Learning Music OT

[Transhuman]

We should all want to be like Bukowski, a miserable alcoholic toiling away at the post office.

And he liked sandwiches. He was a smart dude

[Tasty]

Kickstarter: The Standing Grand - a new light, portable, acoustic piano

[Tasty]

Here's how my lessons are going! (Btw have to be honest I don't know most of these composers or their songs! I'm hoping to deepen my classical background in the coming months and years. )

Lesson #11 on August 8th was doing simple arrangements of Surprise Symphony by Haydn, Hungarian Dance by Brahms, "Shepherd's Song." Key concepts introduced were staccato notes (actually difficult to integrate naturally for me at first, I want to let the notes finish haha), and crescendo/decrescendo. Also learned some exercises for parallel and uh, sequential(?) note playing across both hands (e.g. left hand finger 5 and right hand finger 1 playing their notes, then finger 4 and finger 2, etc.)

In Lesson #12, I moved on to Unit 6 of Adult Piano Adventures, and started playing eighth notes for the first time. I also learned about the fermata mark to play certain notes longer, and upbeats/downbeats which basically let songs start/end uniquely relative to normal measures. Songs learned include an arrangement of Jean-Philippe Rameau's French Minuet and Morning from Peer Gynt. I also took the opportunity to skip ahead one song to Happy Birthday, just cause it's my birthday (and my niece's, and my sister's) next month so it could be handy in a cheesy Hallmark-y way.

My homework heading into Lesson #13 was "English Folk Song" and an arrangement of George Frideric Handel's Gavotte, which I found really fun to learn and play! I was taught about inner ledger notes, and learned some exercises to start stretching my thumb, and even crossing my index finger over it! Wild stuff. My current homework is "Simple Gifts" and makes use of both thumb stretching and index crossing over. Figured this would come eventually and I'm glad it doesn't seem too hard so far! Also, learned some chords! Specifically C major and Csus4, which my teacher says this book is unique in introducing the latter this early, but I don't mind, it's a rad chord.

What's mostly hurting me right now is my wacky rhythm, but that tends to get straightened out with practice. Thankfully I've kept up and have only missed one day of practice since July 27th. Each day I've done at least 30 minutes, with some days being a bit more. I honestly never thought I'd keep up with it like this, me posting in this thread now is surprising to me too. All my other efforts to better myself or pursue any interest that required daily upkeep, even important ones, have bombed pretty hard. If I had to say why, maybe due to having pent-up interest in learning for 10+ years... I'm still really fired up, and enjoy playing every day.

I really, really can't wait to get a real keyboard.

[Tasty]

With financing I could get it...

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Resisting the urge to buy a new instrument is difficult.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Though I'm already buying one next month, either the Yamaha P-125 or Roland FP-30...

[close]

[close]

[Tasty]

Ugh now I can't choose between the Yamaha P-125 and the Casio Privia PX-S1000. By all accounts the Casio is the way better value with the better reviews, and more importantly key action, and it includes 2-3 battery power support. On the other hand the Yamaha has better speakers and I think sampling, among some other things I can't explain... ahhh...

So tempted to do financing/rent-to-own on an N1X... hybrids are the future. I fully expect them to represent 95% of piano sales within 50 years.

Also, 【ｎｅｗ　ｇｏａｌ　！】 By the end of 2020 I want to take an ABRSM exam! Because of how the exam schedule works out, I'll have to register this January for a May exam... So probably Grade 1 (will be consulting with my teacher and working with him on a regimen), and I have a lot of work to go before I can try passing that. Still, I want to get better, and I want to start having tangible goals. I'm no longer ignorant enough to try "learning outside the 'system'" and thinking I'm some kind of latent musical genius... Like all good shit in life, musical proficiency takes hard work and time.

And I'm totally on board.

[Tasty]

I'm -ing a bit at the model in these, but goddamn is that one sexy hybrid grand.

[Snoopycat_]

Anyone use that Beatmaker 3 app? I bought myself a IPad last week so was lookin through the music apps to see if there was anything worth getting and that one stood out

[Tasty]

[Mr Gilhaney]

who of you is this

[Tasty]

December 10 marks one year since I picked up the keys.





We goin' all the way, baby.

[Transhuman]

I want to post in this thread but I have no confidence

[Tasty]

I want to post in this thread but I have no confidence

I'm legit still terrible so why not?

[Tasty]

Thanks! I've been surprised not at my progress necessarily, but my focus and attention. It's very rare I keep something up like this.

I worry about losing focus and letting myself lapse big-time at some point, but for now, I'm still as excited as when I started. Even learning how much work is ahead, I'm not daunted.

