Anyone taught themselves piano?

[NB_Terry]

Are there some good online resources or books I can buy to learn piano?

I've been a guitarist for 25 years, I have a good knowledge of chord and theory.

Any ideas on how to learn basic piano skills at a reasonable pace? I'd like to avoid the Twinkle Twinkle Little Star type songs if I could.

I don't aspire to be a jazz soloist on piano, but my goal is to earn the left hand/right hand rudiments so I can play piano to songs I already know on guitar.

Thanks.

 

[Simon Gee]

I did, but not using any books. So my technique is a bit lousy.

FYI, I put stickers on the keys with the note names. And i wrote out a chart of what notes were in what chords. This was at the same time I was basically figuring out theory by myself too, by analysing songs and working what/how/why of the chords etc. So I'd play triads with my left hand, bass notes with my right. Eventually i got pretty good at accompaniment piano, but not at solo, instrumentalist piano.

And I never learned any good technique. But I'm still happy with what I play.

 

[joemilitello]

I bought a $ 50 Thomas organ at a garage sale in June (it weighs a ton! getting it in the house was a bear), it has keys that light up and have the note names on the keys.

I bought a chord book & use it to learn songs I already know on guitar. It's working out pretty well.

I'd get those stickers Simon Gee mentioned & a chord book.

 

[dets1]

i taught myself to play chords with both hands, but getting that independant thing down- no way. i suck.

 

[Kappy]

You can get the scale fingerings online, same with the important chords. That's a good place to start. I'd rather have a single lesson with a teacher than buy some of the crappy books that are out there that are useless. I took some lessons, it was good for learning to read (the fingerings are very specific, which is an advantage that the piano has, but takes more up front learning) and for some other things, but they weren't that great overall. One teacher had me doing chromatic major/minor chords up and down independently with each hand, then together. A good workout. Once I learned the scale fingerings and some chords, it was pretty easy to come up with my own ideas for stuff to play since it's fairly easy to use the harmony/theory knowledge you have once you know how to harmonize scales, etc. I'd punctuate my own scale practice with various chords, etc. Pretty fun! I wish I had more time to really learn how to read and play it.

Good luck!

Dave

 

[Grun]

I am using the Alfred's series. I started 2 months ago and and I am just finishing Lesson and Recital books 1B (which are the books I started with). I picked them up after my daugher was through with them. She is takin lessons and she is on level 4 right now.
I knew how to read the treble staff going in, so it was a little easier than it might have been, but I believe I am making good progress for my age. It does get harder as you get older. The good news is it feels like my brain might be starting to reconnect. Other useful items are 'Scales and CHords for the Piano (Schirmer's vol 392) and Hanon the Virtuoso Pianist (Schirmer's vol 1071). Good luck. BTW one of my current goals is to be able to nonchalantly rip through Bill Joel's Piano Man. I am about 80% there. Oh yeah. Make sure you practice. Let us know how you make out. I guess to sum it up, the Alfred's seem to be working for me.

 

[Pietro]

You wanna really learn some? Get lessons. It's not like guitar, and it will make you better at guitar, believe it or not.

 

[XmasTree]

youtube dude!!! ..or a chord book or a chart or whatever

...YOU CAN START OFF BY BUYING A CHEAP MIDI CONTROLLER AND HOOK IT UP TO YOUR PC .....OR iMAC ...LIKE ME

 

[mojocaster.com]

I did, and it shows, but I don't care and keep on playing. I recently purchased a Casio CDP100 and I am very happy with it.