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Ask HN: How to learn to play piano? (kids and adults)

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Ask HN: How to learn to play piano? (kids and adults)

#1
I'm looking for software, setup, ideas of how to learn to play piano in efficient way. For kids and adults.

Is there any software which may help to learn to play notes on the piano? I imagine that you could connect piano keyboard via MIDI interface and the software would present note which you are supposed to play. Then another note, and then revise the notes already learnt (in a Anki way/algorithm). Or maybe there is other, simpler/more efficient way?

Re: Ask HN: How to learn to play piano? (kids and adults)

#4
Berklee College of Music offers free courses on Coursera. Including Jazz Improvisation which could constitute a "hack" for quick learning of scales and progressions. Regardless of how "intelligent" the music interface is, I can't see any way out of hours of daily directed practice for mastery.

https://www.coursera.org/learn/jazz-improvisation

The year 2019 will mark the 60th anniversary of the Annus miraculus in jazz history. Miles Davis' Kind of Blue, John Coltranes' Giant Steps, Dave Brubeck's Time Out, Bill Evans' Portrait in Jazz, etc. A great time to get back into jazz and swing for piano. And even better considering we now live in an age where online "jamming" is possible with a decentralized band ;)

Re: Ask HN: How to learn to play piano? (kids and adults)

#5
post #2

For simpler/more efficient I would look for a piano teacher. Ask around and see if anyone you know has a piano teacher. We have a great piano teacher in our area who comes to your house. Students (Kids and Adults) progress quickly.

We have piano teacher. I was thinking about additional support. Like we also use Anki to repeat the foreign language vocabulary on top on standard classes with teacher.

Re: Ask HN: How to learn to play piano? (kids and adults)

#6
post #5
post #2

For simpler/more efficient I would look for a piano teacher. Ask around and see if anyone you know has a piano teacher. We have a great piano teacher in our area who comes to your house. Students (Kids and Adults) progress quickly.

We have piano teacher. I was thinking about additional support. Like we also use Anki to repeat the foreign language vocabulary on top on standard classes with teacher.

Not sure how useful Anki will be for learning music.

Perhaps for reading sheet music? Or visually memorizing chords. You can add a mp3 file to it, and have a reverse card.

E.g.

"chord mp3 file plays" → what chord is this

"chord A" → how do you represent this in sheet music, what does it sound like?

I wouldn't go further than this though. Memorizing keys for a song should be done by practice

Re: Ask HN: How to learn to play piano? (kids and adults)

#8
post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We have piano teacher. I was thinking about additional support. Like we also use Anki to repeat the foreign language vocabulary on top on standard classes with teacher.

Not sure how useful Anki will be for learning music. Perhaps for reading sheet music? Or visually memorizing chords. You can add a mp3 file to it, and have a reverse card. E.g. "chord mp3 file plays" → what chord is this "chord A" → how do you represent this in sheet music, what does it sound like? I wouldn't go further than this though. Memorizing keys for a song should be done by practice

Sorry, perhaps I wasn't clear in my previous post.

We use Anki to learn foreign vocabulary, not music. My daughter really enjoys those 'quiz'. Besides she has normal classes with teacher.

We have also piano lessons with teacher. I'm looking for some software here to improve/encourage piano learning.

Re: Ask HN: How to learn to play piano? (kids and adults)

#9
Story time. I have tried many online videos (Youtube etc) and I really never got anyway. I had wanted to learn how to play the piano most of my life but for multiple reasons (primarily fear) I never tried with a teacher. A year ago at age 31 I serendipitously ran into a woman who turned out to be a piano teacher in my town. Long story short, I started taking lessons and now I am finally playing the piano and it feels amazing! In cannot emphasize strongly enough the benefits of having a teacher. There is no way I would have gained the skills I have from taking online courses.

In my opinion, there is nothing more valuable that being able to have someone show you when you are making mistakes and has the experience to explain how to fix them.

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