Complete beginner

lifeofworship · 06-20-2004, 12:28 PM

Ok so i guess i've been bitten by the bug. I've been playing guitar for about 2 years now and for some reason i've really wanted to learn to play keyboard. Perhaps it was after Adlan Cruz (don't know if anybody's heard of him) played at my church. He was so annointed and he's just amazing. Anyway i've been to the music store a couple of times and right now i have my eye on the Yamaha dgx500....does anybody have any comments on that keyboard? Since i have not yet started playing i don't know anything about keyboards but i want to get a pretty good one, not just a basic light up and whistle kind. Any other suggestions for around $600 or so.

My next question would be how do i go about learning...I've read up on previous posts and many suggests going and buying the beginners books and what not...Does anybody know anything about Scott Houston's stuff? Also do you think that it would be best to learn to read music or to just learn by ear? ok that's enough questions,

Thanks for help,

George

Nathanael · 06-20-2004, 02:41 PM

If you can afford it, get music lessons... they will always be far more helpful if you get a good teacher than if you had tried on your own. And take it slow, if you want to play the piano well, its the same difference as just playing power chords on the guitar and actualy playing the guitar.

Bass_Thug · 06-24-2004, 04:20 PM

I have found that lessons enable to me to learn things that I wouldn't think of on my own.

Having a teacher doesn't just help learn how to play something, but how to do it the right way. For example, I started myself out on Bass, but it wasn't until I began taking lessons that I realized that I had some technique habits that needed to be refined and corrected if I wanted to ever progress any further.

MrCrabby · 06-28-2004, 12:30 PM

I have checked out stuff by Scott Houston, and I really like him.
He doesn't just show you three chords and tell you that you can play the piano, he teaches improvisation, and stylistic things too.
As for learning by music, or playing by ear, you can go either way. I don't know what would be best for you, I don't know what would keep your attention longer. For me, playing by ear was best, although I've learned to read music since then.
The ultimate goal should be to be good at both reading music and playing by ear. Whichever one you start with is up to you. I would definitely recommend Scott Houston, maybe not for a cold beginner, but once you learn some chords, he would be a good resource.
I hope my rambling meant something to you,
mark

snizzle · 06-30-2004, 09:29 AM

Ok, are you trying to learn piano or keyboard? These are two very distinct things in my mind. Piano would be like solo piano kinda stuff. Keyboard would be more like chords, etc. that you would use in a band situation.

If you're going for piano go out and get all the lessons that you can, cuz it's really hard to break bad habits once you get started.

If you're going for keyboard. Learn all your chord forms. It's really not that hard, especially if you play guitar. Learn major, minor, suspended, 7ths, etc...
Then practice songs that you want to learn. Work on your ear and try to pick up as much as you can.

If you're going for both. Take lessons but make sure to let your teacher know your plans. Don't let her give you all classical stuff it that's not what you wanna play. You'll get bored and quit. It's good to learn classical stuff because it really improves your skill and precision on the keys but make sure there is a balance.
-shane

Rocket · 08-08-2004, 06:14 AM

well i went an bought the video 'Piano for Quitters' with Mark Almond teaching. i really like the video it explains questions i had and i am using it for keyboards when i get one. i am going to study the video for awhile. he explains all the chords and then impro etc....i think it is a good recommendation for beginners or quitters.

ryan3dfan · 08-15-2004, 03:16 PM

I'm in the same boat. I've been playing guitar for more than 2 years now, acoustic mainly. For quite a while now I have had a desire to play keys and it has only grown. So now I plan to save for a keyboard as well. Don't know what kind, I like the yamaha P90 alot. I like that it's not as expensive as the hardcore workstations but it has all the connections for external midi whether it be through PC software or an actual midi box. But i like the look of that dgx500 as well. It's even cheaper and looks like a good beginner keyboard. With guitar, i know i would have never learned a thing if i took lessons. I would have gotten bored, frustrated, and quit. I'm a self learner no doubt, even if it does take a bit longer. I like to go at my own pace. But i've learned more in the past 2 years on guitar purely teaching myself than i ever thought i would. Now I can't pick up a guitar and rip a good solo, and maybe if i took actual guitar lessons i would be better at that sort of style, but that's not what i was interested in doing anyways. I mainly wanted to play worship stuff and write my own songs, just straight up rhythm stuff. And i have the same desires for keys. I'm mainly interested in chords and such, i don't want to play bach or beethoven. Maybe if i get good enough down the road i will start learning some classical pieces to simply improve, but i'm really just going for a singer songwriter style or worship leading context. I am also a college student and don't have the time or money to spend on lessons.
Anyways i would like to hear what any of you think of that aforementioned dgx500. I think i haven even seen these at Best Buy. They seem pretty nice, but what do you more experienced players think? Is it just a cheesy Gimmick of a keyboard? Would i be better off saving a bit more for a p90 or like keyboard that will last me for a long time?