!!) Find yourself a good piano teacher.Learn the scales and finger exercises by heart and you cant get wrong.

[dansouth]

The best kind of teacher in this scenario is one with a good background in theory who can explain how chords, scales, etc. are arranged on the keyboard. You'll want to study reading, also, as it's extremely important (much more so for piano than bass). But avoid a teacher that won't go beyond teaching you note by note from the printed page. That may cut it for six-year-olds, but not for working musicians who need to get as much applicable skill out of these lessons as possible.

[Ben]

I took piano lessons when I was a child, and they set me up to understand theory in a different way than bass. On a keyboard everything is all laid out in plain site. I stopped piano lessons at age 12 and really can't play much more than chords, but it's still easier for me to read music using a piano than a bass.

 

Can't recommend a book, but there are hundreds of keyboard books out there, maybe a visit to the keyboard site at music player and a search there?

 

I support the idea of musicians learning several instruments, it makes you a better musician. I also play drums. I don't have great chops, but I am a much better drummer than I would be otherwise because I know what is going on musically, not just rythmically.

 

PS. Hey, they let me back into the forum!