[Rufus]

You have very consistent handwriting.

[Trent Dole]

Ahh, this is something I super need to get back on.

[Nintex]

Some people play an instrument I play the orchestra

[Tasty]

You have very consistent handwriting.

Thanks?

[Tasty]

End of the year update!

This thread started as "Learning (or continuing to learn) an instrument in 2019" and my goal was the piano. I'd say this year was a huge success. Before making this post I planned on compiling a video of all the short pieces I've learned over the year, maybe will still do it.

My goal for 2020 is to take and pass an ABRSM piano exam, though it'll likely be Grade 1. Still, lots of fundamentals I need to learn before attempting even that!

But this year wasn't all great. There was a couple weeks over the summer I lapsed practicing, and November and December were similar disasters too. In the latter case, real life started to really fuck with me, and while I always thought the piano would be a refuge, trying to practice just reminded me how I can't afford a "real" keyboard yet, and I'm at the point in my learning where that's really becoming a hindrance.

Still, I bit the bullet and got a teacher in April, and while there's been some off-weeks I've been pretty good about attending my 45 min session every week. I really like my teacher and his methods are working very well for me. And while it's bummer not having 88 weighted keys or pedals, I don't see that situation lasting much longer.

[Tasty]

I'm curious, do you see yourself as incapable of learning to read music at this point since you've played so long by ear, or is it more that you don't see much value in it because of your skill level?

[Tasty]

That's true, I guess if you know tabs that pretty much covers a lot of the same ground as sheet music for guitar.

[kingv]

Made bops:

https://voca.ro/hkytq9yVwAL

https://vocaroo.com/hctCJmRnfE4

Edit: shosh didn’t get a single anime reference and is not a true and loyal fan.

[kingv]

Me and another dude

[kingv]

Thanks, man! I haven't really shown most of this to people before. It's very difficult to gauge how good it is or isn't, because I hear all the flaws where it didn't come out exactly how I wanted it.

We have been recording songs off and on since high school. He's the one with most of the musical talent though, does all the production and mastering (and frankly has the better verses), he plays in a number of bands as well.

We stopped for a long time, but now every time I go back to visit my family we try to record at least one song with the goal to get an EP done. His girl is seriously considerate to let me stay at their house until like 3AM. I might be able to dig up some older stuff, but frankly a lot of that is embarassingly awful. Most of it was just recorded on a 4 track with beats made on like that PSX beat making game by drunk 22 year olds. Some of the samples in the Killing Gods track were actually from really old stuff we recorded years ago.

There were originally like maybe 10 of us that did it, but only Freeze and I really still do it at all. One dude is really really talented, but we haven't been able to get him to show up, unfortunately.

[Transhuman]

https://voca.ro/ePGNVv6GOyC

[kingv]

wypipo rap

I’m basically Logic now.

[Transhuman]

How great is music?

[toku]

proud of you

[Transhuman]

Why is that

[Tasty]

Relationship goals.

[Tasty]

Time spent practicing this year (in minutes.) Slowly clawing my way back. 😤

Also if anyone has opinions on the Yamaha P-515 vs. the Kawai () ES8, speak now before I buy one or forever hold your peace. Leaning towards the Yamaha despite the heavier keys.

[Tasty]

[eleuin]

https://twitter.com/katie_dey/status/1273566975688495105

[Trent Dole]

Just follow these steps

[Tasty]

Next month is two years from when I started learning how to play! I took a personal inventory and I'm happy with my progress so far. There's been some gap weeks but fewer this year than 2019, I'm playing more often and practicing has gotten more enjoyable with time -- not less! I've kept up attending my remote 45-min weekly lessons too, and it seems like with COVID I was ahead of the curve getting a virtual teacher in spring of last year, haha.

Here's two videos I recorded around September, I've gotten better on both since then but been too lazy to record recently:





The above has some bad singing but I stopped being embarrassed about my voice dozens of Chinatown karaoke trips ago.

Right now I'm learning some Christmas pieces to play for the family. Good thing I love Christmas music. Every so often I try a harder piece than I think I would be able to do, just to see how realistic overcoming the gap is. Most of the time it seems doable. I'm trying out Adagio for Tron right now and the intro is challenging but a lot of fun.

I go back and forth on piano-only more "classical" pieces from like my book, and seeking out piano+vocal pop music sheets to try.

(Image removed from quote.)

Time spent practicing this year (in minutes.) Slowly clawing my way back. 😤

Also if anyone has opinions on the Yamaha P-515 vs. the Kawai () ES8, speak now before I buy one or forever hold your peace. Leaning towards the Yamaha despite the heavier keys.

