PIANO

I can agree with Altex's statement regarding the usefulness of learning piano.  You don't have to become a piano whiz - just use it as a learning aid.  It is a great tool for grasping basic music theory and becoming familiar with essential knowledge.  Even if you have no dreams of performing piano, it is worth learning your way around a keyboard.

Having a 'real' piano is nice, but even a little cheapo plastic keyboard is useful for learning about music theory.  You don't need to learn how to read music (although it is good to know) to benefit from knowing piano basics.

Google up 'on-line piano lessons' or 'free piano lessons' to see what is out there.

Also, if you have a piano that has been sitting around for years unused, or has been moved to new residences repeatedly - the instrument could probably benefit from a professional tuning and regulating.  Every area has professional piano tuners and many of these pros also deal in used and re-conditioned instruments.  James

I'm with you on this one. Actually I was the opposite. I started on guitar and wanted to tinker on piano. It was easy once I realised that scales and chords are made of the same notes on any instrument it became easy to to start learnning almost any instrument . I just had to find the notes on the instrument. I think it's a great idea for any musician to try a little something on every instrument they can get ahold of.

"Nobody paints by ear so why would I play guitar by sight?"

omg it is true!!! I've been playing piano for 10 years( lol im fifteen) and i played guitar for a year only, but the piano helped me so much and im actually pretty good now with the guitar! and now im learning clarinet and bass, and it is so easy cuz a have a good knowledge because of the piano.. nyways ur right it helps a lot to learn piano

The guitar is a lot, lot, lot learner friendly than the piano. If you want to learn a song on guitar you can just look up the chords or tab. If you want to learn a piece on piano it takes you (genrally) half a year to perfect it. (this is how long you get to learn it for an exam. This year im doing AMEB gr 6.

Hey,
I soprano recorder first, and that has helped me a lot, because I then learned alto saxophone, and then guitar. Now I'm trying to find online piano lessons, and from what I have have found, being able to read sheet music first really helped me.

Jikklop

ur right, piano tabs are friggin hard to understand

That might be because pianos dont have frets? lol. I was going to say they didn't have strings but that isn't true. If you want to play the piano learn how to read music.