Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum Realistic (semi-) self-study plan?

Welcome to the ABF. Be patient and emjoy your studies.

Has that been your experience Chris ?

I took about a years worth of lessons and then started playing on my own once I felt I had a general idea of what playing entailed. Basically right now I use CPE Bach's "The True Art of Playing Keyboard Instruments" as my guide, and select works from the WTK as my repertoire, with eyes on some LVB sonatas soon... But I think CPE's book would certainly have been a bit advanced for me as a true complete beginner without even any knowledge of very basics such as how the fingers are numbered 1-5, 2-4 etc, or even where middle C is located, hands seperate practice etc..basics I did get in those first lessons..

I know a lot of people have had success self learning from the Alfred All in One Adult Book, which I bought for a gf and glanced at, but it seemed way too rudimentary for me at the time..so I didn't work with it even though it seemed good for rank beginners possibly with no knowledge of even staffs or anything.

I also just play for enjoyment, and no concert pianist aspirations or anything so I have yet to hit a ceiling where I might think I need a teacher to get me to the next level or some such. Now sometimes I do miss the social aspect of lessons, and having someone to play for.

Glenn Gould once said he could teach someone everything they needed to know about playing the piano in about 30 minutes! I don't doubt it tbh...Shame he didn't have any students..anyway, just all depends I suppose..ymmv...either way I think with your musical background already you will pick it up better..

Skype maybe OK for more advanced students but beginners? I just don't see how you can beat in person lessons especially when compared with what will almost certainly be a single camera view. I can see that with very good equipment it would be much better - good lighting and a few camera angles.

It's pretty much what I'm doing myself, Don and, thus far, it seems to be working reasonably well.