Progress update:



(minutes spent practicing per week)

Surpassed my 2019 totals a few weeks ago. Like I said I'm pretty happy. Just need to start getting into more advanced stuff and actually taking the music theory side seriously instead of winging it. Still want to complete some level of ABRSM in the next year. 😤

Anyways that's my update. Hope others have been keeping the music alive too.

[Tasty]

Also I love love love love LOVE my Yamaha P-515! It's honestly the best purchase I've ever made and it's made me so immensely happy I cried the day I got it. It got me thinking I don't really need further physical items... Between my laptop, Switch, and Yamaha piano, I'm pretty much happy forever.

I waited an entire extra year beyond when I originally thought I'd upgrade from my old keyboard, but it was more than worth it. I was able to save up and get something that's really good and will last me for years to come.

[team filler]

I can sing while you play the keys, bb 

[Tasty]

Let's do Over the Rainbow together

[Tasty]

https://soundcloud.com/stro-legitshook2


As of today I have finally finished the full cover album for Chinese Democracy that I've wanted to do for years because I'm an asshole. Seemed like as good a time as any to really try to push myself to improve as a player and learn to use my software (FL Studio) that I've had for probably a decade and barely scratched the surface of.

Tbh the most frustrating part wasn't learning the parts or realizing some shit I'm never going to be able to play, but in getting the right amp sound. There are so many variables that go into it, up to and including shit I can't control at all like interference. I'm not satisfied with all the songs, nor the sound on all the songs, but I am satisfied enough to finish it and put it out there. All drum and bass tracks are from the Rock Band 2 stems, but all guitar/piano/synths/strings on every song is all me.

I think I'm most satisfied/proud of There Was A Time, Prostitute, Better, and Catcher In The Rye. Honestly I think the part I enjoyed most was fucking around with the non-guitar stuff. I'm also at roughly 90% of all the non guitar instrumentation (and actually I believe some of the songs on the album do have VST guitars and/or sampled loops) could be almost 1:1 recreated with stock FL Studio plugins. Shit it probably was.


My set up is FL Studio, an Epiphone Casino that probably needs a full tune up and adjustments, a Vypyr amp with line in directly into my PC's sound card. It took me fucking around for a while to realize there's a tool to reduce amp buzz, which sometimes works really well and other times can completely fuck up the sound, again depending on a million variables. But for an amateur that has really never sat down and applied myself and learned most of these songs by ear since there aren't tabs for half of them and I can't read sheet music so piano/strings stuff had to be all by ear by default, I'm happy with how it all turned out.

Finally listened to the three your had left on Soundcloud and was totally blown away! Even with the bass and drum being provided I left the Chrome tab going and was just jamming along without a care in the world. Not familiar with Chinese Democracy but I dig the sound. My favorite track is Better, quite catchy.

[Tasty]

End of the year update! [...]

End of the year update, 2020 edition! (a little late, sue me)

Made a lot of good progress this year, mostly around habits and being more consistent about coming back to the piano day after day, week after week. According to my data, I went from 51 hours of practice and lessons in 2019 to 73 hours this past year. (Let's get that over 100 hours in 2021!! )

I've been working with the same teacher since April 2019 and it's been paying off. I'm almost through Faber's Adult Piano Adventures Book 1, with plans to move onto Book 2 after my ABRSM exams.



Speaking of, I'll be booking my remote exams sometime in the next week! Even though I didn't accomplish the goal of passing Grade 1 in 2020, I'm teed up perfectly to do so right at the start of 2021. My official exam book with a whopping 9 pieces just arrived from the UK (slight water damage, 'nache), but I'm starting to really dig into my first official ABRSM piece. It's difficult but doable, I feel.

I have to give a shoutout to my new life partner and companion: my Yamaha P-515. This ivory-looking beauty is what I had dreams of some nights. And, she sings for me. I had to save up for an entire extra year, but it was completely worth it and I honestly love practicing sometimes just to feel her keys beneath my fingers.

I consider my singing/playing pop music covers "extra credit," and it's been fun learning parts of different songs. I've only got two of these down completely, though: Don't Think Twice and Coming Home, Pt. II. I performed the former for my parents on their anniversary and the latter privately for my mom. All I'll say is practice pays off and there's no shortcut. I want to "finish" so many other songs but the patience/focus requirements get pretty steep for anything slightly non-repetitive. Shout-outs to MusicNotes, which I've spent way too much money at -- even if they might be a scam I love the range of songs they have and their player helps me visual difficult parts (and is just fun to listen to, imo. )

Still, I know where my weaknesses are and having my teacher point things out has been indispensable. I'm more driven and excited to play than ever because certain basic things are starting to become so much easier -- I can see the path forward to more advanced music, I don't have to "imagine" how that path looks anymore.

