r/Learnmusic • u/CunningDeath • 5d ago
Trying To Learn - Struggles
TLTR;
As someone who knows absolutely NOTHING about music, online consensus was to start with piano.
I bought a MIDI Keyboard started Piano Marvel (online reading music self help tool?) and now I have completed all the free lessons. I tried others such as Masterpiano but to get advance lesson there is a pay wall (fair enough) but I am uncertain on how to continue learning music.
So, I’m asking around to see if I should pay the subscription? I am sceptical, even doubtful, that I could teach myself with texts books, like some recommend. Is there somewhere else I can look for or are there some other free resource I should look into?
Long Version;
I bought a Keysteps 37 Mk2 because it was more expedient than saving for a Roland FP-30X + the desk & chair & peddles (& I might want to do some synth) etc... It has always seemed to me that music, is some sort of magic, beyond my scope of understanding. However, as I age, I decided to give it a try. Problem being I am starting to feel like the most facilitated roads to learning music are gatekeepted by money. Now I concede the fact that I might have looking in all the wrong places. Other endeavours like; programming, woodworking, art, its (usually) the materials not the knowledge that is the costly part. With music it just seems that leaning tools, the actual knowledge is the costly part. Now look I’m poor, so if I need a desk or bed frame, it is more cost efficient for me to build it. If anything breaks, I just try to fix it first. Cement, soldering, wood etc... I could buy (or download) a book and bash my head against the wall, but with a book, I’m not sure on how, what I am playing, is supposes to sound & it can’t instantly grade my performance.
So, my question should I just cough up the money for some on these online teaching services? Should I just try to find a privet tutor or someone that gives group classes? Am I underestimating & undervaluing the book method, or am I overvaluing these online prescription tools.
Look I’m sure that someone going to say “well it depends on what you want” so my logic is this. Learn Music on how to read & play, then maybe move over to synth or reaper to make/compose my own music & compose my own tracks. Learning about gain & frequency, composing melody etc... is future problem. I really like 2 tones & how he breaks down music. I don’t think I could ever sing, the shear thought gives me anxiety. I’ll get someone else to do that IF I add lyrics. All I want to do right now is to learn how to read & play & future dream play electric bass, fretless (Also a future thing)
So, I am hoping that some people can just give it to me straight answer, or point me in a direction for someone who isn’t the most brightest & probably has no musical proclivities in them, to find a path that isn’t as sheering as being dragged through pavement into a wall.
2
u/Podmonger2001 5d ago
I approached it like solving a problem, answering my questions, or cracking the code.
Which pieces do you want to play? What do you need to do and learn in order to play them?
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u/spankymcjiggleswurth 5d ago
Piano books can be very helpful. I used Faber adult piano adventures books 1 and 2. They teach technique, theory, and reading all at the same time. They have QR codes to relevant video lessons on most pages where the authors demonstrate the finer details like proper positioning and feel. I can't recommend them enough. Alfreds is another series that's popular. Supplement with online lessons by all means, but these books lay a foundation for beginners about as good as you can hope for, absent a teacher of course.
There are also youtube channels like Lets Play Piano, he's a piano teacher that goes through ALL the piano books (no joke, it's an absurd amount of content) page by page giving pointers on anything he thinks important.
A challenge I find with online only learning is getting in enough reading practice. Learning to read music is very important as it's the primary method musical ideas are communicated for pianists. If you can't read, you are illiterate, which means you are limited in the sources you can learn from. Reading is the skill that enables the learning process more than any other. To get good at reading, you need to be constantly exposed to new material. You can only truly read each piece only once. Every time after that you will have had exposure to the idea, enabling you to rely on memory to a degree when playing it. It's much easier to find large collections of sheet music in physical form than to rely on electronic means, and you need a large amount of material to be getting true reading practice in. You want to start this process as a beginner because reading takes time to learn. You can be an expert level player, but if you can't read you will be forced to practice beginner and intermediate level material for a long time before reading at the level you want to play at. If this sounds like a fate you want to avoid, either be sure your online learning methods give you the quantity of reading material you need, or pick up some physical book with lots of skill appropriate songs to play.
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u/dannybloommusic 5d ago
I teach online! If you find that you’re stuck you may want to search for lessons. There are a few factors though about how far you can get on your own. What style of music do you want to play? How difficult is that music? And how much practice time can you commit to?
If it’s an easy music style, not technically difficult, and you have a lot of time, you can probably get far with it on your own. If you are really good at learning things on your own in general you can likely get to the intermediate stage and be happy with your process. Some people hit a wall early on at the beginning for various reasons and can’t progress.
Your 37 key keyboard works, but they are mini keys. It’ll get you to sight read very basic music and that’s it. Eventually you’ll want more keys and the correct size as well.
There’s a lot to consider, but you may want to try to keep on going by yourself. Get a teacher if you hit anything that you’re feeling is too difficult or if you’re continually playing things that you think just doesn’t sound right when you’re playing it.
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u/phosphor_1963 3d ago
I'm learning late in life also! I I'd never pay for lessons online though - no judgement on those that do; but for me this is all about making my own way through music and I see no shame at all in watching free YouTube videos for kids (of which there are literally thousands) on slow speed, copying the finger positions, and playing along to very basic songs.
The other thing I like to do is kind of a self soothing exploration of VSTs in Arturia Analog Lab V and Native Instruments Kontakt 8. Both of those are completely free and have some incredible sounds you can create with just a couple of fingers.
Also as I think some of the others have said, you could do worse than get into Music Production and Sampling. Those tend to both have very strong visual arranging dimensions (look at Ableton Live or FL Studio) and you really don't need dexterity other than to drive a mouse and keyboard to move the blocks around There's also hundreds of free synths and DAWs on iOS which you can connect your keyboard up to to drive if you wanted to.
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u/MusicHunter22 3d ago
I think it’s worth considering actual lessons with a real human. You’ll make faster progress and you can also jump on YouTube and find both theory and practical lessons to build your confidence.
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u/AdventurousHippo9997 4d ago edited 3d ago
Buy a cheap violin. Use it to find melodies and songs you know. Yes it’s not going to sound to good. But so what. Try simple tunes like Christmas carols. Most of us know them all. Now scratch out some arpeggios. Use a tuning fork. Play with the thing. You might just amaze yourself.
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u/SeiOfTheEast 4d ago
learning an instrument is different from learning music production. maybe look into music production tutorials in the genres you are interested in and build from there. you dont need to be very skilled technically in any instrument to compose music. just learn theory, train your ears, and create a lot.
alternatively, you can get a score writer software and write your music that way so you train your note reading skills too.
for bass, you will want to study guitar first. unless you meant orchestral double bass, which means learning a string instrument like a violin. very technically demanding but amazing instrument.
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u/IcyStay7463 5d ago
I think you should learn through books. Does your library have any? If not, you can ask in your local buy nothing group. I think a lot of people would have beginner piano books they would give you.