The Student Room Group

TSR Piano Society

Scroll to see replies

Original post by Boggieeiggob
Do you not go to a conservatoire already? And if you can memorise those (and play it musically, not like a 8 year old Asian kid), then I suggest you learn a Bach Fugue. You can learn so incredibly much from them. Fugues are genuinely amazing. Also, have you not done a diploma of any sort yet? Because the Pathetique is on the DipABRSM syllabus for the pieces you can play


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App


I have played fugues before, and cantatas :biggrin: well, im in my final year of A-levels and I am taking my dip during my first year of university! and noo, I thought I wouldn't get in to a conservatoire for an undergraduate so I will be apply as a postgraduate! I just play lots and lots, for enjoyment - I've never seen the whole deal with "I am grade 8" etc so I did them later on :biggrin:
Original post by Daniel George
I have played fugues before, and cantatas :biggrin: well, im in my final year of A-levels and I am taking my dip during my first year of university! and noo, I thought I wouldn't get in to a conservatoire for an undergraduate so I will be apply as a postgraduate! I just play lots and lots, for enjoyment - I've never seen the whole deal with "I am grade 8" etc so I did them later on :biggrin:


How many have you played and how long did you learn them for though? I've been playing for 8 years now (sometimes I say 9 for some weird mental reason) and i've only learnt 1 in my whole time (no 21 in b flat, book 1) and I could still learn from it to be honest.
What I meant by conservatoire, I meant as in a junior conservatoire like JRAM or JRCM (I got rejected for them ;A:wink:
I agree with the grade 8 thing. So many people do it just to make their uni applications look good. That's why Diplomas are so different and worth so much more than grade 8 because it actually includes musicality with it as opposed to seeing if you can just play stuff correctly


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App
Original post by Boggieeiggob
No, not yet. But if it's a portable grand, surely when the keyboard's in the grand body it'll be quite big? The flat I'm moving to is VERY small.
And by practice, do you mean note learning or actual technical work like tidying up passages or just bashing through pieces?



This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App


They're called portable grands but they're very small. They look a bit like:
Original post by Bude8
They're called portable grands but they're very small. They look a bit like:


Oh I see. I'm not after that sort of thing, I've had a digital piano for the pad 8 years of my life to practice on ;p but thanks anyway


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App
Reply 2024
Original post by Boggieeiggob
I'm not a professional teacher, so I can't suggest any in-depth tips and stuff, but the best I can advise right now is that you keep sight-reading and practice your note-reading and eventually, it'll become second nature to you. It might help if you recognised intervals (line to a line space to space, space to line, line to space), but that comes quite a bit later in theory so I'm not sure if that's necessary.
But don't worry, in early stages this is to be expected it's like learning to speak, it takes us years as babies to learn to speak fluently :wink:


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App


Thanks so much for the responses. So basically keep at it, great.
What should I do in the mean time, I can't just practise sight reading all the time ill go crazy! Anyone got any fun things to do/learn that'll improve my playing??


Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by Shmuco
Thanks so much for the responses. So basically keep at it, great.
What should I do in the mean time, I can't just practise sight reading all the time ill go crazy! Anyone got any fun things to do/learn that'll improve my playing??


Posted from TSR Mobile


I guess one thing that can maybe make sight reading less of a pain is to sight read stuff that you enjoy and/or songs/pieces you know what they sound like so you know what to aim for. But be wary that this may lead to involuntary spoon feeding (as I like to call it) which makes you less able to figure out stuff by yourself, such as reading complex rhythms and so on.

I'm not sure if this would classify as fun, but try some simple rhythm exercises as well. For example, look at a rhythm of something, and pat the rhythm of the right hand part on your right leg (or whatever you like) and the same with the left.

I'm sorry to say that with my memory of a goldfish, I can't remember what I used to do as a beginner except find sheet music of stuff I liked and went and just sight read it. But even after that, I could already read music relatively quickly for a beginner. If you could perhaps describe something you're looking for then I could try and recommend something?


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App
Original post by Comp_Genius
Can't find it so I'll start one.

If you play the piano you are welcome to join, just PM me your details, grade etc.

Also introduce yourself on this thread: state your level, and 3 favourite piano pieces. (Classical only! No modern music please. We need to keep this thread clean. :rolleyes: )

The number in the bracket indicates the grade achieved in ARBSM exam or equivalent.
The word "Standard" after a number indicates an examination has not been taken for that grade but the person is at that standard.


Members:

darkenergy (8)
steerpike
ponjavic
thatguy
GengisKahn (5, doing 8)
sezmeister (8)
mikeski (4)
musicbloke (Cambridge.... :rolleyes: )
trish xx (5)
CharXlotte (8)
robs (8)
sherunsaway (7, doing 8)
wei_xin (7, doing 8)
x-Jo-x (6)
moonscape (7, doing 8)
sophieD
thebucketwoman (8)
JC87 (5, doing 7/8)
sexysax (6, doing 7)
thepublictoilet (8)
jcd (8 standard)
~MOi~
Frosty Phantom (8)
themesong
Emily-Sarah (6/7 standard)
The Canadian (doing 5)
coldfish (8)
lilsk8achic666 (8)
Kan3 (3 standard)
flipflop2
Womble548 (8, Diploma?)
what_a_shambles (10 yrs)
sabre
distortedgav (6 standard)
rofl (DipABRSM)
greeniev (>8)


(it says you've exceeded your maximum storage for private messages so I'll just post it here instead).

