How long did it take you to get good at playing piano?
I like classical music, I want to be able to play some of my favorite dongs. I took piano lessons for like a month when I was a kid … I’m pretty good at teaching myself things. I want to leanr using my electronic keyboard and google video/youtube.
How long did it take you before you could play decent? I don’t expect to be able to play Winter Wind any time soon … but I want to play something better than Twinkle Twinkle … and improve my left right coordination … etc … and just be decent.
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Tags: clair de lune, debussy clair de lune, good, long, music, piano, playing, take, twinkle, twinkle twinkle, Winter Wind
5 Responses to “How long did it take you to get good at playing piano?”
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I’ve been playing for 9 years now, with lessons.Not to sound to discouraging but if you even have the ambition of attempting Chopin’s demanding “Winter Wind” etude op.25 no.11in the years to come you need two things:
-A qualified teacher
-An acoustic piano, NOT an electronic keyboard.
First poster is right. You need a real piano, and a qualified teacher. It’s impossible to teach yourself the proper technique you’d need for such a piece if you’ve never had formal training, and you can’t effectively play it by ear. You’d probably need several (and I’m talking 6-10) years of formal training before you can attempt to play anything more than Fur Elise (and even that is a grade 7 level piece).
It depends upon your age. If you’ve started playing later in life and actually WANT to do well then you’ll study more than an 11 year old who’s being forced into it by his parents. If you’re looking to play piano I suggest you sign up for lessons. Getting to the “decent” at piano stage takes about 7 years. Any earlier than that and it’s boring to listen to. Real technique tends to manifest after several years of playing, and this is when pieces become interesting to listen to.
Of course, good is a relative term. As a pianist you’re always growing, always learning, and always improving.
That is a very hard question and has several answers.
You can not become great on a keyboard.. the feel is different.
Decent is a relative term.. it seems the more you learn the more you try to perfect yourself…so you are constantly learning. Best thing for you to do is to take lessons from a teacher that knows how to teach and they can run exercises with you to help with your left hand. Piano is a wonderful instrument and good luck.
I’ve been playing for nearly forty years and still don’t consider myself good. If I was smart I’d whittle out some time and budget for lessons again. Mostly to keep me honest about practice and keep me from replaying the “old standards”.
… lessons and a structured approach to learning are your friend.
What is your standard here for good? Being able to play Fur Elise? (Unfortunately, that seems to be the standard at my school)
I’ve been playing the flute (yes I know, not the piano. Just using it to compare here.) for eight years and I definitely wouldn’t say I’m “good”. Sure, I bet I can play better than the 4th graders at the elementary school who have just begun learning, but I’m not good. I do enjoy it immensely though!
Becoming “good” is something that takes a looooooooong time (extra o’s added for emphasis) and if I were you, I’d get a teacher. You won’t be able to get anywhere without one.