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comment by thenewgreen
thenewgreen  ·  3451 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Does it make sense to learn playing the piano on your own?

I taught myself to play the guitar and I've gotten more out of it than I could have ever imagined. That said, I'm not technically proficient. I can play, I can write and use it to be emotive, perhaps in ways that those with technical proficiency cannot.

It's all about your goals. If you teach yourself, you'll never be playing Carnegie Hall with nowaypablo etc. but you may develop your own technique and style unique to you.

I say go for it. Use YouTube. I am currently taking Suzuki violin lessons with my daughter. It's exciting I no earn something new. My guess is that fantastic piano tutorials exist online.

Good luck!





The_Green_Clarinet  ·  3451 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Could you speak a little more on learning guitar? I tried to teach myself, but my guitar ended up sitting in the corner of my room unplayed. It's been there far too long now and I'm interested in getting back into it.

thenewgreen  ·  3450 days ago  ·  link  ·  

What, specifically would you like to know? I'm glad to help. Good luck!

The_Green_Clarinet  ·  3450 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Did you use Youtube videos to learn? If so, which videos? Did you learn along with anyone, or completely by yourself? Are there any tools that you would recommend?

thenewgreen  ·  3450 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I learned how to play back in 1990. There was no such thing as youtube. I used chord charts and listened to my favorite bands and tried to figure out by ear which chords they were using. Then, I joined a band and there was a guy in it whose older brother taught him to play. He knew more chords than I did so I learned from him. Then I started writing my own songs by the ripe old age of 13.

If I were to learn now, I would absolutely use YouTube. I would search "how to play ___" and put your favorite song in. Force yourself to learn it. One of the first songs I learned to play was Ziggy Stardust. It's not a super simple song, really. I then learned to play All the Young Dudes, -even more difficult. But I forced myself to learn and I practiced for hours and hours each day. I loved it. Still do.

The_Green_Clarinet  ·  3450 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Awesome, thanks for the help! I have a good feeling that I'll actually learn it this time around.

thenewgreen  ·  3449 days ago  ·  link  ·  

There is do, or do not. There is no try.