This captures it entirely. It's my secret garden too. :-)

I come from a non-musical family. When I was 1 and a half, my babysitter said to my mum that I had long fingers so I should learn the piano. I also always danced excitedly every time there was music playing on the tv. So when I was 6, my mum asked me if I'd like to play a musical instrument, she suggested, violin, guitar, flute and piano. She hinted that she'd really want me to play piano, so I went along with that.

Then when I was 11, my dad introduced YouTube to me. I watched other kids of a similar age playing pieces more advanced than I and was so inspired by them that I wanted to learn those pieces. I learned the pieces that I found interesting one by one and soon I had learned a decent repertoire. My dad also took a video of me every time I completed a piece and posted it on YouTube. The encouraging comments made me really happy and made me want to work harder.

A couple years later, I started competing in local music festivals and competitions. I won my first prize at 13 (second place) despite being the youngest competitor and appeared on two newspapers. The next year, I also won a prize in a music competition. This one was special as I was judged against people playing different instruments.

Now, I enjoy performing at different venues and street pianos. My younger sister has a hobby in editing videos so we will be working on a few projects combining my music skills with her editing skills for YouTube.

I was first interested in classical music because of the structure and complexity of it. Now I also like pop, rock, alternative, country and film music. I like playing songs with lyrics that resonate with me because I feel like they represent who I am. For me, music is a source of self-discovery.

Just look at my signature.......

Kind regards,
Johan B

Yes Cathryn and Blackjack,.....a nice garden full of an endless number of flowers and big trees.......sparkling streams and ferocious waterfalls.....love to ecplore it....

Kind regards,
Johan B

For me, piano is a close friend but it's also something very hard to come near since I live in Vietnam and when I was a child piano wasn't very popular.

When I was 5, I started my first lesson with the father of my mother's friend. Piano was a completely new and magical thing for me. I learned how to place my hand on the piano in that lesson. My teacher said that my hands looked like crabs because they were too stiff. I thought that was so funny and I couldn't forget the first time I played a piano.
Although I was very excited, I couldn't attend the second lesson because my teacher had a stroke. He had to rest so I had to stop.

Then my primary school opened some keyboard classes and my mother had me attend that course. I remembered in that course I learn how to touch the keyboard and play C major scale.
Summer ended and, again, I had to stop. My mother still kept in touch with the teacher and she let me learn keyboard again in my 2nd grade. I learned some chords and simple songs. But things got harder and I quit.
In the summer of my 3rd grade, I asked my mother to let me attend a keyboard class and she agreed. But I didn't like the way they teach and I quit.
In my 4th grade, my friend took a keyboard class after school. One day she asked me if I wanted to join with her or not. I asked my mother and she agreed. After a few months, my teacher let me dealt with piano thing and I played the book Methode Rose.
I got my own keyboard when I was in 5th grade. I couldn't forget that day when I was sick and my parents went brought it for me. I continued until I graduated from my primary school.

When I stopped, I didn't play anything for almost 2 years. In 7th grade when I started studying again with my old teacher, I couldn't feel my hand anymore. It took me a few weeks to remember how to play but luckily I got over it. I played in an audience for the first time when in 8th grade but I got nervous and shaking so bad. When In 9th grade my parents got me my first piano and I couldn't explain my feelings by words. I spent the whole day practicing and my playing was better in a short time.

Again graduated from middle school made it difficult to attend a piano class. My teacher still worked daytime in my primary school. I tried to go back to my primary school and took lesson with my teacher there. Then my family struggled with our house ownership certificate and we were in a difficult situation trying to buy a new house. My parents didn't say but I know they didn't want me to continue. Also, I couldn't arrange time with my teacher so I quit.

I was so frustrated after that and stopped playing for a few months. One day I got back to the piano and the annoying feeling I got before came back. This time made me feel harder to control my hand.I got over it and played some old pieces that I had learned. Then I dared playing Chopin Nocturn Op 9 No 2, it was so much harder than what I had played before.
After taking the move I started practicing what ever I want even if I had to spend months practicing a hard piece. I took some cheap classes but seemed like they didn't put much effort on their teaching.Then I did a lot of search by myself, started fulfilling what theory I lack because my old teacher didn't focus much on theory. I went to pianoworld.com and read the posts you share which were very helpful for my playing.

In the beginning of this year I applied for an university in Finland. I also attended a piano class near my house although I had to invest nearly all my part-time income on the lessons. The past six months means a lot to me since I had the chance to take lesson in a serious way. My teacher told me that I didn't put my emotion in my playing so I think I have to do a lot with my expression.

