Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner The 2nd Time Around -- What Brought You Back?

How many got back into the piano after years of not playing? I played a few years as a child but quite around age 11. I absolutely hated practicing but now realize it was because of the incredibly boring music I was instructed to practice!

I've always loved the sound of the piano, but my interest in playing again wasn't sparked until I watched the movie "Love Affair," in which Katharine Hepburn plays the love theme in the movie. I completely fell in love with the song, which is by Ennio Morricone by the way. I thought how wonderful it would be to actually be able to play it on my own.... it didn't sound that hard and so I purchased the sheet music and excitingly brought it home to play.

I discovered I was in way over my head and that my dream of playing it wasn't going to happen. It had been so many years since I played that I had to re-learn all the notes and lines!! With each new chord, I had to stop and pick out all the notes first. I struggled for a couple weeks but kept at it. I surprised myself a couple weeks later when suddenly it all began falling into place. 2 months later I had it memorized, and I couldn't believe that I could actually play the REAL version of "Love Affair!" I had never played a REAL version of any song before (as a kid, I only played "easy" versions!) and certainly nothing as beautiful as "Love Affair." Needless to say, I became hooked! I have found lots of other pieces that I love playing... I realized for me that the key to enjoying practice is playing songs that are challenging and beautiful.... which for me means struggling through songs that are way over my level! haha I finally found a hobby I'm passionate about, and feel SO blessed to have discovered it..... all because of a movie!!

I'd love to hear about YOUR 2nd time around!!

Hi Sarah,
Would you please tell me more about this movie?
Thanks....

The thing that got me seriously thinking about playing again was Noah Adams' book "Piano Lessons". He was so comical to me in his attempt to learn on his own. He wanted to learn Schumann's Traumerei, and tries all sorts of things including a computer program. I kept thinking, if he can do it without lessons, I can after 7 years of lessons in childhood! Now I find all of Schumann's Op 15 Kinderszenen some of my favorite music to play.

It also helped that my son started lessons and kept asking questions I couldn't remember the answers to! His motivation was Star Wars! His best friend came over and played it on our piano and my son immediately decided to learn. Now the second son is learning and the third one is asking when he can take lessons.( he's 4)

Another point about returning; it brought back the most important thing about the piano I always loved, even when I hated lessons. It was such an emotional comfort to me as a teen. I often took out my frustrations by playing. Now that I am older, I find I have not lost that and it makes all of life better when you have a way to express emotions you can't verbalize.

An old friend who survived the Holocaust and found success here in the US, later suffered from Parkinson's. He was unable to move, but what would bring him to tears and broke his heart is that he could no longer play the piano. I always felt I should treasure this ability, no matter how small, in his memory.

Actually, it is my third time around!
Took lessons as a kid through teen years. Played mostly classical and other very uncool pieces. As an adult, my father in law, who loves piano, suprised his kids by giving them each a couple of grand to put towards a piano (my wife also took lessons as a kid). We bought the piano and got back into it, but it faded after a year or so. When the 2 kids came,we had them take lessons, but it wasn't my 12 year old son quit (to play clarinet in the school band) that I "took over" his lesson because my daughter kept going.
So...the two major things that have really helped me progress this time is 1) a great teacher that is really into biomechanics, relaxation, Alexander Technique ,etc. and 2) buying a digital piano (in addition to our acoustic).. This allows me to practice much more frequently and effectively because the headphones let me play at all hours and the repetitions and slow practive don't drive my family nuts! The on board metronome and sequencer are also great tools for learning.

Also l am challanging myself with harder pieces. By mastering these, I have much more confidence and a greater selection of music from which to choose.

Having children! I wanted to teach them and needed a piano to do so. After 15 yrs, I sat down and was amazed that my fingers seemed to know where to go entirely independent of my brain. Seemed as though I would never get back to speed on pieces I used to breeze thru, but bit by bit they came along. Altho, in all honesty, I'm not what I was when in school - and practicing 6 hrs a day. But I'm back - I love it - and I'll never give it up again!!

My daughters' piano teacher encouraged me to take up playing again. I thought she was crazy, I didn't know any adult piano students at the time. Anyway, I was too old and figured that my fingers would never be able to keep up. Was I ever wrong. It wasn't my fingers on half speed, it was my brain! No matter, now I'm hooked, playing the piano is what I do for fun and relaxation.

I enjoyed reading everyone's story so much. Thanks for contributing! I'm happy to hear that you all have found your way back to the piano!! Never let go!

My heart goes out to the man that can no longer play. I've often thought how horrible that would be and thank God all the time that I have the ability to play. However, if something were to happen, as long as I can "hear" the piano, I'll be okay.

To the man that wanted to know more about the movie "Love Affair," just follow this link at the Internet Movie Database: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0110391

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

I suppose I'm a second timer in some sense of the word. I played a heck of a lot as a small child - too much - forced to play in front of people - was told I had to be better than little Bertie down the road.

I became thoroughly fed up with this nonsense at ten and just stopped, amid tears, fights, scenes and shouting.

Four pianoless years later Dad came home from work one night and silently plopped the piano score of Rhapsody In Blue on the table. I didn't recognise his ruse and fiddled with it. Well, who wouldn't swallow such delectable bait ? I'd never seen or heard stuff like that before and plunged into learning it.

I insisted on finding a new teacher and that was that. I never did recover my ability to play for audiences though.