One Year of Piano Progress | Pianist Reacts

[@777WOY]

Thank you for showing this video. I'm 54 I had a piano teacher when I was a teenager. My biggest problem was lack of discipline practicing daily. I still have a desire to play the piano. This video encouraged me to use the pedal that I do have for my electric piano. And just not to give up in general. Thanks again:-)

[@matticawood]

No problem, I’m glad you found it helpful! Little and often is the best way to go…try not to do too much at once, a couple of minutes of working on something you couldn’t do before is all you need when you don’t feel like sitting down at the piano 😊

[@frankwilson3265]

Very important point mentioned here. No other skill when learning either piano / keyboard is more important than to disassociate visually from what your hands are doing on the keys. Playing 'blind' forces the brain to develop muscle memory, and this is key to easily finding intervals as you play. The problem here is that until someone learning becomes aware of this and begins to rely on it, they default to hand-eye co-ordination rather than the hand-brain co-ordination necessary to play an instrument. Keyboard instruments have this 'flaw' inherently, and it is less of a problem with string instruments such as guitar, and completely absent in brass instruments, such as trumpet. Without reading music while playing, the eyes naturally fall on the hands, reinforcing playing as a skill requiring visual reliance, when that should be disassociated in favour of a far better and quicker skill of playing by muscle memory 90% of the time. Otherwise the outcome is playing which amounts to slowly plodding around the keys rather than music, ad infinitum. Even someone learning to play 'by ear' would be well advised to look at a dot on the wall while learning, otherwise the brain will always rely on hand-eye co-ordination rather than building up muscle memory, which is massively more speedy once the skill is learned. People already ahev something that they can relate this principle to: A touch typist will always type at least twice as fast as someone who has learned while watching their hands, and can read what they're typing too. Same basic concepts apply to playing piano and reading music. Playing/learning without music in front of you, or not keeping your eyes on it as much as possible, first causes then later compounds this issue.

[@emmyreimmy]

My piano teacher always told me to not look at my hands cause they are not going anywhere. I think I understand why he was saying that now😅

[@Greatscott24]

I only look at my hands because I don't know what the f*** they are doing. 😂

[@frankwilson3265]

@@Greatscott24 There's the paradox. If you look at them, then they'll never learn what to do without you looking at them xxx

[@Greatscott24]

@frankwilson3265 I get it. As a hockey player, it's the same thing with stick handling. Looking down takes your eyes off of the game, but it's hard to look up and move the puck around until you get very comfortable.

[@thepianoplayer416]

When I started over a decade ago, there was a price difference between an 88-keyboard with weighted keys and a portable 61 or 49 so got myself a 61 before the upgrade. Today the price difference would be negligible. Personally I've seen students who struggled to read an easy piece quit music after a year. Many teachers prefer students start reading from day 1. We also have to admit not all students are naturally good at reading. This is why some prefer the Suzuki approach of teaching students to play by ear for Y1 before introducing notations. Many teachers tend to focus on getting students to be good at reading. On the other hand, ear training is also important. Students need to be good at both. In the beginning someone like myself tend to be better at 1 than the other. If you allow students who are not good readers to learn a few songs by ear while developing their reading skills, I'm sure many people who are poor readers would still be playing years later. There is a debate whether a student should learn pieces above his level than work on easier pieces first. Not all are inclined to start with "Mary Had a Little Lamb", then "Minuet in G", Bach Prelude in C from easy pieces up. Learning a hard piece means you set the bar higher what you can achieve. It's a personal achievement just learning the notes even without the nuances like dynamics, phrasing, etc. In the future learning a similar piece would be easier.

[@thewrongaccount608]

I'm learning a lot just by watching your critique of the videos.

[@BibethSharma]

I am 43 and playing 1 hour everyday ........................... I am learning the notations................. I am loving the learning moments. I know someday I will be able to play the piano and I am going to miss the learning sessions.

