beginners question on playing piano

RawrGazzawrs

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theres just so much that inspires me to play piano now, friends, family, and just listening to it. it makes me want to write out tabs for the ukulele but sadly, i dont have enough range for every song i want to learn :(

so anyone have any thoughts on those 50 dollar keyboards compared to those 150+ keyboards that have the little screen with the notes that are being played? im mainly focused on sound, so is there any difference between low end keyboards and higher priced ones in sound other than the fancy features the higher priced ones have?

also another question for piano players, what do you look at when playing a memorized piece? do you look back and forth or focus on one hand and play the other by feeling? im curious because some people i know make it look pretty easy.
haha, guess i wont know till i buy one :)
 
I posted some buying tips in a thread here awhile back:

http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?50082-good-affordable-keyboard

But basically, I wouldn't worry about a fancy display. But I wouldn't necessarily get a $50 keyboard either. IMHO, you should get a keyboard with weighted keys (making it closer in feel to a piano). Ideally you'd get 76 or 88 keys. It's tough to learn both hands with a 61 key keyboard or smaller.

As far as what I look at when playing a memorized piece? Sometimes I don't look at anything. But if I do, it's usually the hand that has the hardest part going on at the time. Usually it's the right hand, but sometimes it's the left.

Good luck, and keep us posted on your progress!

JJ
 
2 more question i have in mind now...
highest note and lowest note of 61 and 76 keyboards?
and what makes it tough to learn both hands on a keyboard with 61 keys?
 
2 more question i have in mind now...
highest note and lowest note of 61 and 76 keyboards?

Depends on how you set it up. Often you can change the octave that the notes sound on.

and what makes it tough to learn both hands on a keyboard with 61 keys?

You just don't have as much room. So if the right hand is playing something kinda high and the left hand is playing something kinda low... well, you run out of notes!

JJ
 
maybe for starters, is to learn how to read piano notes is the basic skill to start with.

I know how to read music, i was in band for all 3 years of middle school. i dont really know the bass clef notes but that shouldnt be too hard for me to figure out. i plan on mainly teaching myself and just learning hand positioning from some friends. ill probably end up looking up some beginner exercises online and start from there and work my way up to learning more intermediate level songs.
 
Get an 88-key digital piano, with a sustain pedal. CASIO, believe it or not, have some deceent ones, not all that expensive. Beware of non-weighted synth style keys. They're junk, and give you a false impression of what a piano actually feels like. Good luck! The piano is an amazing instrument.
 
i plan on mainly teaching myself
That's great, depending on what you are trying to do. If you are trying to learn how to play modern music and want to learn chords, by all means go for it. But I must say, after taking lessons for I think 11 years now (since I was five) the value of a private instructor is phenomenal. Good luck! :)
 
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