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It's a crazy late life compulsion. A long time musical itch that needed to be scratched.

I wanted to learn as a child, but we couldn't afford it. My two best childhood friends, though, had pianos & became accomplished pianists, winning awards in statewide high school competitions. Both were so happy when I told them I was taking up piano at age 65. They've been wonderfully supportive. It's one more tie that bonds us -- much fun.

The Piano is going to become my only girlfriend ever. I'm going to take her to a date, talk to her and cuddle with her ...and also yell at her and beat her sometimes.

In fact, any instrument could do it for me, but the piano being a percussive instrument, connects better with my emotions.

I also blow into the blues harp as the alternative instrument for the different feeling it's got.

P.S Also to improve my horrible concentration.

Afte re-reading my post, it seemed to me that the point about the piano gf wasn't correctly worded. By beating and yelling and all else, I meant a mutual relation where we can yell at each other etc...

Thanks!

Great name, BTW. There were two lights, on behind. . . .

I started playing piano for the first time 20 months ago at age 61...i have never played an instrument of any kind before. My mother played piano as a child and she took it up again for a few years when i was about 12 and i remember her playing Claire de Lune and a few other classical pieces. i have been moved by beautiful piano music ever since. I had a busy career in public relations and fashion and when i retired i decided to learn piano. So... i found a teacher and i bought a used digital piano on Next Door and started working hard at practicing. My husband works in the music business and is a guitar player so after a couple of months of hearing me practice with diligence, he surprised me and bought me a Yamaha Baby Grand. He said with this beautiful piano you will be inspired to keep playing...i was! Now i have been playing close to two years. I practice about two hours a day and am so thrilled with my progress. I am now playing beginning intermediate to intermediate pieces...Sometimes after i finish playing a piece i cry....i can’t believe that i can actually do it! Whoever says all older adult beginning piano students do not practice and quit piano,..i say...not true! Don’t give up! You can learn to play at any age. Find a teacher you love and just remember you have to be bad at it to get good at it. I play piano to add beauty to my life and it does just that.

That's just beautiful, Progers! (...and: What a supportive husband you have! :-))

Yes, Progers, a beautiful post & inspirational too!

Thank you Mickey and No Expectations!

Hi, I am another of the species 'returning after years since having lessons' .

I never took exams, my teacher approached the idea once and plonked the RSM book in front of me, but I kindly refused.

Piano playing is something i loved, but never, and I mean NEVER, was it going to happen in front of complete strangers! In fact in doesn't happen in front of friends either. Just family, and mostly not them either lol

After lessons were stopped (exam pressures of a 16 year old), my heart was broken when I came home to find my beloved piano was gone (my mother thought I never played as I only did it when the house was empty).

Fast forward a couple of years and I purchased a 48 key thingy, I played sometimes, but it never really did the job. Too small, not enough keys lol

Fast forward a few more years and I had daughters and managed to get a really old, useless piano. I managed to teach them to read music on it, one went on to play flute, one guitar, one gave up completely, but one became as in love with it as me. In fact when the poor old thing eventually was useless and I couldn't afford a tuner, let alone the complete restring it needed, she continued to play at her boyfriend's (now husband) parents house.

I went back to the 48 key thingy.

Just over 18 months ago my husband was involved in a serious car accident resulting in brain trauma (bear with me, it is relevant) and a smashed left elbow and a numb left hand. He is slowly recovering but is no longer working and, well Covid! He is at home with little to stimulate a brain that is in need of stimulation to recover, and not able to attend any therapy that may imrove either brain or arm!

Then I had a moment of intelligence (it doesn't happen often but when it does, it goes to genius level) and ordered a full size digital keyboard which arrived just before Christmas.

I am first to admit it is not the best, but it has 88 keys (wahoo), and they are weighted (double wahoo) and it has headphones (triple wahoooooo). I am already saving for an upgrade lol

So I can sit and play in my own little introverted world, for many, many hours. Astounding myself on what I am able to play, what I can hopefully achieve, and how quickly I have been able to advance in such a short time, probably due to the fact that I can stick on the headphones safe in the knowledge nobody can hear me.

I am also teaching DH to play. He has never learned to read music, so we are on basics and bought a book for him to work on. He is actually doing really well and I know that it can only help in his recovery His shattered elbow is stuck at a weird angle for everything else on the planet except playing the piano lol it is perfect for him and getting his left hand to move. It is also getting his brain stimulated and giving him something other than the tv to do while I am at work.

