Hi everybody. I thought I would introduce myself. I have been taking piano lessons now for 2months and thoroughly enjoying them. After a lifetime of wishing I have finally taken the plunge after reading all the posts about never being too old. I am now 64!
I am using Carol Barrat's classic piano course for adults which seems OK. Any other suggestions?

TAP

Welcome to the forums.

To clarify the above, we have members AnotherPianist and YetAnotherPianist who have become AP and YAP. Welcome, it's fantastic that you have decided to go for it, far too many people won't even try because they think they're past it (even when they are 25 sometimes). All the best with your progress!:)

Welcome

I like that book you mentioned - I've used it for teenagers and adults - it's straightforward and to the point.

Well done and good luck!!!

welcome to the board, TAP.

Welcome to the Forums!

High there and welcome.
I started playing piano in March 2005, and passed grade 1 in December.
I used the Alfred's adult piano course (which I wouldn't recommend at all) and the Wright's piano tutor which is very good with some interesting tunes.

Once you get to ~ grade 1 standard, the young pianists reportoire by Fanny Waterman has some very good tunes at grades 1-3 standard.

Welcome - I have been learning around 1 year and am similar to youself. I had always envied people who could play the piano and wathced in amazement as someone would play a tune.
My only recommendation, and don't take much store in it as there are much more qualified people on this site who have much more experience than me. My recommendation is to try not to get ahead of yourself and stay on a piece until you learn it properly. Also if I had my last year again I would try to learn pieces properly rahter than memorizing them. In other words learn to sight read now, not in 1 month or 6 months or a year but right now. I am appaling at sight reading and just used my dedication and hard work to learn a piece by finger memory. It really does you no good in the end. It just makes you learn pieces that are too good for you. Anyway good luck and I hope you get as much enjoyment out of it as I have.
Best regards,

Hi TAP

Welcome to the forums, and welcome to the world of adult-learner music-making.

Hope you enjoy your playing, and keep us posted on how you're getting on

Cheers

katyjay

Hello and welcome to the forums TAP Hope you enjoy your stay

Welcome to the forums.
I myself have only been a member for a couple of months but I've found the knowledge and
advice given, to be 1st class.

Welcome to the forums!

Car Expert

Hi

Best of luck with your studies and welcome to the forum.

I don't think I would dare say to my teacher that I felt too old to learn. It would seem plain rude. My teacher has to be in his eighties. He looks ever so frail on his bicycle but he still carries on a very full life as a church organist and, when he plays to me, he plays beautifully. He is a very acute and encouraging teacher. I did once confess that I felt I was better when I was a teenager but he laughed so much I realised how silly I was being for thinking I was too old to make a respectable pianist. I've never really worried about it since.

Yer just a wee young nipper. Yee dinna know nowt!

My uncle has just started jazz piano (70) and I correspond with people on the clarinet forum who are in their eighties and still have to practise.

Why only the piano? There are lots of other instruments to try!

Steve

Yeah, my dad is 70 next year, and is upstairs as we speak practising his clarinet (he restarted a few months ago).

Welcome to the forums, TAP.

Hello TAP,
We're all still learning, in fact, I don't think any of us on here will ever stop learning!

cheers,

Welcome to the formus, TAP. I have three students who are in their sixties - two who started knowing nothing whatever about music and the third who restarted after playing in her youth. They are very rewarding to teach as they are so keen and do their practice regularly, unlike some of my young pupils!

Best of luck with your studies - enjoy yourself!

Hi TAP - welcome from a nearly ancient pianist (started in my 50s, just passed grade 5) - I think we older starters can benefit greatly from this forum, with so much encouragement to keep going if things get tough !

Jen

How long did it take you to get to Grade 5?

P.S. I don't mean to be rude or ask your age, it's just that, I started in my early fifties and am curious
as to how often we musicians should be going up a grade.

OP: although it's interesting to know how other people progress, don't worry about it too much, because different people will progress at different speeds - some people will get to G5 at lightning speed, others will take much longer. As long as you are putting in regular focused practice then you should be fine and should progress

You're not rude!! It's taken me almost exactly five years from scratch (I'm 56 now and started at 51) - I taught myself for the first 2.5 years, but have had regular weekly lessons since then.


Sarah's right of course, but I must admit I do have in my mind this 'one grade per year' standard that we keep hearing about - I suppose I feel that if I can keep up with this, I'm doing ok (not rational, but then, I can be very irrational at times !)

*grins*

It's nice to have an aim in mind - as long as you don't beat yourself up if it doesn't turn out that way!