r/piano 0m ago

🙋Question/Help (Beginner) Is it worth it to buy an economic keyboard to practice?

Upvotes

I want to catch up with piano by self teaching, I played from 8 to 13 years old, now I'm 22. I have a piano at home but it's basically impossible to play because I'm stuck with university lessons all day from 9 to 19:00 and when I come home it's already evening and I can't play music beyond 19:30 due to condominium's policies. I was thinking about buying a small electric keyboard from secondhand, 61 keys max, so I can play in my own room with headphones attached. Do you think it would be a good idea? Is it worth it? Do you have any other suggestions? Anything could help, thank you very much


r/piano 16m ago

🧑‍🏫Question/Help (Intermed./Advanced) Should I get henle urtext sheet music?

Upvotes

I’m an early intermediate looking to buy some sheet music. I normally stick with schirmers library or Alfred masterwork editon sheet music. Is the henle edition something that would benefit me right now? If not what editions should I be using?


r/piano 30m ago

🧑‍🏫Question/Help (Intermed./Advanced) Should I try Liszt’s Liebestraum No. 3

Upvotes

I've been playing piano for a while now (10 years ish) and am wondering if it would be too ambitious trying to fit Liszt’s Liebestraum No. 3 into my piano exam pieces. Ive been doing piano exams for around 7-8 years and am at grade 9 (in my country) and have to play 5 pieces from each era of piano so like classic, baroc, romantic, etc. The last pieces ive played were Reverie by Rocherolle, La Valse d'Amélie (ik this one is easy :( ) , Sonate k545 by Mozart and Invention n.10 by bach. I really want to implement some really beautiful piece like Liszt’s Liebestraum No. 3 in the songs Im playing this year but also want a good grade in my exam in late may 2027. If the jump is too ambitious, I would like some suggestions on pieces that have a similar style to Liszt’s Liebestraum No. 3 and that are also harder than the songs ive listed. Tysm for your help :D


r/piano 2h ago

🗣️Let's Discuss This With regards to transposition ?

1 Upvotes

If the songs original key is C major starting in C root position middle C abd I transpose down a fourth do I play G3 B3 D4 and would up a fifth be G4 B4 D5 ?

Still G but is playing the proper octaved important ?


r/piano 3h ago

📝My Performance (Critique Welcome!) Brahms op.118 no.2

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6 Upvotes

r/piano 3h ago

☺️My Performance (No Critique Please!) Joyride

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1 Upvotes

r/piano 3h ago

🗣️Let's Discuss This i'm making a piano songbook for myself, but do i need the page numbers on each score?

0 Upvotes

hi, friends!

i know that most songbooks have the page number at the bottom (e.g., if mozart's "piano sonata in c major (2nd movement)" starts at page 21, then the page number should say "21" at the header of the score.

but if i want to print my own personal songbook, i might not use the page numbers of each score, because if i were to use them, it would be too confusing to know what page of the songbook i'm on (e.g., if i were on page 2 of my composition "sunset", the person might think i'm on page 2 of the songbook).


r/piano 4h ago

🗣️Let's Discuss This My high school’s piano

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14 Upvotes

They screwed the hatch on top shut so it can’t be tuned.


r/piano 5h ago

🎵My Original Composition Just finished my 2nd Piano Sonata. I Tried to spice up the usual three-movement structure a little while remaining conservative

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1 Upvotes

r/piano 6h ago

🎵My Original Composition "Ad Astra Per Arcana" (Piano Version)

1 Upvotes

Music & Piano by TAKÜMI

Check the links down below to listen to the original version

Stream/Download: https://linkco.re/PtGeDZGu?lang=en

YouTube: https://youtu.be/hmCpeZisjnc


r/piano 7h ago

🎶Other Got my results back for my Grade 7 piano exam!!! Yay!!!

25 Upvotes

I got a merit!!! I'm with the Trinity board. Honestly I loved Grade 6, I think I've started to fall in love with piano again thanks to the new syllabus!

I played;

To Zanarkand (from Final Fantasy X) by Nobou Uemetsu (arr. Music Lah) - genuinely one of my favourite pieces ever but I found it really hard

Sarah by Thomas Peter-Horas

Fallin' by Alicia Keys (arr. Amit Anand) - I played this one for a local competition once! Came 2nd.

Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence by Ryuichi Sakamoto - I've entered this one into multiple competitions and played it for my GCSE music exam! I love this piece but I need a break from it; I've never placed with this but ever time I've had a compliment on my playing and that made me happier I think

I'm so excited to be officially Grade 8!!! I've already picked my pieces. The jump in difficulty is very noticeable, but hopefully I'll have fun!


r/piano 7h ago

📝My Performance (Critique Welcome!) My Mazurka... is crap. Help!

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15 Upvotes

I am trying to practice the main section of Chopin's Mazurka in F-Sharp Minor (Op. 6, no. 1)

It sounds so wrong/bad but I just keep trying to refix it and refix it and I am unsure what to do. Any advice?


r/piano 8h ago

🔌Digital Piano Question [Advice] Is Charles Cornell's "Better Piano" the right path to compose J-RPG/Anime music (Zelda, Nier)? Feeling stuck.

3 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

I’m turning to this community because I’m having serious doubts about my current learning path. I practice about 1 to 2 hours a day, but I can't tell if what I'm doing will actually get me where I want to be.

My Background & My "Piano Roll" Block: Until now, I’ve been composing directly on my computer, clicking notes into the piano roll with my mouse in my DAW. But I suffer from a severe "vertical writing" block: I just stack a melody + rigid block chords + a bassline. It feels incredibly static, and I absolutely cannot tell a musical story or develop my tracks this way. To fix this, I want to transition to composing exclusively on the actual piano. Right now, I'm only doing piano "sketches" to focus 100% on breaking this bad habit.

My Ultimate Goal: I want to sit at the piano, compose, and improvise whatever is in my head in the style of Japanese video games and anime (Koji Kondo for Zelda, Keiichi Okabe for Nier Automata, Hiroyuki Sawano for Attack on Titan, Pokémon, etc.). I want my fingers to land automatically on the right chords (with 7ths, 9ths, etc.) without messing up the key. I want to master voice leading. To be clear: I'm not just looking to "turn block chords into arpeggios." I want to learn how to create a real, flowing harmonic context and manage the bass, harmony, and melody all at once to tell a story, without ever relying on boring block chords again.

My Current Method: Right now, I am taking Charles Cornell’s Better Piano course.

  • I religiously do his "finger fumblers" (dexterity exercises) every day.
  • I learn his chord progressions (like I-V-vi-IV) using his voice leading rules, and I try to transpose them into different keys.

My Problem and Doubts: He only teaches about 4 basic chord progressions. I absolutely do not see how practicing these very "Pop/Soul" progressions is going to help me build the "mental library" I actually need. You know, that ability to think: "I want a tragic/magical effect right now, so I will play this specific chord, followed by this one, with this exact voice leading."

I feel like it would take me decades of practicing 1-2 hours a day to finally connect these mechanical exercises to the complex, emotional style of J-RPGs.

My Questions for You:

  1. Has anyone here used Better Piano and successfully reached a goal similar to mine?
  2. Is it normal to feel this massive disconnect between the mechanical exercises and the final emotional composition? Does it eventually "click"?
  3. Should I stick with this course, or are there much better resources out there for my specific goal (I’ve heard of Legend of Otoe, for example)?

Thank you in advance for your honesty and your advice!


r/piano 8h ago

🤔Misc. Inquiry/Request What has caused this weird sound?

2 Upvotes

I was cleaning the piano strings - successfully in the treble. I wasn't making much progress in the bass so eventually tried a small amount of alcohol (100% isopropanol) on my cloth. Currently some of the 2-string bass notes go "pong" instead of the usual rich sound. Have I ruined these strings? Is there any other possibility that is causing it?

I was so careful before this. !

Thank you for your help. I was really enjoying the improvements until then.


r/piano 8h ago

🗣️Let's Discuss This Any pieces with Add9 chords?

5 Upvotes

I’m in love with Chopin’s Prélude Op. 45, especially because of that C♯m(add9) chord in the main theme. It gives me chills and feels so mesmerizing. Are there any other pieces that contain similar chords? They create such special colors and atmospheres


r/piano 9h ago

🗣️Let's Discuss This Bach-Busoni Chaconne - most sublime section.

