This is cool. I am wondering if anyone knows if there is a game like Guitar Hero (old playstation game with a custom controller), but for piano and with MIDI input support, something to practice the mechanical skills, preferably with a library of beginner-friendly charts?
Show HN: Piano Trainer – Learn piano scales, chords and more using MIDI
41–50 of 60 posts
Re: Show HN: Piano Trainer – Learn piano scales, chords and more using MIDI
#42Earlier quoted context omitted.
One version of Rock Band came with a real 25 key piano midi controller that you used in the game.
I still have and use that keyboard. It is a nice little midi controller that works just as well as any other midi keyboard I have (within the limits of 25 keys of course)
Re: Show HN: Piano Trainer – Learn piano scales, chords and more using MIDI
#43I'm appreciative of people attempting to help others learn music, so first of all thanks! I'd suggest people really focus on their ear training though over visual feedback. Just play your scales through the circle of fifths -- set a metronome at 60, go for both hands, two octaves, parallel and contrary motion. Start with major and then move on to the three types of minor. The thing you're developing is internalizing…
Re: Show HN: Piano Trainer – Learn piano scales, chords and more using MIDI
#44Re: Show HN: Piano Trainer – Learn piano scales, chords and more using MIDI
#45I'm appreciative of people attempting to help others learn music, so first of all thanks! I'd suggest people really focus on their ear training though over visual feedback. Just play your scales through the circle of fifths -- set a metronome at 60, go for both hands, two octaves, parallel and contrary motion. Start with major and then move on to the three types of minor. The thing you're developing is internalizing…
I have a decent grasp of theory and have seen the value of grinding scales on other instruments. With piano, I'm never sure which fingers I'm supposed to be using or when to move my fingers up the keys. Do you have any guidance?
But, as my current teacher likes to point out, there's no "true" way. He's a bassist, and has mentioned to me a few times some old survey asking pro players to write out their fingerings for some famous passages -- the results were all over the place, as everyone brings their own approach.
[1] https://archive.org/details/BACHCarlPhilippeEmanuel.EssayOnT...
Re: Show HN: Piano Trainer – Learn piano scales, chords and more using MIDI
#46Nitpick: The perfect fifth of G is E but the video says A: https://vimeo.com/730642802
Re: Show HN: Piano Trainer – Learn piano scales, chords and more using MIDI
#47I'm appreciative of people attempting to help others learn music, so first of all thanks! I'd suggest people really focus on their ear training though over visual feedback. Just play your scales through the circle of fifths -- set a metronome at 60, go for both hands, two octaves, parallel and contrary motion. Start with major and then move on to the three types of minor. The thing you're developing is internalizing…
I have a decent grasp of theory and have seen the value of grinding scales on other instruments. With piano, I'm never sure which fingers I'm supposed to be using or when to move my fingers up the keys. Do you have any guidance?
Re: Show HN: Piano Trainer – Learn piano scales, chords and more using MIDI
#48I'm appreciative of people attempting to help others learn music, so first of all thanks! I'd suggest people really focus on their ear training though over visual feedback. Just play your scales through the circle of fifths -- set a metronome at 60, go for both hands, two octaves, parallel and contrary motion. Start with major and then move on to the three types of minor. The thing you're developing is internalizing…
I have a decent grasp of theory and have seen the value of grinding scales on other instruments. With piano, I'm never sure which fingers I'm supposed to be using or when to move my fingers up the keys. Do you have any guidance?
Each diatonic (major, minor or modal) scale consists of 7 distinct notes, and the fingering is always 1-2-3 1-2-3-4 in one direction, and the reverse in the other direction, however, you need to find where this sequence starts within the scale. The more black keys there are in a scale, the fewer the possible comfortable positions. Always put your thumb on a white key, and prefer putting your 3rd and especially your 4th fingers on black keys, if possible. (Fun fact: for the major scales, once you have your right hand's fingering, you can imagine mirroring the keyboard and your hand around the D or G# key and you get another major scale with a good fingering for the left hand).
DO NOT start with C major if it's your first time learning scales. Maybe start with E major (4 sharps) as it is comfortable and you can use the mirrored fingering in the other hand.
Re: Show HN: Piano Trainer – Learn piano scales, chords and more using MIDI
#49Re: Show HN: Piano Trainer – Learn piano scales, chords and more using MIDI
#50Earlier quoted context omitted.
You'd be surprised how many famous pop piano players didn't just have lessons, they had advanced training. Elton John studied at the Royal Academy of Music. Alicia Keys is classically trained. Lady Gaga had lessons from the age of 4. Even someone like Vangelis - nominally self-taught, and not a reader or writer - had lessons when he was starting out.
There are many many examples on both sides. That you can cite many who have had a lot of classical training doesn't disprove the point that many others have had minimal training.