Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum 2015 ABF Survey

Hello, fellow ABF denizens!

In past years, we have had a quick survey of the ABF community, just to get a snapshot of who we are - piano-wise. It always amazes me to see the great variety of training, interests, skill levels, and ages, but all here because of our mutual love of the instrument.

Here is the 2015 ABF Survey! Stubbie, Sam S, and I collaborated on a few updates, but kept it short.

Once you've taken the survey, you'll be offered a link to view previous responses, but here's the link to the response page; it's fun to go and look every few days as more responses are added.

We apparently missed doing a 2014 survey, but here's the link to the 2013 survey.

Results from 2012 survey.

And the 2011 survey results!

I hope you enjoy learning about us a community as much as I do!

Thanks Jeanie, Stubbie and Sam S. for posting the 2015 Survey, it was fun and interesting to see the results.

Thank you Jeanie!

I hope everyone who has even a tiny bit of ABF blood in them takes a couple of minutes to complete the survey. As it says at the top of the page, "Don't be shy, you're among friends here."

Thanks Jeanie, Stubbie and Sam S. for doing this for us
Very interesting so far, but I'm looking forward to have another look when there are more responses.

What a workaholic bunch of people we are! And we've got a piano-horder amongst us it seems

Thanks for doing this Jeannie !

Looks like a lot of MOYD participants have replied to the survey

Thanks Jeannie, Sam and Stubbie for getting this off the ground!

Casinitaly, I noticed a lot of 7 day practicers as well. You guys are definitely making me feel guilty . . . and determined to find more bench time in my days!

Jeannie, don't feel guilty! But do take advantage of this blossoming determination!

There are days when I wish I hadn't committed to MOYD (though not too many) But even before I knew about MOYD, I was determined to play every day unless I wasn't home (or was sick) for five years.

I'm a bit over the five year mark now ...and it is a habit.
There are a few days here and there where I am so tired I only get in a run through of a single piece or a set of scales, but most of the time just sitting down to do something gives me more energy!

Ok, who's the expert here??


Thanks for the survey, it's fun!

Probably you or verqueue

I'd vote for verqueue!

I'm an old f**t so have more free time which I can dedicate to learning, and I'm also an absolute beginner so every time I sit at the piano it is an adventure

Done!

I didn't include my experience with the recorder instrument, because it would have meant to say "I have about 10 years experience playing another instrument", when it is a school experience as we all played it.

Why is it called recorder???

Well, I see Monica K hasn't taken the survey yet.

I wouldn't feel guilty at all. Just do what you can is my feeling. Each person has different amounts of time available, different circumstances etc. for some it just isn't possible.

When that question came up I said 7 because it is overall the nearest to my match, but I do miss the odd day here and there, just because stuff gets in the way. The next choice was IIRC 5. I'd say most weeks I get the 7 days in, even if on some days it may literally be a few minutes, one piece briefly or a scale.

I never do mammoth sessions. I'd say an hour a day or so I feel is plenty for me at this stage coming to the end of my first year. Some may well do 5 days but more hours.

Actually ... some days I feel a day off here and there does me more good than bad, I feel refreshed when I come back to it.

July I'll be away for a whole week from home, that'll be the first time without a piano for a while since I started. I wonder how that'll be. It is hard to go a day without tickling the ivories I find, even if just for a few minutes

Beat me to it

Are you sure, Stubbie? I do see an Einaudi fan has checked in there! We've also got 4 piano "hoarders" and a couple "experts" among us as well. I'm always happy to know that there's knowledgeable help in our group for those sticky questions!

FYI: there is NO identifying information on your survey responses. We have no way of knowing who has responded unless you tell us. We're just teasing here.

It continues to amaze me that there are more men than women; with the exception of my teacher, I know of no male piano students in my area. But then, Reno ain't quite the cultural hotspot, although we're trying. Reno's Artown event, the entire month of July, is getting to be pretty awesome!

We're up to over 90 responses now; here's the link to the response page if you haven't looked in a few days.

Thanks for the 'absolution' for not practicing more.

I think what makes me feel 'guilty' are those times when I know I could be practicing and don't. There seems to be a hump to get over some days to get to the bench; I'm sure many of you are familiar with the "not home until 5:30PM, have to make dinner, do a load of laundry, the TV's on (loudly) in the adjacent room, tired," etc... all the standard excuses.

But when I do climb over that hump and get going, I usually have a hard time quitting as time flies by. I have been more motivated lately as I'm seeing some good progress in my assignment pieces. It's been a bit easier to get to the keyboard lately and practice.

Unless I'm having one of THOSE days where nothing goes well. Then I slink off quietly and read a book.

Thanks to JeanieA, SamS, Stubbie for making this happen.

As for more males, I tend to believe that more men are active on Internet forums than women.