[@axel3689]

That's never going to happen even expert pianists say they keep learning

[@jaybee4288]

I’ve been watching a lot of “one year progress” videos. I think most of them are fake. This guys progress was feasible. But what I’m really looking to see is Alfred’s book one, alpine melody etc. The earliest Hanon exercises etc. Those are the progress videos I love, not just because they’re more authentic but also it feels they’re learning skills rather than pieces. A lot of these videos learn pieces they want to play and move on quickly without ever mastering it because they can’t, it’s too advanced for them. If I wanted to play Vanessa Carlton I wouldn’t be happy with his version and I’d end up coming back to it sometime later when I was able to play it fully, so I find it a waste of time when could have been learning a grade one/two piece. It’s better not to rush, and take on things once you’re able to do them well. The tried and tested beginner paths are the best way to learn the piano. If you only want to learn particular pieces then this approach is okay but slower progress but with better technique is best for the long term.

[@DougMcDave]

I am a clarinet player who wants to learn piano to write original songs. I have had a 61 key Casio, but I have upgraded to a Roland FP30 (88 weighted keys with simulated hammer feel). I made sure to add a stand and three pedals and adjustable bench the same day. Clarinet demands and a busy schedule have slowed my piano progress, but I am getting back into the swing of it.

[@madhatterentmt6146]

selft taught musician here glad i found your channel i play many instruments always fascinated by piano decided to buy a keyboard after seeing this video glad i got the 88 key with the sustain pedal

[@stevesm2010]

What I like about your reaction videos is, as a total beginner, it's pointing out pitfalls not to fall into like not having a pedal. I'm very lucky in that I have a brand new Roland FP-30x to start on and I have a pedal for it. I do intend to use a book for learning but I'm going to supplement that with my own note spotting, scales and time learning. Although I'm not in a rush, I do look forward to being able to play something to my own perfectionist standard LOL

[@dfpolitowski2]

I'm thinking, this guy in the video has an above average talent or he's training himself just right for the best way his brain works. Maybe he was a piano prodigy that never picked up the piano until into his thirty's. Undiscovered, untapped until now. Perhaps, there are a lot of superstars out there in the world in all disciplines untapped, undiscovered. I mean undiscovered by themselves.

[@jaybee4288]

I don’t want to knock his progress at all but he’s far from a prodigy. I think the current trend a lot of people teach themselves piano is from apps or videos picking grade 5 pieces right out of the gate and managing to stumble through them before moving onto another eventually gaining skill. But they don’t learn the fundamentals you’re supposed to learn as you work your way through the grades. Basically he spends more time on a piece that is too hard for him than less time on pieces he can perfect in a short period. Isn’t really up to me to say it’s wrong but definitely not a prodigy, more an efficient way of making a good video. He’s learning pieces not the piano.

[@Joshsclips]

Could also be fake, like many progress videos. Not saying it is, but yanno… worth mentioning

[@JoaoPedro-gt9qq]

Are you kidding? Personal anecdote: it took me a month to learn Bach's minuet in G minor, and before that I must have only had a few keyboard lessons as a child. One day I just picked up an old keyboard and learned everything practically from scratch. My wife nearly went mad listening to me repeat the same phrases every day until I got it. A few months later I started taking lessons and was already playing the first piece from Schumann's Kinderzennen. Then came the pandemic, children, some personal issues and I never played again. I only say that because I consider myself to be pretty average, I also started in my mid-thirties and I can tell you that anyone can make much more progress than the guy in the video if they want to learn and seek out a teacher to correct their mistakes right from the start. You don't have to be a prodigy.

[@lshwadchuck5643]

You didn't mention the fact that even with the new piano he's got it sitting so far fom him that his arms are stretched out straight. I think I saw this laundry room beginner a while back. The thing that changed my journey after self-teaching for two years was seeing a choir accompanist play incredibly rhythmically and read music, flipping pages all the while. I got a coach. That was four years ago. My goal is rhythmic and keyboard fluency so I can play from lead sheets, improvising the accompaniment. So many adult beginners are content brute-forcing complex pieces to impress people. My coach's goal for me is that I become addicted to how good playing feels.