Even simple things like knowing the staff well has made practicing and just trying new pieces out 10x more fun. As long as I make sure to sit on the bench each day, learning piano has become a self-sustaining reaction. I'm still a little scared of hitting that first real big wall, but until then I'm having the time of my life. ✌🏻

[Tasty]

My first official ABRSM piece!!!



(no piracy plz they apparently take scans of sheet music super cereal, please support the official release)

Been practicing for about two weeks a little every day in between learning how to cover a Kelly Clarkson song. 😬

I've got the fingering pretty much down for the first half, definitely tricky. But now that I'm bringing it up to speed I honestly get a little spooked out when I "pull it off" quickly without consciously thinking about it. Obviously I've known muscle memory is a real thing forever, but to see such a stark example clearly is, yeah, a bit spooky.

Second half looks a bit more difficult but I'm not deterred. This is a really old piece (for harpsichords) so the pic I posted is a more "modern" interpretation even though the notes are the same. Double treble cleff always throw me though, and of course they couldn't resist and had it switch back to bass clef for the last three and a half measures.

So next steps:
- Bring first half up to speed
- Get fingering on second half
- Bring second half up to speed
- Focus on dynamics

If I get the fingering down on the second half I'll probably overlap practice with my second ABRSM piece (to be determined -- all the B section pieces look even more tough! )

I am anticipating taking my Grade 1 exam in the March period (1st-21st), which gives me at most eight weeks to nail all three pieces. Let's go!

[Tasty]

New York Magazine: The Everything Guide to Picking Up the Piano, As An Adult

Dwight Bell, 64, first heard Mozart’s Sonata in A-major, K. 331, 30 years ago in an episode of The Twilight Zone in which the dolls in a dollhouse come to life. He eventually wanted to play it — a desire that only intensified after he heard Spanish pianist Alicia de Larrocha’s version on the radio. “It sounded easy to play. Little did I know,” he says.

[Tasty]

https://soundcloud.com/wickedtasty/ordinary-day-instrumental-verses-1-and-2/s-2h0pTNKwxvA

First real (recorded) attempt, made a couple of mistakes for sure. I also need to integrate vocals and the third verse, but this is coming along.

[Tasty]

https://soundcloud.com/wickedtasty/dont-think-twice-take-2/s-dzRsELz1qq5

The second recording I made of Don't Think Twice by Utada Hikaru. I have the rest down but messed it up in this recording. Need more oomph in the vocals too, was a bit drunk here.

[Tasty]

Just got rly high and played my keyboard and karaoke'd and loved it

[Tasty]

Deriving the piano keyboard from biological principles using clustering (Jupyter)

[Tasty]

http://openmusictheory.com/scales.html

Also every time I realize how scales work it gets quicker and quicker lol. Hoping the info sticks this time, finally seeing how the code in The Matrix functions.

[Tasty]

Craigslist customer dumbfounded by seller’s ‘haunted’ piano listing: ‘Please take this out of my home’

https://twitter.com/bubbaprog/status/1427431450803068932

[Tasty]

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/brian-wilson-revisits-peerless-songbook-091847126.html

“I play it when I’m happy or feeling sad,” he continues. “I love playing for people and I love playing alone when no one is listening. Honestly, the piano and the music I create on it has probably saved my life.”

"God only knows what I'd be without you..."

[CatsCatsCats]

Keep up the good work Andy-kun!

[Tasty]

Keep up the good work Andy-kun!

Thanks! 😊

[Tasty]

Musical components important for the Mozart K448 effect in epilepsy

There is growing evidence for the efficacy of music, specifically Mozart’s Sonata for Two Pianos in D Major (K448), at reducing ictal and interictal epileptiform activity. Nonetheless, little is known about the mechanism underlying this beneficial “Mozart K448 effect” for persons with epilepsy.

...

Apart from one other composition—Mozart’s Piano Sonata in C Major (K545)—the therapeutic properties of K448 could not be replicated with other musical stimuli. Stimuli previously tested were other Mozart compositions, Beethoven’s Fur Elise, and a string version of K448.

This one song by Mozart -on the piano only- can mysteriously calm epileptic episodes in those prone to them. Absolutely fascinating.

It is honestly quite the banger. I believe they used this on at least one episode of Ouran High School Host Club.

[Tasty]