I was offered a study place in my university and I quit in July to prepare for my studying. I'm working on Ah vous dirai-je maman before I have to leave my piano.
Really I don't want to stop at all but it seems like I have to do it again. I don't want to experience the feeling when sitting in front of it and can't do nothing. But the living expenses in Finland are very expensive with me and I can not attend any piano classes.

I will leave in 10 days' time and I want to share my story in order for me to remember about my piano playing path. Although it is very hard to continue but I hope I can do something to keep playing it.

I have always loved music, but have recently in the past year or so become addicted to piano. I started with trombone as a kid, then guitar, but should have started with piano. I play for lots of reasons. It relieves stress. You can't think of other things while playing. It sometimes feels like a super power, especially when you learn something new.

I play music because creating a combination of sounds that is pleasant to the ears, mind and heart brings me more pleasure than any other activities (e.g. compared to painting or dancing or eating or socialising etc.) . I play the piano because it has the most repertoire than any other instruments, it has the most range apart from organ, capable of playing a lot more notes at once (compared to trumpet or violin etc.) and that tinkling sound is particularly pleasing. Whatever the piano cannot do, I get it from playing the violin.

I am a routine person. Practising/playing the piano routinely suits me. Playing music gives me a sense of purpose and progressing in it gives me a sense of achievement. It is also particularly challenging to the mind. It raises a lot of questions yet you find a lot of answers, whether it's music related or not. It teaches me a lot of things that can apply to life in general. It is art, it is science, it is history, it is math, it is philosophy, it is a journey, it is adventurous, it is challenging, it is an emotional outlet, it is humanity, it is a sanctuary... it is a lot of things.

That is why I play the piano, and that is why I keep playing the piano.

I play the piano because my hands started aching and a music teacher told me "Why don't you learn to play the piano". She is very funny...

One day I was sitting by some drums and a friend told me "That looks SO MUCH like your thing!". LOL I think this was before the piano even? My neighbors can deal with a digital piano but drums would be too much.

Anyhow, my hands are not hurting anymore.

One of the first thing my new teacher told me (20 years ago) was: "if only the best pianist in the world was allowed to play, me neither I wouldn't be playing"... Isn't that great ?
(hope my english translation is understandable)

I bought one to try to learn as a retirement project, but I don't have much space, so I was constantly setting it up & putting it away.

This got annoying very quickly, & I went & bought harmonicas, but I struggled with breath control, so I tried ukulele, that worked, I could just about play that, so I went with ukes for the past 8 months.

But I am missing both my harps & my piano, so I am having a go at both again, along side of my ukes, so I guess that is why I 'play' piano, because I like to try getting tunes out of it.

I was just at the Greenwich hospital in Connecticut to visit a newborn nephew, and they have a Steinway D in the lobby
The receptionist said I was welcome to come back anytime. I guess that's why I play the piano.

Huyen,

that is a great story it really comes through how much you love the piano. If you are going to university, they probably have practice rooms, you can keep playing. Even if you have to stop your lessons for a while because of your studies you can still keep in say 30 min. a day. That's what I do. I work at a university and they are very generous and welcoming in allowing non-music students to use their practice rooms. I honestly think that if you stop at say mid-day and play for 30 minutes probably your studies will improve. It helps a lot to get your mine exercised in a different direction and then go back to your work.

Because I am compelled to. I have an imperative to create and map my psyche, consciousness, soul, whatever you like to call it, onto abstract piano sound. The recorded, spontaneous improvisation, of increasing duration and frequency, seems unstoppable. I am not really either musician or pianist in any conventional sense, that is something I have learned from people on forums over the last fourteen years, and I shall probably get progressively madder with it, like Louis Wain and his cat paintings, until I peg out.

To get girls. :-)

Because I don't have the right embouchure for the ocarina.

Oh my God! Ocarinia Specific Embouchurical Impairment(OSEI)! I've heard of such cases, but, until now, had never known of one of its sufferers! I hope there is some treatment, or relief, available to you! And, I hope it doesn't affect your piano playing!

Story time! When I was at the age of 13, I went to a new school where a very nice music teacher greeted me. He wanted me to try out an instrument, in where I refused at first because I'd be like what, a 13-year old beginner, not some Mozart, Lang Lang, or any pianist who was considered exceptional in their very early childhood? Because the thing is, when we learn a skill, sometimes we happen to like it so much we want to become so much better than our beginner selves. Some pianists who want to become fully-fledged professionals enjoy being competitive, and want to make it to the top in order to achieve their goals. I'm one of them, but my greatest weakness, is without a doubt my late age of beginning the piano.

My music teacher convinced me that it's worth a try, and so there I tried out the acoustic guitar. After finding out it's not my type of instrument, I tried the piano. I actually liked playing the piano. I thought it was the closest to my love for video games. I didn't play that much, however. Therefore, technically it didn't feel like I started at the age of 13, but at the age of 14.

