https://www.amazon.com/Hanon-Virtuoso-Exercises-Complete-Schirmers/dp/0793525446
This is a warmup book I have used for 10 years and I love it with all my heart. Although it doesn’t have any impressive technique or pieces, your keystriking and fluency while playing will improve if you do these warmups every day.
My two cents as a lapsed classical pianist: If you want to go old school and learn to read music a bit too, struggle your way through the Hanon exercises for piano, specifically the scales and octave scale progression through all keys.
It is boring, dry stuff. But I will be damned if I don't still remember every scale once I start off on the right note, even if I don't remember any of the classical pieces themselves. Because of that bastard Hanon and his exercises.
Flash cards can help too or write all your scales, chords, appregios on papers and draw them randomly. Then play whatever you draw. I find learning them in sequence is a crutch. I know them by order but if you randomly asked me what's sharp/flat in any given key I would struggle to provide consistently strong answers. I could easily say G major has F# but like to hell if I know what Bb major is. I could play Bb major but I can't tell you how lol. Random on the spot tests help with that I think.
I’m the same way. Write and throw right handed but bat lefty. There’s a book you can get from Amazon called Stick Control. I can’t recommend it enough. It starts off basic and increases in difficulty. It will help with sticking.
Stick Control: For the Snare Drummer https://www.amazon.com/dp/1892764040/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_HH15Y35PKH9KNWERJ19Y
NTA. Though if you want to learn piano and can’t afford a teacher, may I recommend this book: Alfred's Basic Adult All-in-One Course: Lesson, Theory, Technic (Alfred's Basic Adult Piano Course) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0739082426/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glc_fabc_6EDaGb1FCYAHR
My high school used it in their piano classes, and I’ve used it as an adult to practice. While an actual teacher would be preferable, I think this is a pretty good book. It focuses a lot, especially in the early chapters, about posture and finger position so you can learn good habits.
Thanks!
I like this reference book, although it is technical. It's a ton to work through but manageable if you only do the ones up to your level. So if you start at level 1 (page 24), then practice daily until you feel like you could do it in your sleep.
I have it taped to my copy of the book and go through the list daily. I'm currently practicing the level 4 technical curriculum. That makes only 3 level progressions of technicals in a year. It takes longer than you think to be proficient.
If you’re three months into piano, and especially if you’re teaching yourself, I’d recommend Hanon.. Of course, keep doing what you’re doing because it’s amazing. Hanon really helps strengthen your fingers.
Good job, especially for three months. :)
I started out by the electronics chapter in "The Guitar Handbook" - maybe it's on Amazon Kindle now, I don't know - they have an entire chapter on the basic circuits of what's inside an electric guitar and how they work. I found it not too difficult to take what I learned there and start studying various wiring diagrams for other guitars online and learn how they work.
Just a footnote - the old blue cover version I have on paperback - the first diagram for the single humbucker guitar shown at the start of the chapter has proper left-handed wiring, I got a crash course in left and right-handed wiring when I wired my first guitar using that as a guide.
Here's the Book - https://www.amazon.com/Guitar-Handbook-Ralph-Denyer/dp/0679742751/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1471535240&sr=8-1&keywords=the+guitar+handbook
Also...this has a ton of other info in it as well...chords, scales, repair...its a great all around book I would advise any player to get. You will reference it many times.
Alfred Scales and Arpeggios and Cadences
The Complete Book of Scales, Chords, Arpeggios & Cadences: Includes All the Major, Minor (Natural, Harmonic, Melodic) & Chromatic Scales -- Plus Additional Instructions on Music Fundamentals https://www.amazon.com/dp/0739003682/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Q3PxFbA8HRKJS
Ukulele aerobics. This book has challenged me and helped me break out of the same intermediate level plateau you described. I highly recommend it.
I've been setting up my own instruments for 25+ years.
<em>The Guitar Handbook</em> by Ralph Denyer is the book that got me started.
I was in your position six years ago. Restarted through jumping straight in and playing songs but I really should've picked up this book instead to work through.
Order that book and work your way through it before you do anything else.
There are a number of uses for scales:
If you get a classical scale book like this, you'll spend time playing contrary motion, 3rds/6ths apart, etc. If you get more of a jazz scale book like this, you'll work more on applying scales to different patterns that will help you in improvisation.
Using the RCM and ABRSM technical requirements is a good start. I personally use RCM. Also there are "complete series" books like this (link below) that I use.
But honestly more than just doing as many exercises as you can, it's the quality of how you do them. Not rushing through techincal exercises or forcing your way through. Making sure you're relaxed at all times and having a goal in mind.
Even if you just do an octave scale you could be focus in on so many different aspects of it.
-volume and dynamics.
-consistency (in equal timing and volume).
-Phrasing (staccato, legato, etc).
-Increasing speed (gradually).
-Crossing technique.
-Articulations on certain notes.
Honing in on such levels of detail and practicing each aspect of just one scale I think is so much more helpful than just blazing through 10 different exercises (and not perfecting or doing any of them exceptionally well)
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Videos are great but for something as complex as this, maybe you need a video series. I haven't found a good one yet . I did find a book that teaches caged in depth which is a good way to navigate the fretboard and scales. Finally got my answers from here. The book is called fretboard logic. I'd recommend getting both volumes. I'm still working through them. There's so much content and all of it relevant to understanding the fretboard.
https://www.amazon.com/Fretboard-Logic-SE-Reasoning-Arpeggios/dp/0962477060
Definitely this! I'm trying to teach myself keyboard!