[@chironchiron5053]

Im thirteen and I’m rcm lvl 10. Beautiful video, agreed with all honesty.

[@matticawood]

Nice work! I’m glad you enjoyed the video 😊

[@welshwizard55]

Nice commentary, I don't wish to take exams I play for my enjoyment I took piano lessons for one year and gave it up at 12, I picked up a guitar and never looked back, 50 years later at 62 I decided to go back to the piano(mainly because I have left hand problems). I then decided to get a tutor , also changed from a keyboard to a decent electric piano(Roland HP704) I'm nearly 69 now and enjoy playing every single day, I'm starting to play grade 5 music, so it's been slow progress, I think this is down to my age and slower hand eye co-ordination. Given that thoroughly enjoy playing.

[@sillyflippy]

Cool channel!! I'm starting the 1st of three piano classes at school in two weeks. I've never played an instrument before so I'm nervous but I have lots of time to practice.

[@bh5606]

He is doing a lot better than me.

[@deana9550]

That's a Yamaha EZ 300 & the keys light up for the songs in it's memory.

[@DianaT-ph6iz]

Day Four - Fur Elise. LOL Yeah...

[@classicallpvault]

It is possible to learn it as your first piece, entirely, if you already know how to read music notation and focus on the right practice routine. There's even an elaborate guide on how to learn it as your first piece. No idea where it was - it was on a website by a Taiwanese engineer and high level amateur pianist who wrote a summary of piano practice routine. Came across it on the PianoStreet forums a decade or so ago. His approach was actually useful even to me, an advanced amateur (albeit with sloppy practice habits)

[@katttttt]

Nah you can play the first let's say 15 notes of Für Elise because I highly doubt he had learned the whole thing or much more than what is shown in the video

[@AlguienEnSuCasa]

When I was 9 years old, my first piece was Fur Elise, and will for sure by my first piece again, after 20 years without playing piano, I find this song to be pretty easy to touch, because left hand is easy most of the time

[@Jkcgws]

Idk but i taught my self a bit of für Elise by ear and I'm not a professional but not the full thing just a small bit lol

[@secularteejay]

Is that Shure SM7B recording what the piano is playing? Or are you recording what the piano is playing through a computer? I ask this because when I record my journey, I need to know how to record inside the computer. Reason being, is that I will be using headphones to hear the piano so obviously nothing will be heard if mic'd. The option to mic is there, but I want to mic as a last resort.

[@hippophile]

I think he showed good rhythm from early on. And it starts to be really useful when he goes for the Mozart...

[@cristibaluta]

I have a piano for few months but didn't had discipline to learn and I was also away from home half the time, so i'm starting now, but i'm not attempting fur ellise or any other song till i don't know the notes on the piano and on the sheet lol.

[@matticawood]

You can do it! Small steps and you will be great in no time. Commit to learning for a month or two and let me know how much progress you’ve made 😊

[@greenamogus]

xd

[@hippophile]

I don't even like Fuer Elise. I haven't learned it. Something like Schumann's "Album for the Young" contains a lot of pieces, both easier and harder than FE, and more interesting IMO. I am intermediate, but I use it for sight reading practice. One book and 60 odd short pieces, it's really useful!

[@djroskedjroske]

Did anyone notice the learner video is mirrored?

[@GariotsPianoJourney]

Im on the older side too and decided to finally learn an instrument. Since i loose interest and motivation quick, i really like these kind of videos! :) And it maybe also helps that i decided to document a lot what id do to look back one day and can say "damn, man, you are still bad" lol

[@JoaoPedro-gt9qq]

Did he have lessons with a teacher? He looks tense as hell. One thing I fortunately learned in the first few weeks is to keep a relaxed posture.