So playing is therapy in our house

Mema

What a story! I just wanted to tell you I hope your husband recovers as quickly as possible and wish you all the best in playing the piano and life when headphones are not on

When I was a child I played the piano v. badly. My first experience was crying at the piano while trying to plonk out a tune under my brother’s guidance. Later, I had some unhappy and unsuccessful lessons with a teacher who told me I should wear glasses, and at one point ran out of the room shouting that I was “doing it on purpose”. I would love to glimpse my sheet music from that time again because it was absolutely saturated with pencil markings. Her husband, meanwhile, never gave any impression that I wasn’t the consummate pianist - mind you, he didn’t have to listen to me fail to hit every F sharp, every week.

I assumed piano wasn’t for me and went on a different musical journey. Only last summer, though, many years later, due to COVID-19 I was working at a clinic with a Yamaha grand piano. I had a tinkle playing chopsticks and “She’ll be coming round the mountain” chords. I was in love and got back into it with lessons and whatnot.

Piano - let’s never quarrel again.

Welcome Nord
There has been one really good thing about Covid-19. It has led many back to the piano. Great to have you !

My parents had me take lessons as a child, and despite not being particularly good at it, I went back to it as an adult.

I find there are four distinct phases to learning/playing a piece, and each gives me something different:

1--Learning a piece from the beginning, sight reading--this is where I can feel my brain making new connections. It sounds terrible to listeners, though!
2--Working out the kinks in playing. This is my favorite part--playing a few measures over and over until there's not the slightest hesitation. It's like meditation.
3--Memorizing. This is very difficult for me, but I find that once I have a piece from memory, I play it much better with the music out, if that makes sense. I can concentrate on dynamics and expression more. Once I have it memorized, I must play it many more times to get it as smooth without the music as it is with the music open.
4--Playing a piece for others. I don't do this much, but I like the mental challenge of trying to put aside nerves and play well.

I really enjoy all four phases of playing and the pleasure I get from each!

I played piano as a kid... I picked up another instrument for band too later but always preferred piano. It was a passion of mine and when I listened to music, even pop, I would gravitate towards piano. Like many I eventually stopped lessons some time in high school but I continued to enjoy piano. If I saw a piano I’d play it. Finally in a stable point in my career where I felt ready to take on an acoustic (avoided it due to costs of upkeep and having to move it). Plus I needed a new hobby with the pandemic too lol. I’m really excited to get back into it. I am rusty but it’s coming back. Just slow!

I grew up in a part of the world and an education system that did not hold the notion of finding the best in every child and nurturing it. So not having a particularly striking natural ability for music meant that I was labeled "tone deaf" and there was no further attempt at music education. As an adult, I have learned that I am definitely not tone deaf, and I am as naturally attracted to music as everyone. In my mid-life, and with a kid of my own with whom I am determined to not repeat any of the mistakes I suffered growing up, I have set up to develop my music knowledge and understanding and learn to make some of it too. So I am learning piano, along with delving at a deeper level into theory, history, and a better understanding of music in general. And finding that, while I am definitely not going to be a concert level pianist at any point, I am getting tremendous joy and growth out of it. And setting myself up to help my kiddo get an education in music, to the extent that she will be inclined to, as she grows.

I love the way it sounds, nothing sounds quite like it to me, it's like an entire band playing. I started a month ago after decades of not trying, believing it was too difficult. I haven't missed a single day of practice and keep a log book that I add to daily.

Hi KJP
Me too!!! I have been playing for longer than I care to admit, but I still love the way the piano sounds snd feels whenever I play it — welcome to PW

This is true for me as well. Although I play the violin, I always have a soft spot for the piano (one of my favorite pieces is the Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto no. 1). I watched someone on youtube playing this solo (1st movement) and it still sounded like an entire orchestra.

Ever get a song stuck in your head? Ever hear music you never heard before? Happened to me a few times about 30 years ago. Not just music but full on orchestra music. I wished I could write it down but didn't know notation. 30 years ago was pre windows 95. There weren't computer programs like there are now. Yes now. I have Spitfire Labs sound libraries Albion One, Symphony Strings, Solo Strings and BBC Orchestra as well as VSI Andromeda. I always wanted to learn piano but without the fancy shortcuts they always peddle online. I am applying myself to theory to better utilize my sound libraries but I am drawn to the piano more than anything.

I was told I had to choose between drums or piano when I was a kid. I chose drums, but wanted to do both. That desire never went away and now I have the time to pursue it and I'm going for it with the ultimate goal being composing. I always had an ear for music but I really want to learn it the right way. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

I just love to play piano.