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Hi,

Last Christmas we bought a new Kawai K-50 for our 8 yr daughter. I have always wanted to learn to play the piano. DD teacher had a few kids quit so I asked if she’d consider teaching me. I was really embarrassed to ask since I couldn’t even read music. I was so tickled when she said she would. She is a newer teacher and I am her first adult student. She was a little nervous but I know I was even more so.

I have been taking for three weeks now and absolutely LOVE it. I love practicing and was having problems with DD coming up playing the same thing I was on the high end. :rolleyes: I had a few words with her and she doesn’t do it anymore.

Just wanted to share about my new passion.

Thank you very much for sharing. Here on the Forum, there are many adult beginners as well as "retreads" -- adults returning to the piano for the first time since childhood.

Welcome.

I never played piano as a child. I played the cello for a few years. Like most kids, I learned to read music and play the recorder in 3rd or 4th grade. Unlike most kids, I kept playing the recorder over the years, and I own about a dozen ranging from sopranino to bass.


Three years ago, I started taking piano lessons at age 38. Absolute rank beginner. It has been a challenge, but an enjoyable one. The hardest things for me have been reading bass and treble clef at the same time, and getting my hands to function independently of each other (still working on this!).

I can touch-type over 100 WPM. I can fly an airplane. I can juggle, passing clubs (a little) like the Flying Karamazov Brothers. I have never encountered anything as complex as playing the piano.

My teacher has other adult beginners; she also teaches harp and some of her harp students are adult beginners as well. I play in the student recitals along with the little kids. It's a humbling experience. We also have a holiday potluck with just the adult students.

Something you might really enjoy is reading "Piano Lessons" by Noah Adams. I also just finished "The Piano Shop on the Left Bank". Both are about coming (back) to the piano as an adult.

Stay in touch. I will be looking forward to reading your posts. Ask lots of questions. Share your triumphs and your pains. You are in good company.

pj

Awesome job 1to1! I just started posting here, but I was an enrollment representative for one of Canada's largest private music schools. I once signed up a young enthusiastic fellow one Saturday afternoon. He was 73! I also signed up a couple in their late 50s/early 60s just before we put on a concert. It was a nagging passion for them. Even though I technically got a commission for that, it was far more rewarding to be a pert of the process of explaining the lifelong benefits. I went to their house to bring the paperwork and I got to see the piano, thousands of old LPs and a passion for life. That's what it's all about. One is never "too old".

39 seems young to me. Just think you will have many many years to enjoy your playing. I started taking lessons about 14 months ago at 56 and enjoy it more every day, well almost every day. This two part reading on both treble and bass clefs is killing me. But nothing works better than putting in the hours, it feels so good when I get it, then the hours don't matter. My goals are no different than a young persons, to get as good as I can and enjoy the process. Worst case I can play for my wife in our "golden years", weather she likes it or not. Like piannojuggler I have accomplished many other shills, hang glider pilot, college basketball referee, staying married for 32 yrs. on the 25th of this month etc. but this is by far the most challanging. I did play clarinet for about 4 years 45 years ago, and it's amaizing to me how much I remember. Not so much the staff but the timing and note values were still kind of there. My commitment will increase April 3rd as we will be taking delivery of a new black laquor Estonia 190 grand. Can't wait!!

Good luck,

Frank

PS Don't know if I should start a new thread about this question but let's see how this goes. My teacher who I am very pleased with is having me do a couple of different things and I wonder what you guys think. I am about 2/3 of the way thru the Alfred Adult book #2. My teacher says that this is very fast progress, although it doesn't seem like it to me. Also, among other things we have compleated all the cords and inversions in preperation for working from a fake book, which I have been doing for the last 5-6 weeks. I really enyoy this because it gives me a chance to play a lot of tunes that I like and still wotk on the basics every day. Also, keeps me from getting bored. My practice time is probabily a factor in doing several things,
1 1/2-3 hrs. per day. Any feedback about this method would be interesting.

I started at 38. I'm 43 now and still at it. I've enjoyed every second I've spent at the piano.

Brad

Hi,
I played an arranger keyboard from the age of 28 which was just learning the treble clef along with just chords with the left hand,but at the age of 35 I wanted to learn the bass clef and learn to play the piano.
I am 37 now and after only 2 years of learning the piano I am a ABRSM grade 5 standard.I am really enjoying learning the piano so much better than just playing an arranger with just left hand chords.

Regards,
Daz

I'm one of those "retreads!" Took for four years as a child and returned to the keyboard at the age of 45. I'm 52 now and can't imagine NOT taking lessons! I think adults have more of a tendency to embrace the piano and have it become a true passion because it's something we want to do, as opposed to a child who may be doing it because the parents want it for him/her.


I'm also a very fast typist - probably 90+ wpm, a lapsed member of Mensa and an accomplished needlework artist. Like you, this has been the ultimate challenge for me. Since I thrive on challenge, I am very driven to get better -- some days I achieve this, other days the piano defeats me. But I always come back for more.

Both of those books are great reading! Also recommended are Playing the Piano for Pleasure by Charles Cooke. This book is one of the most helpful I've ever read for the adult student. Long out of print, a reproduction can be ordered from Amazon. It's pricey (around $40) but I promise it's worth the investment!

The best fictional piano book is Frank Conroy's Body & Soul, which I've read three times. Every time I re-read it something else becomes relevant that was overlooked previously. The author really did his homework, using Peter Serkin as his primary consultant.

By the way, anyone that can juggle will probably have no trouble getting down polyrhythms!

Is this a great forum or what?!

You all don't know what an inspiration it is to read about your "journey" to learn to play the piano. I commend all of you! There is nothing like the "high" one gets from making music! : )

Okay, I am a "middle aged" adult and for years wanted to learn how to play the piano my whole life. And now at 50 I decided to do it. I've been teaching my self for two months now and love every minute of it.

