Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum OT, Tell us about yourself

Hey everyone, I wanted to let you know a little about me. I've been around for about a week and have gotten to talk to a couple of you. This is really a great forum to discuss things with people who have mutual interests.

My name is Levi a.k.a. artsobsessed. I'm a home-schooled student, which allows me time to do the things I love best: theater, piano, singing, and art. Lately, I've had the opportunity to perform at a local high school and have played parts at a community theater down the road from where I live.

I've studied piano under my mother since I was six and have continued to this point -I am now fourteen. I would say that I am an intermediate-advanced player. Of course, there is always room to improve.

I have studied vocal music for over three years and I now have the opportunity to go to Appalachian State University summer choir camp under a full scholarship. My other summer activities include taking a jazz dance class and auditioning for a local production of Beauty and the Beast. I am really excited about these opportunities and I hope they help me understand more about the performing arts.

I have taken visual arts from a local artist for the past two years and am enjoying it immensely. I have also taken up ametuer photography, but I don't consider myself very advanced.

Everything that I do is centered from my relationship with my Creator -God- and a belief in His son, Jesus Christ. I hope His glory shows through everything I do.

I look forward to getting to know everyone here. Thanks!

Welcome, Colorkeys, Leuvenaar, mom3gram, Naked Shaman, Zwischenzug, & artsobsessed! It's great to see this thread continuing on and hearing about everybody's hobbies and background.

Naked Shaman, I used to be in a handbell choir when I was in high school (er, several decades ago). I really enjoyed it. It's about as opposite of solo piano as you can get (in the sense you only get to play isolated notes of a piece).

ArtsObsessed, that's quite an accomplishment to get a scholarship to that Appalachian St. summer camp. Congratulations! You'll have to let us know how it goes.

And Leuvenaar, I *so* empathize with your wish for reincarnation. I need a couple of extra lives myself to keep up with my sheet music pile.

Hi, I am so new to the forums that I am unsure how to use them properly, but I found this intro thread and read all 18 pages so I could feel justified in saying hello myself! I hope you don't mind me indulging here and if it's too long you can skip it.

I played piano when I was 9 years old. It was the only thing about my life back then that was safe/sane. I even had a year of lessons and I played "Fountain in the Rain" by William Gillock which is an intermediate piece. I created my own compositions because I didn't learn to read, but I got a lot of positive strokes from people whenever I sat at the piano. My life was very bumpy and rough and when I moved out into the world I was lucky to survive it. One solace was sneaking into unlocked places and playing the piano. When I was 23 I stopped sneaking in to play anywhere and stopped "living" really, depression overcame me entirely. At 28 I got pregnant, at 30 I got a real job with the government, and got off disability benefits. I really wanted to be healthy. At 35 I found a person to marry and got off all medications for depression. This year we moved into rental house and the living-room had this big huge wall space in it where only a piano would look fabulous. A piano was the only thing that would look nice. Was it a sign?
So I told my husband I wanted to get a piano and he was flabbergasted, really did not like the idea and didn't understand why I would want one. I persisted and figured out a way to pay for a new piano. I went shopping and selected a 1985 Otto Altenburg upright made by Samick. It is a gorgeous Rosewood 52 inch high piano. While I waited for the delivery I bought the sheet music of "Fountains" I bought First Lessons in Bach, I bough Hanon to have a practicing book and I bought a request of my husband "Rhapsody in Blue". The music came first and I looked at it and all of it looks like a foreign language I can't grasp. That's when I got nervous.

The piano came yesterday. It is stunning. I have very tentatively started to try and play "Fountains" and the first two Bach pieces. I took a break to come here because frankly, they are too hard for me and I can't do them yet. I can't play "Fountains" and I started to cry because I sort of thought my fingers would remember how. I can't read the bass clef at all and the Rhapsody in Blue is going to gather years of dust.

I came here because I am a beginner and an adult and I am very isolated in Phoenix, Arizona. I came here to find some support and encouragement. You all sound like some wonderful people. I am very nervous about not being able to justify my piano purchase to my husband now that it is here. I get strength reading how others are starting older than 38 and are very very happy. I hope to look back on today and realize I made the right choice to try piano again.

Welcome to the forum, Atok, and congratulations on your new piano! "Rhapsody in Blue" is a difficult piece, so don't be down on yourself for finding it intimidating. You might want to explore either signing up for lessons or working through a method book. The Alfred series is popular here, as one example.

Hey Atok, welcome. We have quite a few members from the Phoenix area.

The key for you is to take your time and relax into playing again. I've been told it's a little like riding a bike and it will come back as you practice. The "riding a bike" makes it sound easy, but it does take time. When I tried to ride a bike after many years my brain remembered just fine after a while, but the rest of me was not happy. So, give yourself a break and enjoy. Monica is right. To keep with my analogy, don't sign up for the Tour de France just yet. Let's take a spin around the neighborhood first.

I think you will find many of us are on the same path, not racing but going slow enough to enjoy the trip.

OK OK OK...Enough with the bike. I do get stuck sometimes.

Welcome.

Atok,
Not being as wise as Monica or gmm1, I would simply say listen to those wise ones. And WELCOME!!!!

The way to justify your piano purchase is to enjoy it, at whatever level you find yourself at, and to play whatever calls you. Your enjoyment, the joy in the sound you produce (even for a simple song) will justify everything.

(((hugs))) Thanks for your words of wisdom. I took today off from work to be alone with the new Piano. Before I continue off-topic here what thread should I post on for ongoing daily chat like this? Thanks in advance!

I don't know, Rosanna, I thought yours were very wise words indeed.

