Piano

[Notch7]

Can a piano teacher teach anyone who's keen to play? Or do they have to have some natural aptitude first?

My apologies I only just spotted it.

my wife has taught thousands of beginners over the years and she always has to drop a few each year because there is no natural aptitude.
Typically parents enroll there little darlings from about year 3 to try and some just get nowhere.

Music is a language, some people arent wired to do it.

It isnt just about aptitude, it needs a huge amount of practice -20-30 mins every day, many children dont practice, as you can imagine.


next time you see somebody playing an instrument really well ....just think thats probably 10 years of learning or more.

my wife plays and has taught the piano, saxophone and oboe

 

[ReganAndCarter]

My apologies I only just spotted it.

my wife has taught thousands of beginners over the years and she always has to drop a few each year because there is no natural aptitude.
Typically parents enroll there little darlings from about year 3 to try and some just get nowhere.

Music is a language, some people arent wired to do it.

It isnt just about aptitude, it needs a huge amount of practice -20-30 mins every day, many children dont practice, as you can imagine.


next time you see somebody playing an instrument really well ....just think thats probably 10 years of learning or more.

my wife plays and has taught the piano, saxophone and oboe

Thanks. I've always admired people with the skill to play instruments and would have liked to myself but never got the chance. When I have more time I would like to see if I have any chance of understanding the language of music. But then again, I still even struggle with English.

 

[Scarlet Pimpernel]

Understanding the language of music is not reasonably of much use without learning an instrument at the same time.
Learning the language will have no noticeable benefit without an instrument.
Not until you are considering a degree level course in music, which can be done without being able to play an instrument, but again, relating what you are learning to the music, and the nuances of mood, techniques, expression, etc will be more difficult.

ABRSM do a series of excellent books (more like booklets) and they are dead cheap.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Music-Theory-Practice-Grade-ABRSM/dp/1860969429
They are designed for the student, probably more as an accompaniment to tuition than simply stand alone teaching material. But reasonably intelligent person can learn loads from them without the tuition, and they do start off very basic.
These books do not contain the answers to any questions. ABRSM used to do a text book that covered the whole range of grades, but I'm not sure that is still available. However, there might be other material available.
https://shop.abrsm.org/shop/prod/AB...-Theory-The-ABRSM-Grade-1-Answer-Book/2437301

The theory books can be used alongside learning any instrument.
There's loads of info available on the 'net for just about any instrument.
To learn, say, a recorder, you just need a fingering chart:
https://www.google.com/search?q=fin...BAgSEAE&biw=1366&bih=657#imgrc=ey2Ktcn4tj-PXM
and some recorder music:
https://www.google.com/search?q=rec...BAgQEAE&biw=1366&bih=657#imgrc=7y8ye9I2nsqQqM

 

[EddieM]

You don't have to be able to read a musical score to play an instrument though. For example.

Jimi Hendrix
Eric Clapton
Eddie Van Halen
and Paul McCartney

Can / could neither read or write musical scores.

 

[Scarlet Pimpernel]

You don't have to be able to read a musical score to play an instrument though. For example.

Jimi Hendrix
Eric Clapton
Eddie Van Halen
and Paul McCartney

Can / could neither read or write musical scores.

Perfectly true. It's called playing by ear, busking or improvising depending on the situation.

 

[transam]

Afaik B B King could not play chords ?

 

[Bodd]

It got dismantled and taken down the dump... Criminal

 

[conny]

It got dismantled and taken down the dump... Criminal

Idiots! I thought you had bought, (or were planning on buying), it. It could have been worth a few bob!

 

[fillyboy]

Afaik B B King could not play chords ?

What, not even B?

 

[Bodd]

Idiots! I thought you had bought, (or were planning on buying), it. It could have been worth a few bob!

No.... my mate is moving and no where for it to go...

 

[securespark]

Crying shame.

 

[noseall]

Crying shame.

Not really. The more get taken to the tip, those that remain become more valuable.

 

[conny]

Not really. The more get taken to the tip, those that remain become more valuable.

Have to destroy an awful lot of joanna's for that to make a significant difference.

 

[noseall]

Have to destroy an awful lot of joanna's for that to make a significant difference.

That's what they said about mark II Ford Escorts.

 

[Brigade77]

I've always been led to believe that uprights keep their tune longer than classicals, they're certainly more practical in the average household.

While I know lots of folk who play a variety of instruments, I can only think of one who has a proper piano.

I do know someone who (ahem) does things in the antiques world that maybe he shouldn't. Had a (drink) chat with him last night & he snaps up stuff like this for peanuts, just for the wood !