I also take Beginner Piano course at the community college. Its just amazing the comaradarie you get between each other in the classroom setting. Sometimes, we will get together for a group play. Every week we have to played a song for the class ala mini-recital.

I too am a “retread” (love that term Juggler!) and am having a blast. I took lessons for less than a year as a kid, decided to quit because I wanted to start playing French Horn in grade school, and in my youthful folly, didn’t think I could do both at the same time. And yes, this is the proverbial, “I wish my Mother would have suggested that I do both”. But, I certainly don’t regret the French Horn. I loved band (especially the parades!) and it kept me on the inside of making music. Sometime after high school I discovered that I can sing and have been singing ever since (I just turned 48). So, I’ve always been involved in music in some form.

My ultimate goal is to make my own accompaniment tracks. I do a lot of singing in church and have done several weddings and funerals. Too often the accompaniment-track-making-companies don’t have a particular piece I’m looking for and I don’t like to always have to depend on a live accompanist (he/she likes a break now and then). So, instead of limiting my track library to just what’s out there commercially, I decided I’m going to learn how to play well enough to make my own accompaniment CD’s.

And yea, I can type too. Don’t know my wpm but I typed this post in 2.3 seconds (lol-just kidding). :p

I don't think it really matters to the student, only for the teacher because of the different things, children usually learn much quicker, although the elderly ( yes all you 20+ ) usually have more feeling for it . Heh, I now teach (you did NOT hear me say that btw ) to a mother and daughter, 45 and 12, and I must say it's quite a thrill to see what their good sides are and what they have in common. But age is never a bad thing

The difference between kids and adult students?

My teacher says when a kid comes for his lesson and says he hasn't practiced all week it's because video games, watching TV, tormenting younger siblings, hanging out at the mall, or something equally time-demanding outprioritized the piano.

When I show up and I haven't practiced all week (I usually don't have to say anything...it shows!), it's because my boss had a few extra things to drop in my lap, my sewer backed up and flooded the basement, I had to work on tax return or balance the checkbook, my carpool was an hour late, I simply got home and fell asleep before I made it to bed, or some equally lame excuse.

1to1: welcome to the world of adult beginners. I am 39 and started about 5 months ago when my 5 year old son started "keyboard" lessons at his school. I have also had the experience where DS tries to interupt when I'm playing so that he can "practice too". My piano teacher told me a funny story about Van Cliburn. Supposedly, when he was a kid all his mother would have to do to get him to practice was to sit at the piano and play. He would hear someone playing "his piano" and come running to take over. Personally, I find it's best if I wait until DS is in the bath, or after he goes to bed before I can fully concentrate on the music.
Pianojuggler: Thanks for the book recommendations, I just put Noah Adams book on hold at the library. I find that having supplemental information, like books, Pianoworld, videos, and CDs, really helps to keep my interest and practicing up.
Frank R: My teacher started me out with the Faber and Faber book and after I had mastered most of the pieces in it I now play sheet music that either I pick out or she gives me. ie I was listening to a Horowitz CD with Schumann's Traumarei and I just fell in love with it. I found an arrangement which I can play and then I downloaded the "real" version to begin to add to it. My piano teacher has an incredible knack ?sp? for knowing what is just slightly above my comfort level.

Welcome to the club 1to1! I started last September at 43yo and I'm still loving it! I started out with an inexpensive digital keyboard to see how it went, but quickly realized that I needed a real piano; so I bought a used 5'7" Samick.

Frank, I'm using Afred's as well. I'm probably about a month away from finishing the first book. I think you're making excellent progress. Especially if you're supplementing with additional sheet music/books outside the course. In addition to "The Stranger" that I just started in the Alfreds, I'm tackling "Music Box Dancer". Very challenging!

Plays, thanks for the book suggestions! I've already read Adams' book and the Left Bank. Playing the Piano for Pleasure sounds right up my alley!

1to1 & company, you are not alone. I want to share this same recently found passion. Last September I went to enroll my 9-years-old daughter on piano lessons in a nearby music school. I liked her teacher and without a second thought I enrolled too. I'm 40.
When I was 10 I started playing accordion at the Conservatory of Music in Barcelona. I had to quit after 7 years due to the unbearable preassure they put on pupils. For 23 years I did not play or read a single note. Now I play the piano almost daily for an hour and enjoy it immensely.
Please excuse my English.

I've always been curious why the conservatories put so much pressure on students? Is it for the same reasons the military and the space program do it, so as to find out what your breaking point is. Is it necessary for all students to go through this even if they don't plan on performing in front of large audiences and are more interested in composing, or doing studio work. It seems to me that if you are trying to promote the art form, then wouldn't you want to "nurse along" those talented individuals who attend your school rather than forcing these kids to drop out or worse.
Jon

Hi all, I've always wanted to learn piano. I'm 25 and I've been trying to teach myself over the past 6 months or so.... I've got the first part of Fur Elise down pat (well maybe not down pat but I think it sounds pretty good for a beginner :-) but I'm having major problems with the second part... Is there anything I can try which might make learning Fur Elise a little easier....

My guess is that they are so strict with the intention of "producing" the best musicians of the area. Other potentialy good musicians with easier breaking points may not make it to the end, though. For them it's sort of "take it or leave it"

1to1 - Another retread here at 43 . Been back taking lessons for about a year and loving it. It's kind of like school when you go back as an adult your doing it for yourself and for no other reason than its something you want to do and even the hard things are fun and challenging. Thanks to all of you that mentioned the different books I'll need to look those up for myself as they sound like something I would enjoy.

CathyS

Ummmmm.... Find yourself a good teacher?

There is nothing that will aid learning like a little diagnosis and feedback from a good instructor.