Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum Does playing come naturally to you?

I love it.

Playing piano does NOT come naturally to me. The only musical pursuit that seems to come naturally to me is singing, and sadly, although I can sing on key and in time and can improvise and "scat," my voice is not particularly pleasant. Would that I could develop the same ease on piano.

I grew up in a house filled with classical music and opera, and it seems to have given me a good ear. My dexterity at the keyboard and my music reading are improving, but I wouldn't say at all that they come easily.

Guys and girls, don't just accept your lack of ease. It is not an insurmountable problem, but neither will it go away without some focus on it. The physical effort should be coming from the pit of your stomach. When you feel that you know you're at ease.

I'm a beginner at piano and I don't think it comes naturally.
I'm terribly slow at reading notes and I don't know much about music theory.
I do think I'm a good listener and I got good memory. I don't know if this is anything special, but once I figured out the notes, I can play everything by memory fairly quick. It helps me to focus more on my hands and playing it right.

Nah, it doesn't come naturally to me either, after nearly 4 years. Granted, I'm a LOT better at some things than I used to be, and pieces (still simple) that I've practiced sound pretty good. But I start each new piece only a tiny teensy bit above where I was with the last one. It's hard work.
However, sometimes I console myself by bringing out my book of simple Christmas carols and playing it right through with pleasure. Learning it, though, was a lot of work.
So, maybe bit by bit, note by note, it's getting easier. But my progress is like the hour hand on the clock. You know it moves, but it's so slow that you can't see it.

That is exactly what I want! Great link RobM.
Well, seems I'm in good company and that raw natural talent (as in the clip above) is indeed rare.
Now - I am looking very forward to my next lesson tomorrow night.

Cathy, let me know next time you head for Durango. I would love to come see your band.

Mike

Naturally? Oh, no, not even a little bit. 4 years into this and I suck. There are people here who have been playing less than a year who are far, far better than I am. I have to claw, fight and kick to make the least little bit of progress. It's ok. I'm in this entirely for me, so if I never hit "good," I've not got a problem with it. The dog and cats don't seem to care.

With the piano, every new thing is a struggle, not like the blues harp, with which I can sit in with a band and play along with blues, reggae, country, folk tunes like breathing... even solo if I know the tune and find my way back if I get lost...

The piano has so many options, so many notes to co-ordinate. I can spend 30 minutes getting a 2-bar phrase right and need 60 for the next phrase, if it's not months or years away.

And yet, sometimes I'll sit down in front of the keys and something will click, and I'll be relaxed and into the groove, playing something I like the sound of, something that I'd like to hear someone play on the piano, but I'm the one playing it and it's music I love...


...and I'm reminded that it is possible for someone as hopelessly lacking in dexterity as me to make music on this instrument. Maybe not yet really, except for fleeting seconds worth, but sometime: a few years, maybe ten, maybe more.

If I don't quit.

To me, it comes naturally but very very slowly, mostly because Im very lazy and because I dont know what to learn. Im four months with the piano, and, although all the people says Im doing very well, I know Im not. I know I can do it far better (if I practice more). The best I can play is a The Entertainer first part, I still cant improvise a 12 bar blues
(its impressive the huge amount of "I" used in english, this is seen for native speakers as egocentric?)

did she come around the mountain?

did she come around the mountain?

apple how are you doing????

Yes apple*, how are you doing?
My bet is that you'll be coming round the mountain riding six white horses, head held high.
I wish you well!
So - Does playing come naturally to you apple*?

Get well soon!

Mike

Got to pay your dues if you want to play piano, and you know it don't come easy (sorry, Ringo).

No, it doesn't come naturally. But neither did learning to ride a bike at 24 years old (still have the scars to show for that one). I didn't and don't expect it to - actually I think I'd say it's the most excruciatingly difficult thing I've ever tried to do in my life. And I love every moment of it.

Oh, I love to play...now work on the other hand...

Having played by ear all of my life, It's much easier for me to learn to play a piece of music. If I know what piece is supposed to sound like, I don't have to pay too much attention to reading timing. I also tend to play the treble part by ear, once I've gone over it a few times, and only have to concentrate on the bass line. I eventually memorize the notes of the whole piece, but still play it by ear if that makes any sense. My next big challenge is to pick up a piece, "cold" and be able to figure out what it's supposed to sound like just by reading the music.

i'm doing great.. (1/8th of the way done).. i cut my hair off and it's really cute)..

yes, playing and music both come naturally to me.. but i am also perversely hard working.

Depends.

I do not consider myself particularly talented in any way, but when I sit at the piano it happens to me the same as when I sit on a motorbike: I feel in my element, I know it is right for me, it does me good, "it feels right to be there" even in the worst days.

Some days I need to motivate or force myself a bit, some other I don't, but still "it feels right" immediately when I sit at the bench.

Some time you want to sit at the piano but there is always this or that competing for your attention: TV, or reading, or a computer. When I then make the effort of eradicating myself from the PC and sit at the piano, I wonder why I wasted so much useful time.

I cannot tell you more than that, as I will never really "feel" what other people "feel" at the keyboard and have also never asked.

I played all my long life by ear. Then I started Music ! My rhythm is great but my fingering is still RUBBISH. I keep trying............

I enjoy playing it is a challenge. But it does not come naturally. I cannot sit and noodle around and make something that sounds like music. But the pieces I have learned I think I play well. At least the dog doesn't howl.