Hi,

I got a user name some months ago but have never got round to posting much, but have decided to begin as everyone here seems so friendly and keen on their music!

I've decided in the last few months to starting learning the piano (after a break of over five years), have haunted music shops the last few weeks, and am going to Forsyths in Manchester tomorrow to finally buy a digital piano. Very excited. Although I remember that when I was learning as a teenager, I was horribly lazy and weekly practice would consist mainly of a long session the night before the lesson. I think it would be good to aim at an hour or so every day. And once it's started to feel more natural I'll look for a teacher. The other thing is, where do you begin after such a long break? Trying to play old pieces, or learning new ones and of course I suppose a lot of scales and etudes?

Goldfish x

Hi Goldfish86

Have a super time in Forsyths! Hope you enjoy your new piano - I've got a portable digital and I love it. I'm sure you'll find loads of useful advice here, and it's quite entertaining too

Look forward to hearing about your new piano and how you get on

I'd look for a teacher sooner rather than later.
It could help you to get into it more easily if you have more or less set goals to aim at for your lessons and you'll be less likely to fall into bad habits.

Enjoy your return to the piano and welcome aboard the forum.

Don't worry, five years isn't a long break - I had a break of 30 years

I started off playing my old exam pieces, then started pieces on the ABRSM syllabus for the next grade. it was only then that I had enough confidence to approach a teacher. I don't think it would have been a good idea for me to get a teacher straight away, as I would have made far too many mistakes, and my confidence would have been undermined.

Good advice

Mole

PS Welcome to the forums

Thanks for the welcome messages! It's good news that five years is not too long a break.

So I bought a Kawai CA18 digital piano, which is arriving on Thursday! It's hard work choosing pianos and paying for a big purchase - feel quite tired now...

I've just been looking at it on the Kawai web site - nice!

Roll on Thursday!

So I came home from work today, and found the digital piano sitting in my bedroom - how awesome is that! It sounds pretty good in the room, though will spend some time this weekend playing it to break it in, as it were, and see what happens if i play with the settings. Whenever I go past it I have to try it out - let's hope some of that enthusiasm will last

Goldfish xx

Have fun with your new "toy"

- yes that's exactly how it feels!

Hi Goldfish

I would recommend Bach rather than too many etudes. It's so much more enjoyable and I've found it very helpful in regaining technical skill and dexterity.

I restarted almost 2 years ago after a break of over 30 years. I couldn't play anything when I started - not even a scale. I started just practicing scales and arpeggios and then focused on Bach. Initially, all I could manage was Anna Magdalena's Notebook. Next I went on to some of the Little Preludes and then the 2-part inventions. I relearnt some of my favourite romantic pieces that were relatively easy just for light relief and I also learnt some Mozart as a change from Bach. There didn't seem any point in getting a teacher until I had done what I could by myself. I have one now as I had reached a bit of a plateau, but I'm not sure I would have relearnt any faster if I had had one earlier. I still can't play all the pieces I used to be able to play, but I'm making progress slowly.

Have fun with your new piano. You are so much more sensible than I was starting again after only 5 years. I'm sure it won't take you long to get back to playing all the pieces you used to enjoy.
Jenny

Cheers for your reply Jenny
Yes, starting with Bach sounds like the way forward! I've borrowed the second volume of the 48 Preludes and Fugues from the library, and am slowly fudging through the first prelude - borrowing the Hanon on the other hand just didn't really appeal....

I felt the same when I got my new portable digital and it hasn't worn off yet

How are you getting on

I had a 40 year break - needed lots of Hanon to get the fingers moving then started with Bach, got a teacher, who very kindly showed me what I didn't know and after 3 years of lessons am now working up to the 48 of WTC - best three years of my life! Best wishes for your new journey

BachPensioner - that's great it's all come back so well, and I think it's awesome to know that you can always take up the piano again. I used to think I'd missed the boat!

Skylark - the piano is still pretty exciting! I think it sounds very nice in my room Although of course it feels rusty, it's amazing how fingers seem to remember stuff I played ages ago.

Hi there

Haha, share something similar here. My last piano experience was at roughly 8-9 years old, my teacher flew off to Canada and I went into a break of 9 years before going back at it again (I was about 17) ... now I am 21 and still learning... for me, I tried playing something I like, don't go straight into playing the serious stuff if you're not comfortable yet ... find a teacher to do that ... but for a start, warm up by playing a piece you like... gradually get "into the mood" and you will find the experience more joyful