Teaching myself piano from scratch at 65- any advice.

Go for it merlotgran.
Actually, it does feel like a good pastime for the cooler, darker months, doesnt it!

The weather is changing so time to get the keyboard out of the cupboard in the spare room, dig out some music and tell myself, once again, that this winter I’ll stick at it.

Time will tell! 😂

That sounds amazing, mrsmeldrew 😊

I learned up to Grade 4 as a child. I returned to piano when my husband bought me a digital piano. I only played it intermittently whilst working and then he bought me a decent Kawai digital with weighted keys etc a few years before retirement. I joined a U3A piano group 12 months ago and at each meeting we perform a piece and talk about the joys and frustrations of playing. Let's face it it is a solitary instrument. There is no judgement or criticism only encouragement and support. One lady has a diploma and plays advanced pieces, two ladies play Diabelli duets, a few of us are intermediate level and we have a 92 year old beginner.

Joining this group gave me a goal - to try and perfect a piece, of course I make mistakes as it is quite nerve wracking playing to others and on a different piano.

6 months ago I decided to start lessons and it improved my technique and playing immensely.

I now play grade 5 pieces.

It brings me so much pleasure - I recommend YouTube videos and even just practicing 10 or 20 minutes a day. Keep practicing a piece and the muscle memory will improve, you won't need to look at your hands, you will anticipate the notes before they are played.

Don't stress about theory - I spent 5 minutes each lesson with my piano teacher. It does help with understanding a piece.

I subscribe to TomPlay so can download music and also Pianist magazine. My last piece was Adagio from Ravels Piano Concerto in G major - incredibly beautiful, but I have also played jazz and blues which has been a new experience and now in examination books! Unlike when I learned in the 1970's.

I have volunteered to play at a Ukelely group which means learning chords. So another challenge.

I am also starting a U3A piano group in my local area. It really is taking over my life but I love it!

madeleine
Another thing you might think of, is if you have a favourite or special piece of music. It could be the actual melody,or some precious memories with someone important to you. I am thinking of a pleasant tune, not beethovens 5th!
I have found as a teacher that having something important to you, really encourages you to keep going when things are flagging a bit. It is your special thing, no one else needs to know or listen to it, but it really can encourage you to keep going.

Thanks Madeleine, that is great advice.
I chose to start teaching myself a simple version of 'Country Roads' for that exact reason a month (or two) ago, and it really does what you said, in keeping me going and lifting my mood if I am flagging, and is exactly the sort of thing that I haf hoped to end up being able to play when I decided to start learning. 😊

Another thing you might think of, is if you have a favourite or special piece of music. It could be the actual melody,or some precious memories with someone important to you. I am thinking of a pleasant tune, not beethovens 5th!

I have found as a teacher that having something important to you, really encourages you to keep going when things are flagging a bit. It is your special thing, no one else needs to know or listen to it, but it really can encourage you to keep going. So when I had a child, reluctant to read anything, and therefore obviously he wasnt progressing well. He was keen on fishing with his dad, and so I hunted round for a couple of books connected with fishing , and that kept him going, until that sort of break through that you often get in learning anything. It is that great bit when you suddenly realize things are making a bit more sense to you and it is becoming clearer to you. Do gofor it and enjoy what you play.Dont put any pressure on yourself, just start with that aim to play that one tune or piece from a show you went to and have that as your end goal as you slowly learn more and more. I played the piano as a child going on to play duets with my sister etc, but dont do much these days but do use the piano when I am learning songs etc. If you have any friends who either already play or are keen to learn, you might get together to keep the impetus going. Enjoy yourself

I realised after I posted this update that it would have been a lot better to have put it on a new thread rather than the existing one, so that people didnt waste their time reading right through it before they realized it was an update
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My apologies to anyone who might been inconvenienced by this

Luckygirl3

Well done - don't give up - keep on plugging away there! It's good for your brain!

I'm sure you are right about it being good for the brain.

There have been a few times when my brain has said 'no', but I have talked it round. The first of those was when I reached the stage of trying to play the piano with both hands at once. To start with, my brain insisted on telling my left hand that it could only move exactly the same direction as my right hand, but I managed to prove it wrong! 😃

It is indeed good for your brain! Well done Oldnproud. I’m still trying to find a piano tuner that doesn’t require me to sell a kidney to pay for his services😱!!

Learning to play any instrument needs to begin in childhood if you want to become really good at it. There have been very few geniuses (genii?) who've come to music late in life. On the other hand, if you're realistic, don't expect to do gigs at the Royal Albert Hall and are in it for sheer pleasure, good on ya! It sounds as though you're progressing already, which is great. As someone once said (I don't remember who), "It doesn't matter how good you are today, what counts is that you want to be better tomorrow." That applies to so may things, including music.

I second getting a book for adult learners. It's likely to be formulated a little differently, because adults learn differently than children.

Good on you for learning a new skill!

Well done - don't give up - keep on plugging away there! It's good for your brain!

Thanks Daddima. 😊

Well done! I was reading through this thread having noticed that it was from June, and was hoping you would come back!
So glad you’re getting the enjoyment you were hoping for, and I’m sure it’ll increase.

A little update, now that I am four or five months on from getting my piano.

So far I have been teaching myself, as I originally hoped to do, and I am really enjoying it, just going at my own pace.

