Members honeyiscool Posted February 25, 2013 Members Share Posted February 25, 2013 By the time I was 10, I had been playing classical piano for five years. That means, at the age of 10, I knew: 1. How to read music very well (couldn't quite sightread yet, but close). 2. How to rattle off all the sharps and flats in various key signatures, without any effort. 3. How to play major, harmonic minor, and melodic minor scales in 12 different key signatures, four octaves up and down. 4. How to play Bach and Mozart and could identify some things that made them uniquely who they are. 5. How to keep two or more distinct melodies going on at the same time. This is all simple stuff for a classical background, and all this despite never studying anything beyond just playing the music in front of me. I would never say that piano is the best instrument in the world because I prefer guitar, after all. However, I gained all this theoretical knowledge despite never studying it... because that's all classical piano is. Just in the process of learning how to play the music in front of you, you become theoretically proficient. Can't really say that about guitar because I know many dudes who've been playing dozens of years, and how many of them can tell you that B major has five sharps? That's why I'm going to give my kids piano lessons and they can pick up guitar when they're 12. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BydoEmpire Posted February 25, 2013 Members Share Posted February 25, 2013 I wish I hadn't quit piano lessons when I was younger, I wouldn't have had to learn all that stuff so late. That said, I'm going to let my kid explore whatever instrument(s) he likes. Piano is a great foundation, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jpnyc Posted February 25, 2013 Members Share Posted February 25, 2013 It always amazes me the depth of knowledge some kids get from music teachers. My sister had at least five years of piano, practiced her ass off, and I don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TIMKEYS Posted February 25, 2013 Members Share Posted February 25, 2013 I think organ lessons are a little better. Typically there is a little more focus put on chords, rather than just playing the notes on sheet music. I took both piano and organ, and the organ lessons seemed to be more useful in rock and roll. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kayd_mon Posted February 25, 2013 Members Share Posted February 25, 2013 Piano wad technically my first instrument, but I never enjoyed it very much. I wanted to play the guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members billybilly Posted February 26, 2013 Members Share Posted February 26, 2013 I'll take it a step further and say that you are lucky to learn any instrument at a young age as your brain is like a sponge, taking it all in. It's incredibly more difficult to develop your musicality when you are older. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Guitzilla Posted February 26, 2013 Members Share Posted February 26, 2013 Once I started learning keyboards, all of the theory that I had learned to that point gelled. I would suggest every guitarist to pick up a keyboard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members photon9 Posted February 26, 2013 Members Share Posted February 26, 2013 I'm so glad I started on piano, then bass, then guitar. I got theory and rhythm. Makes me doubly better than the average hack guitarist! Sarcasm lol! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.