# new and nervous to piano playing



## SarahNorthman

Hello there! I am new here, I am also going to be very new to piano playing. I am not new to playing instruments in general. I did play the flute for years. Though in am just getting back into reading sheet music. I am ashamed to admit that I have largely neglected music since high school. As a result I find I am pretty nervous (though still very excited) getting back into it all. So any advice on the playing the piano would be much appreciated.

Thanks much!

Sarah,


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## Krummhorn

Get thyself a teacher/tutor. Although some people claim to have been 'self taught', they have missed out on all the technique and poise of playing the piano. Playing the piano is much more than just reading the notes ... music has to come from the heart and soul of the player. 

The teacher/tutor will be able to quickly assess your playing abilities and will then create a study plan just for you. After that comes practice, more practice, even more practice ... and then after that ... practice some more. 

Please don't try to learn on your own - mistakes made early on will be next to impossible to change in later years. A teacher/tutor will make sure those things don't happen. 

I had 14 years of keyboard instruction: 6 years private piano, 6 years private organ, 2 years pipe organ at the university level, and 53+ years of playing experience as a professional classical organist.


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## SarahNorthman

Krummhorn said:


> Get thyself a teacher/tutor. Although some people claim to have been 'self taught', they have missed out on all the technique and poise of playing the piano. Playing the piano is much more than just reading the notes ... music has to come from the heart and soul of the player.
> 
> The teacher/tutor will be able to quickly assess your playing abilities and will then create a study plan just for you. After that comes practice, more practice, even more practice ... and then after that ... practice some more.
> 
> Please don't try to learn on your own - mistakes made early on will be next to impossible to change in later years. A teacher/tutor will make sure those things don't happen.
> 
> I had 14 years of keyboard instruction: 6 years private piano, 6 years private organ, 2 years pipe organ at the university level, and 53+ years of playing experience as a professional classical organist.


Wow. I am impressed by your credentials. I definitely have no intentions of teaching myself. I don't trust myself as far as I could throw myself with it! I really want to become great at it. I have high expectations for myself with it and I definitely want to challenge myself. Definitely I want to become good enough to play some very challenging pieces. As far as the piano is concerned, where do you believe it rates on the scale difficulty wise? Or is that more of a personal opinion?


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## Krummhorn

SarahNorthman said:


> . . . As far as the piano is concerned, where do you believe it rates on the scale difficulty wise? Or is that more of a personal opinion?


It's only as difficult or as easy as the musician makes it, depending on the amount of (or lack of) interest they put into it, and how dedicated they are or want to be to the instrument being learned.

I have not learned everything yet ... the day that I cease learning is the day I keel over in my spaghetti dinner at home. I will never "master" the pipe organ ... but I do think I play quite well ... 32 years in my present church position along with several out of town ventures accompanying choirs and an annual Messiah performance.

It's never too late to begin anew. I once had a new organ student who was age 56 - she got along nicely and was able to substitute for me once in a while.


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## SarahNorthman

I am a firm believer in practicing every day. I know a lot of people believe that because they had their lesson they are good for the week.


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