Learning piano

I know this is a guitar forum but bear with me. (It'll all be over soon honest)

What would be the best thing to start doing when learning piano seriously, should I learn songs that are more contrapuntal like easier Bach pieces to improve my ability to use both hands at once, or should I just learn songs I want to. (So far I've done the first page and a half of moonlight sonata) or are there any better methods?

See told you it would be over soon. >.>

Just play bro. [Western] Music is all the same no matter the instrument. So really, and I am assuming you know this, technique is your main conquest here. That being said, learn whatever songs you want (remember, you can only get better when you play; not worse!), but stick with regular finger excersises for practice.

Challenge yourself with both speed and complexity. Start simple with C major scales. Try to play them with one hand as fast as you can, then try with the other hand... and finally attempt to play to C major scale runs with both hands at the same time, as fast as you can.

Work on the same arppeggios you practiced on your guitar. Play them in one position or multiple positions. For example, play the I with your bass hand, the ii with your treble hand and the iii with your bass hand and so on and so forth up to 7th chords and such.

When I had a keyboard, I used to try and learn my guitar riffs, note for note. It is also important not to get intimidated by the piano. The notes are all right in front of you, no need for guessing or counting. Another tip would be to split the keyboard in half. Subconciously, 180 (or however many there are) keys can be a bit much to master at once, so cut the number down. I fear that it is all too easy to bite off more than you can chew with piano and not even ralize it.

I am no expert, but I hope that helps.

Rock on!

Thanks, I've playing with piano on and off informally for a few years now but I wanted to knuckle down and learn properly (classical) in order to make my compositional process faster.

How my plans looking right now is finish learning bachs minuet in G then move onto more bach or mozart building up complexity of the parts for each hand to gain independence, speed and dexterity. Then once I'm pretty nimble I'll move onto chord based works and harder contrapuntal pieces and start working through Chopin and anything else that takes my fancy.

I figured I'd start off with the twiddlier classical stuff and baroque because that's mostly scales and arpeggios with a contrapuntal accompaniment.

*rolls up sleeves*

Go for it! :D

Well, you're a step ahead of me. I never took it that serious. G'luck!

Rock on!

@DanielM

As I like you I am willing to do more then just simple advice. If you give me an email I will give you some tools, and excises that I and many other keyboardists use.

I have several books in a PDF form that will help you get started, and one is personal made to help people with a guitar background make connections to theory of piano. The other is made to help do everything that you want to do, build dexterity and speed while helping to strengthen independence and multitasking of the fingers.

So just send me a PM (Privet Message) with your email.
or just go ahead and email at neomassrasmus@yahoo.com :)

If any of you want some more personal help with piano do feel free to ask.

All i can say to practice is the chromatic scale.Each time you
practice it,start from a different root note.
Then as you feel comfy with playing chromatically
through all keys,start subtracting notes from
the chromatic scale,as to make major,
minor,etc.Then minus notes from your major,minor
scale too make your traids and arpeggios.Hope
that made sense.

\M/(*-+)
gs2112

@Gshredder when playing chromatic scales on piano you only use thumb and two fingers, when playing major minor etc you use 4 fingers and thumb.

Chromatic=2nd finger for accidentals
1st finger for C and F
thumb for the other white keys

Meanwhile most major scales are just fingering wise 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 (5)

I was speaking in a Guitar-to piano thoery sort of way,to get a feel for your crossever theory,I cant give advice on piano technique,i sorta made-up my own.