And Atok, you are very welcome! I think this ABF must be one of the most encouraging places I've come across, anywhere. You've come to the Right Place! I wish you all the best for your rediscovery of music with your piano.

Atok, thanks for the private message. I think we are all sounding wiser by the moment! Hmm, something in our water??

As for where to post "chats" like this:

For the chat that we are having here, if you want your own thread, you can start one.

At the bottom of each forum (ABF, or Piano Forum, or Digital forum, etc.), after the lists of threads, there is a "New Topic" icon which you would click to start your own topic. All piano playing related topics (not just techniques, but also "emotional" ones, e.g. performance anxiety, losing interest, etc.) are game. If it's unrelated, just something you'd like to share or have members participate in, start the topic with OT (for Off Topic). Unless it's way off base and way inappropriate for a public forum, we all tend to chime in. (We are a socialable bunch! )

A new thread that would continue this chat I think would be ON topic, in that your thread title may be "Getting started again - thoughts and reflections" or "Taking my day off to commune with my new piano" or ... you get the idea.

Or simply continue here. Sometimes chats do die a natural death, no matter how socialable we are!

I live in Chicago - it is a perfect place for piano since there is nothing to do in winter but playing piano due to cold weather. In summer, I am distracted by gardening and all other stuff I have to do other than playing piano. I am 45 years old and a chemical engineer in refining industry. I started playing piano first time last October and struggling with my Alfred 2 book since I am away from home too many times and too long for business trips. I think I was out of home about half of the time. I love to sing and would like to be able to play piano good enough to play while I am singing. Unfortunately, my husband is a tone-deaf, so singing together is a dream but he does not complain about my practice even if it sounds horrible most of the time. It it was him practicing, I would have kicked him out of the house...... I love my cat Hootie but would not allow her going near the piano and she knows about it.

Irangho

I have been reading this forum for months, but just recently registered to participate in the recital. I am a software engineer and live in Northern Virginia.

When I was a child (around 7), my older sisters introduced me to piano and I had about a year learning myself to play some simple tunes like Lara's Theme (easy piano version) and some folk musics. Then my family went through some hardship and my mom had to sell the piano. So went my dream.

When I was in high school, I started to play guitar as it is more affordable, portable and popular. However I always love piano music. All of the pieces in my repertoire were guitar versions of an original piano musics like Moon Light Sonata (1st movement), Fur Elise, Chopin's Tristesse, La Cumparsita...

Fast forwarding to the beginning of this year, my wife and I decided to get a piano for my six year old daughter (so I can live thru her dream ) who was starting taking lessons. That was how I discovered this forum while seeking for advice.

During the search for my daughter's piano, as I could not play, I asked a salesperson to play some tunes on different pianos so we could make the decision. He was obviously bias on the brand he liked to sale. He played the heart out on it and just so so on other pianos. Any way, I was mad and vowed to learn some tunes so the next time when we ever want to trade up the piano, I can make the decision myself So I started printing music sheet from the internet and that is how my piano journey began. Now my wife complains that I use the piano more than my daughter.

Beside piano, I swim, paint, watch TV ... and help my wife keeping the two little monsters under control.

Ps: I have been reading several piano forum, but none can compare to this one. Posters are like family going beyond piano domain, supporting each other through hard time (job loss, divorce...) and encouraging beginners (like me) to enjoy their journey in whichever path they choose.

TrueBeginner,
Welcome. So glad your daughter got you to revive your dream!

Actually your story reminds me of my cousin. He took his 2 kids to ice skating lessons. After watching on the side line, waiting for the lessons to end, he ended taking lessons too. Now his is competing (senior club level)! And, get this, his kids have stopped long since! True story.

True Beginner,
How long have you been playing piano???

Im checking to see if anyone is as much a beginner as I?

Aspenxtreme

HI Rosy,
Im bad, I should be playing my piano right now. Shame on me!!!!
I just had to comment on the Ice Skating cousin that you have. I think thats an awsome short story. Its funny how our kids inspire us !!! I think its awsome!!!!

I think this forum is cool Tooo!!!!

Thanxs, Aspen

Aspen, I was inspired by my cousin too.

The only person who has called me Rosy was a guy in college who had a crush on me, but whom I rebuffed. But you can call me Rosy. :p

Rosy,
You made me laugh!!!!

So did you take up Ice Skating????

THe only other Rosy I know of is one of my high school friends wife. She is a very nice person, very quiet and softspoken. So I think its a great nickname.

Its small town here so there are no Ice Skating rings otherwise I would take that hobby up too. My daughter went once with my sons school for a field trip and she loved it.

We ride horses instead.

Aspen

Atok,

I just started learning to read the Bass clef last month. Let me know what you end up doing to learn it.
Will you teach your self? Or maybe do lessons?

I finally found affordable lessons so that helps me.
Take care, aspenxtreme

aspenxtreme, I just started learning piano since February this year. My guitar background does help me a little bit with reading music sheet. I am still having problem hitting the right keys when my eyes are not glued to the keyboard.

TB

True Beginner,

I just started last month with my lessons. In HIgh School I played in the marching band so that helps me with the treble clef line. Its learning the Bass clef that is stumping me. Thats interesting that you look at you rhands while playing, I do the opposite. I stare at my music.

Good Luck with your playing, Are you teaching yourself or taking lessons????

Take care, Aspenxtreme

I was seriously thinking about it. (I love watching figure skating.) But within months of learning of my cousin's story, the nearby skating rink closed down after being a local landmark for decades. Hmm, an omen?? Anyway, I am too afraid of the bruises I would acquire. Besides ballroom dancing is my thing.