Hey Guys,

M name is nick, im pretty new to these forums. In May last year I started playing piano, and many people say I’m getting really good. I mostly play by ear, and don’t read a lot of music.

My music teacher at my middle school constantly preaches about how important sight-reading abilities are, and how important classical training is. Is it really worth all the work to get heavy classical training in piano?

nickmccullum808 - 20 August 2010 05:22 PM

Is it really worth all the work to get heavy classical training in piano?

yes and no - classical training will give you technique and will open you musically like nothing else plus you’ll learn read music well but if you don’t want to play classical music or be a pro it is kinda “waste” of time. Life is too freaking short to spend 2-6 hours a day for practicing.

Do you need to play 2-6 hours a day from the start or just when it gets really hard?

all depends how old are you, what school, what are you practicing for etc but in general you practice technique (I guess that what you meant) longer in the beginning and once you get it you can “relax” a little and even skip days or two. You practice then other things not necessary with instrument.

But hey! if you wanna be virtuoso you practice all day long and play gigs at night :)))

Let me start with this… classical training will always be helpful for any musician in any situation.  There’s simply no downside EXCEPT for the smugness that seems to come with it.

With that said, it’s more helpful in some situations.  Consider the following scale:

Generic singer / songwriter / player > Chuck Leavell > Page McConnell > Jacque Loussier > Alfred Brendel

On that list, if you start at the left you’re going to get a lot of self-taught musicians all the way up to and including Chuck Leavell.  Once you move beyond that you start getting into an area where at least a moderate amount of classical training is part of the music, all the way up to virtuosos who spend countless hours worrying about phrasing and damping.

I’m sure people could spend hours including / excluding people from this scale, but it was quick and meant to illustrate not be all conclusive. ;)

In the end it’s all about what you want to do with your music.  Good luck making a decision and welcome to playing! :)

Thanks guys. Could anyone refer me to some good technique exercises, or are they not to be found on the internet?

nickmccullum808 - 20 August 2010 07:56 PM

Thanks guys. Could anyone refer me to some good technique exercises, or are they not to be found on the internet?

Bach inventions are the best(2, then 3 voices). You can try also popular Hanon exercises but they’re boring.

I listened to those inventions and they seem extremely difficult. Anything else?

nickmccullum808 - 20 August 2010 09:33 PM

I listened to those inventions and they seem extremely difficult. Anything else?

Yeah go fish :-)
salsa

You’re about to discover why there are 1,000 guitar players to every 1 pianist.  ;)

dgarvich - 20 August 2010 11:52 PM

You’re about to discover why there are 1,000 guitar players to every 1 pianist.  ;)

LOL

dgarvich - 20 August 2010 11:52 PM

You’re about to discover why there are 1,000 guitar players to every 1 pianist.

As for all the horror stories that you have to practice 6 hours each day, well, that’s certainly an overkill for initial training. You will have to practice that much if you are to become professional classical or jazz musician and play all those genius piano pieces that contain 64th notes in 240 bps (just exaggerating), but that would happen much much later in your piano player career.

I’d say definitely go for classical training if you want to be able read scores for both singing and playing piano. In addition to piano lessons, you will need to practice solfeggio and learn music theory, which includes basic concepts of melody, harmony, polyphony, chords, consonants and dissonants, scales and modes, rhythm, dynamics, articulation, and more.

To get a glimpse of what it is about, see this archived thread:
Some question’s for the Music Theory guys?

The Bach Inventio’s difficult?

Not at all:: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gek1-K9CHFg

;JOOP!

As a revolutionary & comprehensive (and free) piano methodology, I highly recommend “The Fundementals of Piano Practice” by Chuan C. Chang freely downloadable at http://www.pianopractice.org/

Bach inventio’s? Child’s play!!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2X3UYlmkfWI&feature=related

;JOOP!

Bach actually composed the “Inventions and Sinfonias” for his children