NPD : Yamaha P115b after returning some Guitar Pedals

LaCathedrale_UK

http://i.imgur.com/bMSZGaM.jpg

So after a few years of attempting to start/join a band with no luck, then another couple of years of trying to make solo music (and having to learn, organise, and write bass, drum, synth and skat vocals before I can get to the juicy guitar work), the final straw was how I felt about the Digitech Trio+ - it was a great pedal, but not particularly suited for an FX Loop (and by god if I've paid >£250 for a pedal and foot switch I want it to be compatible).

I decided to put a bit extra in the pot and get myself a proper digital piano to fulfil two of the main sticking points:

1) I can accompany myself as a pianist, playing harmony and melody, some combination of SATB voices simultaneously - without the need for looping, recording or being reliant on other people.

2) I can finally attempt to play some of the hilariously complex Jazz theory in Mark Levine's book, and if I stick with it long enough, play some of my favourite classical music - which has long been an academic study of mine.

It was really quite odd to think that the whole box contains mostly everything I'll ever need (other than books and lessons). I'm so used to pedals, amps, guitars, pickups, etc. - to have a single discrete instrument was quite a shock.

I'm on day 3, here:

TimmyO

Very cool - I'd like to start too, I have been considering using son's (also Yamaha) dig piano while he's out to learn on.

What book are you learning from? Did you read already? 

LaCathedrale_UK

I got a PDF of Bartok's Mikrokosmos when I was plonking away on my little controllers, so just decided to send some money to the estate and buy the paper version of it with the keyboard.

It doesn't 'teach' you anything (i.e. this is a scale, this is a chord, this is a fingering), rather it just gives you exercise upon exercise very minutely iterating. I'm just about at the stage where I'm doing different things with my hands. 

I read a little  (but not very quickly or very well), but the book is so simple it starts off with one note to the adjacent one (i.e. the next finger) and back, etc. etc. so you really only need to know where to place your fingers to start off and the rest is mostly intuitive. I'm on exercise 18 or so and only now have had to skip a finger to play the noted pitch.

I've found 'PianoTV' on youtube to be a really fun resource so far, so I am planning on getting some of the books she suggests too.

BRISTOL86

Following with interest. I'm getting a basic Yamaha Piaggiero (think it's 60 odd keys) shortly, haven't played a keyboard/piano since I was 17 so be interesting to see how much I remember if anything! 

LaCathedrale_UK

Argh, first piece with hands doing TOTALLY different things, in A Major! Not such a big thing but unlike guitar (oh I'll just shuffle this shape down 4 frets) it's different fingerings and those damned black keys.

LaCathedrale_UK

Sounding, very slightly, a bit like music

LaCathedrale_UK

Also 

Nomad

I would suggest you might want to look into posture. In the vids, it looks like you're sitting a bit close to the keyboard, and your forearms are coming up towards the keys. Your forearms should be more horizontal with the keyboard lower such that your fingers dangle down a bit when touching the keys. Sit at a distance where your elbows are forward a bit (roughly on the sample plane as the front of your torso). Play with more movement in the arms and wrists - you're using a lot of finger movement only.

LaCathedrale_UK

Thanks @Nomad - I posted the same question on the YT video about being too close/low so will revisit shortly. Thanks again,

TimmyO

I checked - that's the same model that my lad has - seems really good. 

I tracked down a pdf of Mikrokosmos so will give it a go too :-)