Hi. I'm Qass, 18 year old business major. I'm new to playing Piano but not to listening to it. I've always had this love for classical piano pieces. I started listening to Beethoven's sonatas when I was 10. I have never had the chance to learn music, mainly because of financial difficulties . It's been pretty sad for me, but lately I decided that I'm able to devote a reasonable share of my time to piano. I decided to learn on my own since I can't afford to have private toturing. However, I do believe that I won't be able to make it without someone's guideness at some point. I need advice regarding some difficulties I've had so far. It's been two weeks since I learned how to read music sheets and right now I can play two short pieces: Wedding March and Vivaldi's Spring, I tryed to play Fur Elise, I can play both the right and the left hand notes of Fur Elise, but seperatley. For some resaon, I lose the beat when I try to play them together. Moreover, I've noticed that I play the wrong way; I read the music first, figure out which keys and when, and then play it relying only on my memory. I don't play well if I'm trying to read and play at the same time. I've also noticed that I'm developing bad habits, like improper fingering. I've been through some depression lately wondering how far I can actually go. Is there any chance that I will sit to my piano one day, and play Appassionata perfectly?

Any help is extremely appreciated

-- Hammam Qassim (Hammam.Qassim@colorado.edu), March 16, 2002

Answers

Hi, You will have a great deal of difficulty learning to play the kind of music you want to play without a teacher. There is just too much about all of it to learn on your own, too much history, too much technique to learn. If you are already in college, I bet you can add one credit hour to your schedule and take lessons at your school. And if you practice, you will get an A and raise your GPA and help all your scholarship money. There, that gives you financial incentive to get a teacher. You really really need one. If you just want to play "Heart and Soul", you can learn on your own, but if you want to play Beethoven, you need a teacher. Good luck, and check it out.

-- Mary Jo (mjlewis@magiccablepc.com), March 17, 2002.

Hello, Don't get discouraged, you wont die in 1 year, you have all the time you need to learn what you must. You can read music, you can play. Not the appassionata right now, of course but if you feel you have the talent, you will. One of my friends started piano 2 years ago and he is now playing on the same level than I do (Alla turca, Pathetique Sonata, Hungarian dance from Brahms) and I started piano 11 years ago... In two years you can make a giant leap if you take small steps. Concentrate on playing what you play PERFECTLY even if it is extremely slow, speed will come by itself, but don't try to play quickly too fast, because you won't be able to do it and will get discouraged. Take small steps everyday. And if you don't have a piano (or a hammer effect keyboard) get one, even if it is used, it is a must. Trying to play even fuer elise on a small keyboard will not do the job. Good luck.

-- Olivier Cyr (soran94@hotmail.com), March 21, 2002.