The pieces that I am learning / practising from the book are all very basic, but it is so rewarding when, having started almost every new piece with no idea how it will actually sound, to then hear a tune come from the piano as I start to get the hang of it

Of the books that I bought to learn from, the one by Pam Wedgwood, called It's Never Too Late To Learn Piano, has so far been the best for me.

Apart from that book, I have also been learning a very simple version of Country Roads from a free tutorial that I found online. Chords with left hand and melody with right hand.
As simple as it is, I doubt if I will ever play it perfectly from start to finish, but I hear my playing of it getting better every day, and I am getting so much enjoyment out of it.

Not surprisingly (and as i think some of you warned me might happen), there are days when my progress doesnt quite match my expectations, but that doesnt change how pleased I am with how much I have learned so far, and am so glad that I decided to do this. 😊

When I was very young, both sets of Grandparents had pianos. I wanted to learn but both my parents, forced to play as children, refused. One day, an Uncle showed me how to place my hands on the keys and told me the note just above the key hole was middle C. He showed me where middle C appeared in a simple piece of sheet music. That was it. Lesson 1.

A couple of years later at junior school we had music theory. We learnt the value of the notes and about sharps and flats (the black keys) and the "sounds" were demonstrated (but actually touching the piano was not allowed). Lesson 2.

When I was 42 I inherited one of the pianos from an Aunt (at my request). It was an ancient iron framed "over-strung upright", basically a pub honkey-tonk piano. A neighbour gifted me a basic piano primer designed for a young child.
I got quite good at it, practicing while the kids were at school. The younger child was herself learning to play, with a proper teacher, at school. I taught myself to sight read, something my daughter never really accomplished. Strangely, although my daughter plays really well "by ear", I can only play with the music score. Eventually, I could play to a level of around grade 3 or 4. Well enough to give me pleasure.

Sadly, I had Sepsis 10 years ago. I came out of it alive and relatively unscathed, except for my hand co-ordination. I can play with my right hand. I can play with my left hand. I can no longer play with both hands, no matter how hard I try.

Anyway, apart from a few early cues I suppose I can say I was self taught.

How wonderful !
Do persevere.
My biggest regret is not learning an instrument.
I enjoy art and teaching people how to paint if I can .

I only had a few mths lessons as a teenager. I decided to try teach myself during covid and got a good electronic keyboard. I am a good typist having done 'touch typing' when young. I suppose I am hoping to be able to do same on keyboard. I found progress slow. Later I did some lessons with a teacher. She taught the importance of correct finger for note and to slow down. I was inclined to keep going and play anything, skipping thru music books. I think I should have concentrated one one piece even a section of one piece before progressing. I must give it another go with tips from here, thanks all.

A lovely read.

Years ago we were give a short piano. It was delivered and put in the room it was to live in. My father popped in later on some errand for my mother and I mentioned I thought it would need tuning. He sat down and started playing. Looked up and said it "didn't sound too bad". He said this to my open mouth. I didn't know he could play!

I can't think of anything more wonderful than being able to entertain yourself or others in this way. Good luck to anyone willing to give it a try!

RillaofIngleside

I started learning again at 62 and now at grade 7. I have lessons on zoom with a very experienced teacher. Zoom works very well, just as if he was in the room with me. I don't think it's really possible to teach yourself, there are all sorts of fingerings and arm/hand positions timing etc that I wouldn't know about myself. Many teachers teach online now, I would find one that you like.

Is it necessary to read music? I really struggle with maths so am nervous about that aspect (though I was excellent with shorthand and touch typing).

Wow, so much enouragement, and brilliant advice.
Thank you everyone, including those of you who I havent replied to personally. I'm really grateful for all your great suggestions and advice.
Some of the recommended books are on their way to me already, in fact I think might arrive today. I can't wait (smile].

I had private lessons from 7 yrs old and passed Grade 1 (!) with distinction, but after that hiatus I lost interest in practising.
Forward nearly 70 years, I started the Simply Piano online course a year ago.
They take you through all the stages, covering chords and lots of different musical tastes. I enjoy the classical ones but also Elvis and Shania Twain! You learn to play along and it's exciting playing a new song well.
It's just over £100 a year subscription and I'm now on the Intermediate Advanced level.
I've found it helps using these note stickers for individual keys which were supplied with my Yamaha keyboard. They are available online too.
I took up piano again to keep the brain ticking over. You are given encouragement all the way on your journey with this app.

Quite a lot of people I know learned to play the piano by doing so, if they were fortunate enough to grow up with access to a piano and not in a home where it was held that you had to have lessons and never play chopsticks and the like !

I have not looked, but I imagine you can find YouTube videos to help if you run into sticky patches.

I started learning again at 62 and now at grade 7. I have lessons on zoom with a very experienced teacher. Zoom works very well, just as if he was in the room with me. I don't think it's really possible to teach yourself, there are all sorts of fingerings and arm/hand positions timing etc that I wouldn't know about myself. Many teachers teach online now, I would find one that you like.

I started piano at the age of 60, when my daughter decided she didn’t want to do it anymore, but we had a lovely teacher, who taught other oldies. Couldn’t have done it without her,
You can buy the books, “Beethoven, Mozart, Elgar etc, Made Easy. They are excellent when learning. Someone borrowed my theory files, and gave them to a charity shop. Heartbroken and cannot get back into it now. Practice, practice, practice. Good Luck, it’s lovely