When I was a couple of years younger, i took piano lessons for 1 and a 1/2 year. Since the songs i was teached seemed boring to me at that time, i quit taking lessons. Still my interest in playing piano was high, and so occasionaly i downloaded songs i liked and started practicing them. I am never dedicated to practicing, but still i managed to master some pieces that one would say are far above my level; large parts of chopin etudes op. 25; 11, 2, 12 op. 10; 1 and 12,and the entire Rachmaninoff, op3. prelude in c# and a couple of more pieces. The problem is that i can hardly read notes, i have to count the bars to figure out what note to play, and sometimes i feel like my technique is lacking at certain parts. My question is; should i take lessons? and if so, do you think i have to start all over with the basics? Or is it possible to do exercises that can be found on the web, and not being guided by a teacher??

thx for reading and reply!!!

hey!!
i was similar to you, i was taking lessions for about 3 months when i quit for similar reasons, and i was only in yr 4, but i still loved and enjoyed playing the piano, so i started teaching myself, everyday sitting at the paino and learning to play. since then ive learnt to read notes, and play basically anything that i can pick up. its hard, but i did it. 7yrs later i still practice most days, and enjoy it sooo much. it felt really good to teach myself, its really rewarding when u can look at a peice of music and play it, or learn a new peice of music, play it for someone, and make them cry, laugh, sing along etc. it made me feel better knowing that i taught myself piano, and if your committed enough, then i reccon that u shud not worry about getting lessions and do it yourself... but other wise, lessions are great, i guess its just up to personal preference...

That`s pretty cool
Do you have the same problem that you find it harder to play simple pieces than what they would say hard pieces??

yeah, sometimes i do hey, it all depends on the peice, and the key and all that..lol
but yeah, i love the piano
probally one of the best things that u can do is go to sites with MID so u can here a recording of the song, and how its gunna sound when u play it.
http://nephele.kulichki.com/eng/sheetmusic.php
that is a really good site, and has lost of modern day sond that are fairly easy to play...
good luck!!!

I did kinda the same thing, but backwards, my mum taght me a couple of little tunes (frere jaques type stuff....) when i was about 6, and i decided to learn myself. i taught myself to about grade 3 standard, with books and stuff, then i decided to take GCSE music, but my main instrument for that was drum kit. we had to learn all the music theory for the exam, and that improved my playing and sight reading a lot. I`m 17 now and studying A Level music, I started havin piano lessons in september and am actually enjoying it, but i have to play music I actually like rather than just anything the teacher sticks in front of me, and i find that helps a lot or else i just lose concentration. My teacher has never made me practice scales or anything, i just play them when i feel like it and it all works out. I`ve got to about grade 7 standard without doin a single royal associate board exam, and with less than a years worth of lessons.

I`d say stick teaching yourself if you don`t like practicing when someone tells you to, its better if you just play when you want to but if you dont mind practicing a few times a week then getting a tutor will really help, with your pedalling, articulation, fingering etc.