Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

The Mayron Cole Piano Method is now free

freepianomethod.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

111–120 of 267 posts

Re: The Mayron Cole Piano Method is now free

#111

Post by acjohnson55 »

sandGorgon wrote: post #18

I just started learning piano in the COVID lockdown. The best and cheapest way to learn is use an app: Simply Piano(android+ios), Piano Marvel(ios), etc and connect it to an el cheapo midi keyboard. this allows you to spend the next 6 months learning without anyone getting disturbed..while the app gives you realtime feedback about which keys you are pressing. you wont miss the lack of a teacher...especially during th…

This is fine to get started (it's pretty close to how I got started) but I recommend getting a good teacher and instrument asap, if you're really enjoying yourself. They will help immensely in progression and good habits. After about 5 months with a teacher, I was playing a Chopin piece I wouldn't have dreamed of playing previously.

Re: The Mayron Cole Piano Method is now free

#112

Post by XCSme »

actuator wrote: post #6

Has someone here picked a musical instrument seriously for the first time in their 20s and managed to self learn? If yes, it would be helpful if you could point to resources that were helpful to you and any daily practice schedule you followed? I have tried learning piano and I found a lot of stuff irritatingly hard to get right and got bored. Like for some reason I am not able to transition to other keys well when I…

Learning anything is just muscle memory.

The muscle memory can only be developed by constantly doing the same thing over a long period of time, every day. Every time you sleep is when the skill learned during the day is actually "saved" and increased.

Trying to do everything perfect at once from the start is impossible. Only once something gets into your muscle memory you can focus on other things. At first you might not be able to find the correct key and have to constantly look at the keyboard, but once you are over that you can now focus on coordination, rhythm or other stuff.

Learning and getting better is just the process of constantly embedding something in your muscle memory so you can consciously focus on something else.

Re: The Mayron Cole Piano Method is now free

#114

Post by clawlor »

vict00ms wrote: post #91
komali2 wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I liked the advice because I always wanted to learn piano but every time I approached stage 1, people were saying similar things. "Oh, just to get STARTED, you're going to need an 88 key weighted keyboard, that'll cost you 600$ and take up an entire wall of your studio. Ok now spend 100$ on books, and now you have everything you need to spend 200$ a month and an hour every week on a teacher. And you better practice f…

I taught myself how to flatpick on guitar. Three years later, I found out that I held the plectrum incorrectly. Though I've learned the proper way (and will switch to it in order to tremolo a la Dick Dale), twenty-five years later I still can't shake it.

I started playing around the same time as you, and also hold the pick "incorrectly", using both the index + middle finger. It's only been in the last year or so that I've made any sort of effort to use just the index finger. It feels unstable, but faster in a way, and also easier to hybrid pick thanks to the middle finger being free.

Re: The Mayron Cole Piano Method is now free

#116

Post by simias »

gjulianm wrote: post #39
sandGorgon wrote: post #18

I just started learning piano in the COVID lockdown. The best and cheapest way to learn is use an app: Simply Piano(android+ios), Piano Marvel(ios), etc and connect it to an el cheapo midi keyboard. this allows you to spend the next 6 months learning without anyone getting disturbed..while the app gives you realtime feedback about which keys you are pressing. you wont miss the lack of a teacher...especially during th…

Sorry but I have to disagree a lot. An app is not the best way to learn piano. Piano is not just about pressing keys. Does the app correct your position (important if you don't want to get fatigue and cramps), your volume, fingerings, etc? Does it tell you how to practice the parts where you're struggling? > connect it to an el cheapo midi keyboard Please don't do that. I mean, if you just want to give it a try to pi…

I think it's like using an app for language learning. If you think 10 minutes of Duolingo every day is going to make you fluent in Chinese you're deluding yourself, but it doesn't mean that it can't be a good entry point and a good way to build discipline and gauge your progress.

I've been learning the saxophone for a few months (ask my neighbours) and have used a bunch of different methods. I find that even bad practice is good practice, so to speak. It's just important to keep a feedback loop: listen to yourself, compare yourself to good players and look for the differences. And don't just use an app, vary your training using multiple sources and methods to find what works best for you, as well and filling the gaps.

For the saxophone I found that a good way to spot bad habits force yourself to "do things right" is to force yourself to play in a different key every day. This forces you to deconstruct what you're playing, as well as making sure that you can play on the entire range of your instrument.

Sure, it's better to start with good personalized private courses with a good teacher and excellent hardware but many people wouldn't even start if that was the barrier of entry. I know that I definitely wouldn't have.

Having to unlearn bad habits a few years down the line is annoying, but it's not the end of the world.

Re: The Mayron Cole Piano Method is now free

#117

Post by XCSme »

_jal wrote: post #102
XCSme wrote: post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So if someone wants to play table-tennis I should constantly remind them of the how they should get a $100 custom bat before they can do anything, use the correct technique by using their body and legs and sweating a lot instead of just letting them have fun? I am always happy when someone joins the club, even if they are good or not, it's their decision how much time, money and effort they want to invest in correcti…

There's a difference between being honest and clear and being a jerk. Most humans are not so bad at figuring that out.

I agree, although my point was that some people just want to have fun doing something, their goal isn't necessarily to get really good at it or to do it correctly. Many prefer doing things their own way rather than the right way, so they might not like being constantly told what they should do.

Re: The Mayron Cole Piano Method is now free

#118

Post by trianglem »

dghughes wrote: post #113

On my resume I like to put everyone that plays piano isn't a Beethoven. There is a range between expert and those who don't even play. This is my excuse for being in IT but not well in programming.

Wait, you admit on your resume you’re not good at programming and still get programming jobs?

Re: The Mayron Cole Piano Method is now free

#119

Post by alisonkisk »

phkahler wrote: post #26
maille wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

what kind of cheap keyboard would you recommend?

That part of is definitely poor advice, although prices are lower these days. Get something with at least 61 full sized and weighted keys. None of those light weight organ type keys, they need to feel more like piano keys. Polyphonic - able to play at least 8 notes simultaneously. That would be the bare minimum IMHO. Getting the full 88 keys will probable ensure the rest but maybe not in some cases.

You can start with pressure sensitive, not weighted. Much less expensive.

Re: The Mayron Cole Piano Method is now free

#120

Post by kranner »

dghughes wrote: post #113

On my resume I like to put everyone that plays piano isn't a Beethoven. There is a range between expert and those who don't even play. This is my excuse for being in IT but not well in programming.

"Use what talents you possess; the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best."

-- attributed to Henry van Dyke

Post reply on HN