Plus, this is a must-have for any aspiring guitarist. ESPECIALLY if you want to learn theory AND work on your instruments:
https://www.amazon.com/Guitar-Handbook-Professional-Acoustic-Electrice/dp/0679742751
Read it cover-to-cover and you'll be AMAZED at the landscape laid in front of you.
After that, I just picked songs I loved that seemed IMPOSSIBLE. I forced myself to do the research to learn how to play them start-to-finish. They'll take you down roads you initially may have been too timid/unsure to tread. It's a slow an arduous process. But you'll come out the other side a much better player :)
Just this morning I realized the perfect challenge for me: Eric Johnson's "Song for George." I've been tackling Adam Young/Sky Sailing's first album for a long time which has FORCED me into the world of alternate tunings. FAR more than I would have ever wanted to go (avoided them for 20 years). But I'm getting comfortable with them now (working a lot in open Dsus4 and Dmaj9) and this morning I realized "Song for George" was likely based on a low D and his intro/outro would reveal the tuning itself. Sure enough! (All Ds and As, easy peasy!). It's a fingerpicking monster (EJ, go fig). But DaddyStovePipe on YT and Sky Sailing have forced me to up my (finger)picking game. I think I'm ready to tackle a song I've been in awe of for 30 years...
There's no easy answer. Plateaus are a BITCH. Knuckle down - find what stirs your soul and go for it. Put the work in. No other way. All the best!
the complete book of chords, cadences and arpeggios I know it’s not exactly what you’re asking for, but it’s a much better choice considering you can Google the answers to the other book. I always recommend it. I hope it helps.
The cadence patterns that are in this book are the absolute bedrock and you'll see these everywhere. But at someone it'll just be an issue of practicing through each inversion of every given chord type and getting comfortable at wrapping your hands around them.
Tu peux t'acheter une méthode de ce genre. Tu peux trouver les enregistrements sur Youtube. Mais un prof c'est vachement nécessaire même si c'est que une fois par mois.
A beginner's guide is still worthwhile as it will cover many of the physical aspects of piano, such as your body posture, hand posture, how far to sit from the keyboard, how to accomplish legato, etc. This stuff may seem obvious but is actually a huge part of learning to play piano, and knowing another instrument and music theory isn't going to help you with it at all. It will also introduce you to music that is at your level so you can practice the piano-specific physical skills like hand independence & coordination.
All that being said, I have this book to learn scales, chords, and arpeggios: https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Scales-Chords-Arpeggios-Cadences/dp/0739003682
William Leavitt’s Reading Studies for Guitar: Positions One Through Seven and Multi-Position Studies in All Keys was developed for us along with the Modern Method.
If you're looking for something formal, and you have the discipline to set up a routine, get yourself a copy of Fretboard Logic. It won't teach you how to play songs -- it will help you master your instrument.
Alors j'ai commencé à faire de la musique tard aussi et j'étais une buse totale. Impossible de chanter juste, impossible de détecter une fausse note etc. Bref je partais vraiment de très loin.
J'ai tenté pas mal de trucs pour apprendre et au final le truc qui a vraiment marché c'est d'apprendre le piano, la théorie musicale, et de prendre des cours de composition et improvisation.
La théorie musicale tu peux faire sans mais ça va te prendre beaucoup plus de temps, donc franchement autant apprendre. Perso je suis pas un génie surtout musicalement donc j'ai foncé dedans tête baissée.
Ça fait 2 ans que j'en fait (commencé avec le COVID) et franchement on progresse vite.
En même temps j'apprend la production sur Ableton, mais c'est secondaire. Ableton te transforme pas en musicien alors que le piano oui. Je pense que si tu veux composer il te faut un piano de toute façon (le Roland FP10 est top et très abordable).
Bonus, quand tu apprends un instrument ton oreille s'améliore et tu apprends à chanter juste sans aucun effort conscient pour ça.
Du coup j'ai finit quelques morceaux en électronique sur Ableton, certains en "collab" avec ma femme et certains tout seul, c'est pas du Mozart mais j'en suis très fier.
Bref, achète toi un piano électrique, met toi une alarme tout les jours pour en faire 10 minutes par jour, apprend des gammes, apprend un peu de théorie musicale, et trouve un prof de composition. Dans 2 ans tu me remercieras.
Et niveau bouquins pour le piano, yen a un seul que tu dois obligatoirement acheter, Celui la
Hésite pas si tu as des questions
Ce bouquin est génial, pour les débutants comme pour les confirmés : https://www.amazon.fr/Guitar-Handbook-Professional-Acoustic-Electrice/dp/0679742751
En dehors de ça, youtube pour choper les bases, ne pas chercher à brûler les étapes, quelques exercices, et surtout se faire plaisir !
Bon courage :)
I see you've had plenty of responses, but I'd like to suggest this book: The guitar handbook, by Ralph Denyer. That book covers so many aspects of guitar and music theory. It is geared towards beginners as well as more advanced guitarists/musicians. The author has an extremely clear and well-constructed approach to explaining theory. Highly highly recommended.
You might take a look at the Complete Book of Scales, Chords, Arpeggios, and Cadences and see what you think of it. I include the Amazon link specifically because it lets you view sample pages, so you'd have a better idea of what you were getting.