[@SidmanJam]

Just started playing the keyboard a week ago the first song I'm learning is the Entertainer. Yes, i know i should pick an easy song but that's the song i want to learn lol and moonlight sonata the 1st movement

[@M_SC]

Go right ahead with your hard pieces! Absolutely. No harm there. but also, also, follow a progressive method with the super easy things, read the instructions very carefully and follow them strictly, they teach things you don’t even know you’re learning. Eventually you will catch up to the harder songs that you like and are the reason to play. And they will become much easier to learn.

[@matthewfarrell317]

Interesting the difference. I am starting on Rocksmith+, haven't got to the sustain pedal yet that's in the intermediate tutorials. It worries me about the 61 keyboard thing tho, I got a decent one at a good price, but do I need to upgrade to an 88? I have the connection for a sustain pedal.

[@jojedome]

love your Videos

[@matticawood]

Thank you, I’m glad you enjoy them 😊

[@martinkifmann6177]

erm... why shouldn`t you be able to connect a sustain pedal to a 61key instrument?

[@matticawood]

You can, there’s no reason why not 😊 however, they don’t usually come with one and a keyboard is a different instrument to a piano and has different use cases…so you wouldn’t usually need one if you are using it as a keyboard rather than as a piano replacement.

[@classicallpvault]

And more importantly, why do 5 octave keyboards not run from F to F like Mozart era fortepianos? They'd allow performing all Baroque and classical repertoire and even some early Romantic works. Impossible with a C to C keyboard.

[@martinkifmann6177]

right.@@classicallpvault on the other side not many will be able to play e.g. the "Gone but Not Forgotten" solo in proper speed on a weighted keyboard. Well - i wouldn`t be able to play that piece on ANY keyboard 🤣 imho there are different keyboard types for different purposes. And btw, many 73-key synth and workstation variations are around with half and non-weighted keys, too.

[@martinkifmann6177]

@@classicallpvault kzbin.info/www/bejne/bZesmH6LoMuqisk

[@bobbysmart5370]

What is your handspan, sir?

[@KrittanaiYuktavisan]

My piano Has a pedal but most of the time it doesn't work

[@theoneandonly1158]

I've seen a baby practicing. So he cant even reach the pedals. 😂 Not maybe for another 6 years ish. 😂 So yeah, that doesn't mean he isn't improving. We all improve and if this is a life long instrument. Even better. We will always be learning. PSA. There will never be a "im done learning". Never with nothing. So keep playing, keep growing plants, keep painting, keep enjoying what you love.

[@ciararespect4296]

As a pianist in the first few minutes of him. Playing fur Elise i know its fake. Said he had no previous musical experience so how did he learn to read music and then TRANSFER the notes to the keys in question?? Sorry but impossible in four days

[@markaprill6501]

Not with KZbin.

[@averyintelligence]

By ear. Not hard

[@ciararespect4296]

@@averyintelligence no it takes a while. I have both relative and perfect pitch but you don't have the correct technique day 1/2 anyway you're obviously going to disagree so i don't really care what you say

[@ciararespect4296]

@@markaprill6501 hahaha yeah everyone is a genius on yt 😎

[@markaprill6501]

@@ciararespect4296 I can play the piano and read music. Now they have videos where they show you which keys to press without sheet music. They also have those videos where the colored squares drop down and hit the correct keys on the piano so sheet music is not necessary to learn a song. That’s what I was trying to say.

