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I started learning the piano a year and a half ago. I make electronic music and was becoming frustrated by my limited musical knowledge acting as a barrier to c

I started learning the piano a year and a half ago. I make electronic music and was becoming frustrated by my limited musical knowledge acting as a barrier to creating more complex arrangements. I've found the best way to get stuck into a new hobby is to not make excuses to yourself like "oh but I can't do that because I don't have X or Y piece of equipment". Just start with whatever means you have available and if it sticks then invest some money in the hobby. For example, I had a small midi keyboard so I just started learning on that, then bought myself the cheapest full size electric piano I could find once I'd managed a couple of months of consistent practice. Also I think it's hard to pick up a hobby just for the sake of it, there has to be some kind of motivation - like the example of me wanting to improve my songwriting by learning the piano. I'm now seeing tangible results and it's immensely satisfying, which motivates me to carry on spending 20-30 mins a day practicing the piano.

andrei_says_ 5y ago
Can you recommend a good source for lessons? I just got a keyboard and am an absolute beginner. Watching some YouTube channels incl. pianote and using flowkey on iOS but my practice feels scattered.
- orobinson 5y ago
  What worked for me is getting a good book and working through it. I’ve been using this one https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2506894 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2506894
atulatul 5y ago
>it's hard to pick up a hobby just for the sake of it I tend to agree. But I try just the same for the art kind of things because I think I don't really have much skills in art forms (music, painting, etc.). That is really where the 'deliberate' part of the question comes from.
lioeters 5y ago
I'm in the same boat, I started learning to play the piano/keyboard a couple years ago, along with studying music theory. I was already fairly fluent with the guitar (been playing as a hobby for a decade or so) but I yearned for the sound of the piano, its particular charm and expressiveness. Some of my favorite music are classical and jazz piano, and I wanted to learn how to write my own compositions in that direction. Partly due to the pandemic lockdown and social isolation, I was able to naturally develop a healthy daily habit, to regularly play the piano for an hour or two every morning. That time is so precious and pleasurable, to sit quietly and wander around on the keyboard, exploring musical ideas. In the evenings, I often read books on music theory. I have a dozen or so favorite books that are quite dense with knowledge, so I've been reading bits and pieces of them, re-reading certain sections for deeper understanding. For me, having a hobby is about the enjoyment and satisfaction I get from the act of play and creative expression, and sharing the joy with friends and loved ones. In particular, music helps me enter a sense of "flow", personally and socially. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow_(psychology) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow_(psychology)

andrei_says_ 5y ago

Can you recommend a good source for lessons? I just got a keyboard and am an absolute beginner. Watching some YouTube channels incl. pianote and using flowkey on iOS but my practice feels scattered.

orobinson 5y ago
What worked for me is getting a good book and working through it. I’ve been using this one https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2506894 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2506894

atulatul 5y ago

>it's hard to pick up a hobby just for the sake of it I tend to agree. But I try just the same for the art kind of things because I think I don't really have much skills in art forms (music, painting, etc.). That is really where the 'deliberate' part of the question comes from.

lioeters 5y ago

I'm in the same boat, I started learning to play the piano/keyboard a couple years ago, along with studying music theory. I was already fairly fluent with the guitar (been playing as a hobby for a decade or so) but I yearned for the sound of the piano, its particular charm and expressiveness. Some of my favorite music are classical and jazz piano, and I wanted to learn how to write my own compositions in that direction. Partly due to the pandemic lockdown and social isolation, I was able to naturally develop a healthy daily habit, to regularly play the piano for an hour or two every morning. That time is so precious and pleasurable, to sit quietly and wander around on the keyboard, exploring musical ideas. In the evenings, I often read books on music theory. I have a dozen or so favorite books that are quite dense with knowledge, so I've been reading bits and pieces of them, re-reading certain sections for deeper understanding. For me, having a hobby is about the enjoyment and satisfaction I get from the act of play and creative expression, and sharing the joy with friends and loved ones. In particular, music helps me enter a sense of "flow", personally and socially. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow_(psychology) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow_(psychology)