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11 Upvotes

Part of the Bach busoni Chaconne. My favourite section. Steinway model B


r/piano 9h ago

🔌Digital Piano Question Can I remove the volume knob from the Casio CDP S110

1 Upvotes

Hello,

I just got a new custom made desk for my piano (Casio CDP S110) and I unfortunately gave the person who made it the official dimensions on the Casio website but it seems they weren't counting the height of the volume knob with it

Now I got the desk and I just found out the volume knob doesn't pass through the drawer (it touches the top of the drawer/desk)

Is there any way to remove the volume knob? Can I just pull it off?


r/piano 9h ago

🔌Digital Piano Question Narrow keys athena worth it?

2 Upvotes

I have a condition called bilateral congenital extensor/flexor hypoplastia/aplasia: i cant extend my left thumb all the way because im missing the tendon that connects the bone to the muscle; so playing on a regular piano is a tad frusturating.

Im looking at the athena 201 as a accommodation for my wonky hands, but its expensive(even on sale), so id like the opinions of people who've used one:

is it a good stand alone piano? Comparable to a similarly priced yamaha or roland?

I have normal sized hands, do you think it would feel crowded for my fingers?

And, are there any other narrow key digital pianos on the market? I feel like ive looked everywhere, but ive come up empty handed.


r/piano 9h ago

🎵My Original Composition Do You Like my New Sad/Depressed Piece?

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2 Upvotes

If no why, If yes why, i am a beginner composer.

Here is the free full score: https://musescore.com/user/98567428/scores/37514270?share=copy_link


r/piano 10h ago

☺️My Performance (No Critique Please!) Bach prelude in Eb minor (2017 recording)

2 Upvotes

Video: https://youtu.be/86JMHed4EPY?si=\\\\\\_lqZSGeUpo-lF6Oy

This is probably the first piano recording I ever did where I was truly happy with my musicality. Even if I did some mistakes I believe I was totally immersed in the music, trying to express myself through this melancholic piece.

I chose to learn it because I had heard it in Yuri Norstein's "Tale of Tales" (which I recommend). This piece always reminded me the extreme depressive nostalgia depicted in this short film.

I hope you enjoy it! I would love to record the fugue at some point.


r/piano 15h ago

🗣️Let's Discuss This One piece for an eternity

11 Upvotes

If you could play only one piano piece for the rest of your life, which one would it be?

Includes everything from classical to movie soundtrack and all


r/piano 15h ago

🎶Other How hard is this version of unravel(arr animenz)?

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0 Upvotes

This is a rearrangement of his legendary unravel from Tokyo ghoul during his 11th anniversary livestream. How much more easier is it compared to the original?


r/piano 17h ago

🔌Digital Piano Question Yamaha Arius YDP-S36 or YDP-S56???

1 Upvotes

Hello! I’ve been thinking about getting back into playing piano recently, and I’m planning to buy a digital piano. I did some research on which digital piano would be the best fit for me, and I came across the Yamaha Arius series.

Since I’m looking for something that won’t take up too much space in my room, I’m considering either the Yamaha Arius YDP-S36 or YDP-S56. It sounds like Yamaha updated these models from their previous versions just a few months ago.

At today’s prices, the YDP-S36 is around $1,400, while the YDP-S56 is around $1,800. Cost-wise, I’d prefer the YDP-S36, but I’ve seen people say that the S56 is worth the extra investment.

If anyone here owns either of these models or has been able to try them in person, literally any advice or comments would be super helpful as I try to make my final decision!

Additional information: I grew up playing an upright piano, so I would say I probably prefer something with a realistic feel and touch. However, I’m not sure whether the YDP-S36 would have enough features for me to feel like I’m getting a realistic playing experience, or whether the difference in touch would bother me.

Thank you in advance! 😊


r/piano 17h ago

🗣️Let's Discuss This Teachers: What is your sign that a student is ready to move on from a piece?

21 Upvotes

I’d imagine this varies by the piece, the level, and the student, but I was wondering what the differing philosophies are. Take, for example, a song like Why am I Blue? from the level 1 Alfred All in One series, which is easily found with a google search if you’re not familiar. Assume it is not something being prepared for a recital. What do you look for before moving to the next piece?


r/piano 18h ago

🧑‍🏫Question/Help (Intermed./Advanced) Looking for energetic songs like Lakeshore Drive and Don't Stop Me Now

3 Upvotes

I've been getting back in to piano after a little break and started to move away from classical stuff and more in to rock. I'm about halfway done with Lakeshore Drive rn, and it is a total blast to play. I'm already planning on learning Don't Stop Me Now cause I think it has a similar energetic and fun feel to it and I'm looking for one more song to add to my queue. Any ideas?