Hi,

I've been posting in the thread and only just bothered to read the first post :wink:

I don't know what you mean by details, but my username is Boggieeiggob (<-obviously ;p) and I've done Grade 8 ABRSM, currently learning/doing DipABRSM. Studying at JLCM if that helps in anyway? (I know LCM doesn't look as fancy as RNCM or JRAM or JRCM etc, but still).
Erm, 3 favorite pieces (damn this is hard to choose D:smile: are Mozart Piano Concerto no 20 in D Minor, Liszt Mephisto Waltz, and CPE Bach Sonata in C minor WQ (forgot what number), maybe something like 53

Thanks ^^
actually, also love Debussy's Suite Pour le Piano (and especially the Sarabande. That's just beautiful! *w*)
I'm doing G5 this year, then G6 this Dec or Next year. I hope that when you said "Classical" you weren't being to specific as I also favour Romantic and Baroque pieces. Although the Latter was obsiously written for other keyboard instruments.
Fav pieces:
1)Toccata (BWV 830)-Bach
2)Piano Concerto in D minor-Mozart
3)Liebesträume- Lizst
Original post by reubenkinara
I'm doing G5 this year, then G6 this Dec or Next year. I hope that when you said "Classical" you weren't being to specific as I also favour Romantic and Baroque pieces. Although the Latter was obsiously written for other keyboard instruments.
Fav pieces:
1)Toccata (BWV 830)-Bach
2)Piano Concerto in D minor-Mozart
3)Liebesträume- Lizst


I'm pretty sure he meant all the classical periods, not just the actual classical period which came after baroque :wink: I think he meant classical as in non-modern, like pop songs and [west end] theatre etc.


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App
Original post by Boggieeiggob
I'm pretty sure he meant all the classical periods, not just the actual classical period which came after baroque :wink: I think he meant classical as in non-modern, like pop songs and [west end] theatre etc.


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

I see. So that includes compositions by modern pianists like Gould and Yiruma.
Original post by reubenkinara
I see. So that includes compositions by modern pianists like Gould and Yiruma.


Actually, I'm not so sure of them. I'm not much of a fan for Yiruma anyway


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App
Original post by reubenkinara
I see. So that includes compositions by modern pianists like Gould and Yiruma.


I would say it does, yes.
Reply 2033
I'm looking It to buying a new piano and I think digital is the best way for me to go. Looking to spend around £500...any suggestions?
The yamaha dgx - 640 looks good...


Posted from TSR Mobile
Reply 2034
I have the yamaha dgx 640 & it is one of the best digital pianos ive played on yet alone owned, I strongly recommend you get it from 'chappel of bond street' only thing I would advise you to get a different pedal for it rather than the one it comes with

Posted from TSR Mobile
Reply 2035
Original post by kevosci
I have the yamaha dgx 640 & it is one of the best digital pianos ive played on yet alone owned, I strongly recommend you get it from 'chappel of bond street' only thing I would advise you to get a different pedal for it rather than the one it comes with

Posted from TSR Mobile


Brill, thanks for the response!
how is it as a "acoustic piano" i.e how's the action? The sound? And the touch response?


Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by Shmuco
Hi,
I'm 19 and have been playing piano for around a year and a half just moving on to grade 2, really enjoying it! However I am really struggling to read the music. Every time I wanna figure out a note I find myself using FACE etc and as a result only practise for short periods of time due to frustration!!

Any one got any tips to improve sight reading or making practising more enjoyable.

Thanks :smile:


Posted from TSR Mobile


I've always had a keyboard but have been actively learning for.around the same time as you.
Try flashcards. also the exercises @ Musictheory.net are useful

Memoirs of a misunderstood teen
Just finished learning the rest of Chopins nocturne in D flat :biggrin: I didn't know why I learnt this this piece before!!! By all my favorite nocturne - oh and "rustle of spring" - surprisingly quite a nice piece to play - seems to just flow nicely :biggrin:!!!

How many hours does everyone practice each day by the way?
Original post by Daniel George
Just finished learning the rest of Chopins nocturne in D flat :biggrin: I didn't know why I learnt this this piece before!!! By all my favorite nocturne - oh and "rustle of spring" - surprisingly quite a nice piece to play - seems to just flow nicely :biggrin:!!!

How many hours does everyone practice each day by the way?


Oh nice! It's a lovely piece. try his Tristesse next, that's really wonderful :smile:
Erm, I'm reluctant to say I'm a busy bee because it sounds like i'm making excuses but I tend to practice around 2 hours a day, more if I can when I have free time
Original post by Boggieeiggob
Oh nice! It's a lovely piece. try his Tristesse next, that's really wonderful :smile:
Erm, I'm reluctant to say I'm a busy bee because it sounds like i'm making excuses but I tend to practice around 2 hours a day, more if I can when I have free time



Oh I have, my favourite etude! :smile: have you learnt anymore of his etudes? I've learnt op 25 no 2, op 25 no 1 and his revolutionary so far :smile: still needs much practice though!

Oh and if you are interested have a look at Henselts etudes! so beautiful :smile: especially op 3 no 2!

Quick Reply

Latest