I felt like I started at the age of 14 because what I'll be taking lessons with, is not only an extremely-accomplished pianist, but a pianist I knew back in my childhood as early as 5. She was the organist of the church I go to every week. During my summer vacation when I was 14, my parents wanted me to go to her piano recital, and I was like "Whoa, those are some impressive students!" when I watched her students play, even the younger ones. After watching, I thought that taking lessons with a teacher like this would be a good idea.

This teacher was far better. Taught me so many things. I didn't really practice that much when I was 14 and 15 (I chewed up from 30 minutes to an hour of practice a day, sometimes I don't even practice), but this year I plan to take it up a few notches. And of course, my teacher gave me opportunities to perform in small stages.

I'm 16 years old now, playing the piano as an intermediate (most likely early-intermediate). That'll change though, as nowadays my love for piano grows larger overtime. And other pianists who discourage me for my late age can begone. I play like it's the only thing that has ever appealed to me in life, play for a professional career as there's no other good job. I knew that this was only the beginning of my music journey.

Hi in a new member and I haven't really posted a lot. I'm 31
And I started on reading forums from 16.
I may of posted a total of 30 times in that span of time. I have adhd and I'm my thinking is off sometimes on how I look at things. My father always said I was book smart and don't have common sense. I was subject to a strict father who I feel like abused me and I had to walk eggshells my whole life. Inwas smacked punched beat with no loving words with it just rage .I have been searching for meaning and purpose a good part of my life. Something to fulfill me and thru one of the worst times in my life I came across the piano . I love watching contemporary video games theme and music soundtracks and watching there hands play absolutely captured me. It look like art the way there hands moved across the keys and the sound it produced. I have a hard time saying what I mean. Expressing emotion and being authentic. I always been a liar In my life. I want to be a good person and thru this piano I'm learning to practice patience and is my first step into trying to master a hobby. I give up on everything in my life everything . I don't commit to anything. And I can't get enough of the piano/ keyboard. It takes all my stress away and I'm learning something that is hard and fulfilling.
I wanted to be honest with myself the first time In my life and posting and being s a part of a community will Be my first step into this new life.

That is why I play the piano. I want to be free . It gives me purpose . And thanks for everyone who read my story. I really don't tell my story and I have a lot more to tell but some point I had to start sharing my pain then reading it from everyone else.

I grew up in a musical family, my mom wanted me to become a violinist. But I always wanted to play the piano, and it turned out was right: through the piano I can best express to myself and to others. .

This is my first post on Piano World. I do not know how to play and I have next to no experience, but piano has always been for me a magical creature that I wish I could speak with. Musicians and their instruments are the highest form of human expression, and the piano a leader among them. I have tried to plunk out some songs by ear. Right hand only. I hope to take lessons or maybe self-study so I can play even some simple, but beautiful tunes without such effort! We had a piano when I was a child and I took about three lessons - but our family's schedule was just too busy and I was unable to continue. There is simply something spiritual in the physical resonance when you touch a key. The vibration penetrates your body so you can experience the sound in a very tactile way. I am not religious, but I have a spirit that awakes for the piano. The immediate and universal conveyance of emotional subtleties in each note cannot be avoided. It is purity and goodness. You share the craft of the people who created it, the trees and metals and even elephants that it is created from. The piano is its own creature and each with its own voice. I simply love them.

I am now mother of two young kids and seeking to shepherd them, without pressure that would kill the beauty, yet, with a commitment that could enable them to learn this language. I always felt I wanted to play and how can you let them know what they should so appreciate if you do not speak the language, but perhaps, just get the gist of it?

We have been struggling on a partially working keyboard for about a year. We have a very patient teacher who has let my 7 year old try the star wars themes and some popular tunes seven years, etc., but he is simply not motivated to practice and I fear I am trying too hard. My 4 year old, by contrast, will spontaneously just play on the keys. Thank goodness, my mother has taken notice of our efforts and decided to pass the piano of her childhood to us! I am so excited for this! I hope that the voice of a true mythical creature in our home will help my boys gain enthusiasm. I will be seeking guidance on various questions on PW through this journey - lessons or self study for myself, general teaching approach and how to practice for my kids, of course, a review of our instrument and its needs *I believe it is a Baldwin Model M from approximately 1953. My mom still plays it occasionally, but it has moved a few times with our family and i imagine it will need some advice in the technicians forum.

I will love reading the various perspectives of all of the piano enthusiasts in this thread. Thank you in advance for the depth of perspective that might be gained from your collective experiences and thoughts!

Cheers!