[@yosefGames]

Just so you know that within 3 months since I started playing I learned Rafsuda 2 and Rafsuda La Campella in a year I was able to play Rafsuda 2 the entire piece and also Raft 6 a little Mi La Campana in a year and a half I was able to learn Grieg Gammadim in addition to works by Chopin and other works by Liszt Don Juan Idiot 4 of Liszt Mzepa plus Layman 8 of Liszt plus Chopin Fantasia a year and 6 months soon I in two years managed the very difficult parts in La Campana Liszt to love the dream plus Liszt 419 s plus Chopin Vint Wind from the flight of the bee I am still learning now Chopin Vint Wind this From a hard time I want to learn Liszt 420 and Chopin Torrent

[@zabelek3985]

Tf kinda language you're speaking dude

[@breakstonetheblindgamer491]

Probably the language of someone who is extraordinarily experienced or that of someone who is extraordinarily incompetent. (most likely lap ladder) trying to flex on those with lesser experience. What do you believe?

[@chironchiron5053]

Campanella in a year PROPERLY played is impossible. Just like the fact that you’ll become a real pianist.

[@alexgoriatchenkov]

Any upload please. Or just in Printing?

[@katttttt]

​@@chironchiron5053yes. As a beginner I think I could play the notes at like 0.25/half of the tempo but not an actual good version in kinda the next ten years

[@jeffersonlu7305]

Not trying to hate or anything, but some of the progress seems a bit unrealistic. Four days and learning fur elise? People can barely read notes much less play a piece like that in four days. Also is he actually learning how to play piano, or just playing the pieces, because those are two different things

[@PeterMoonscion]

Been trying to get in touch about a a possible commission. What's the best way to contact you?

[@matticawood]

Hi Peter, email is the best way! Apologies for the delay I’ve now responded to your email.

[@edy7130]

These channels always seem to condemn “self taught” pianist. Is getting a teacher the only way to learn piano? I want to get into it but so far it’s been very demotivating because everyone seems to share the same rhetoric. 😔

[@matticawood]

There’s nothing wrong with self taught, it just depends what your goals are and having a teacher will get you to where you want to be faster without knowledge gaps…but there’s definitely nothing wrong with learning by yourself and I did a video on how to get started self taught - kzbin.info/www/bejne/pmGTq6afbJanbKssi=Ch2rkso9-XZhG-fZ

[@recitationofthequranrecita9793]

6:41How can I play the 11bar

[@emmyreimmy]

There is fingering on the notes so it should help guide u

[@DreamKnowsYou]

how about the poor?

[@Cookiedoggy3545]

Jumpscare warning 2:20

[@10fingers1elbow]

all keyboards have sustain input man, and an arrangement keyboard has nothing to do with a synth, it works with samples. you even know what you're talking about when you do these videos?

[@matticawood]

I said “more similar to a synthesiser” which is correct…a keyboard works with samples, as can a synth…a synth just has more ability to manipulate the sounds and use sine waves etc. All keyboards do indeed have a sustain input (and I said this in a recent video), however they don’t tend to come with one…because if you are using a keyboard as it is intended to be used….as a keyboard. You wouldn’t use one. Whereas using a keyboard as a piano, you would need one, but you are lacking the remaining keys, weighted keys etc.

[@TobyLucas-l4b]

most professionals don't use the pedal since the most it requires less skill than finger control

[@classicallpvault]

Absolute bunk. Every professional pianist or half decent amateur uses the sustain pedal and music starting around the time of Clementi is written specifically with it in mind (or at the very least the knee-operated lever which preceded it, does the exact same, albeit less convenient although functionally 100% identical). Before that, a hand stop was used to lift the dampers but this was of course much more limited in its usefulness. Opinion on the una corda pedal is sharply divided. My first piano teacher (who studied with, IIRC, Joop Grubben at the Maastricht Conservatoire) is against it. My second piano teacher, who studied with Avi Schönfeld at the very same conservatoire, swears by it. Liszt used it copiously. Chopin dissuaded his pupils from doing so.

[@AlguienEnSuCasa]

@@classicallpvault The pedal is required to play a lot of songs, for example Ludovico Einaudi - Experience, if you look at him playing, he uses the pedal a lot, and I'm pretty sure, he is very very far from be an amateur pianist

[@wwxluvr2643]

lmao what