Hi Marianne,
I hope it's o.k. to jump in like this. The digital vs. acoustic
piano interests me. I'm actually a half-century old violin student,
but I used to play piano in a self-taught manner as a teen, having
started on a little Hohner bellows-drive "organ" with child-size
keys. (Those were the days.) In a manner of speaking I've gone back
to the piano after an absence of decades. It helps with this
reconnection of the physical to the mental of which Matt writes,
though for me it is reconnection to an actual musical, if quite
undisciplined, background. Using the bits of wisdom that I've
learned through four years of violin study, I'm going through my
grandmother's 1901 Czerny studies methodically and delighting at how
much more fluid the fingers can become.

There's a problem in all of this: The instrument I'm using cannot
properly be called a piano. The keys are not touch sensitive so
there are no dynamics, they don't descend as deeply as those of a
real piano, and there aren't enough of them (endless transposing up
and down an octave or tapping empty space). I can do the dynamics
imaginatively, and when I get my hands on a real piano, they seem to
be there. But obviously this is no way to go about practising piano.

Ideally in my neighbourhood a (real) digital piano would allow me to
practise with earphones etc. I tried out some higher end ones, and
the response is phenomenal and surreal. The surreal part bothers
me. I understand that the sounds you hear coming out of these
pianos are digitally tweaked recordings of an actual pianist: the
voice you will hear will always be his voice, not yours, and his
touch, not yours - even with the built in digital responsiveness.
Can there ever be as direct a physical interaction with those subtle
tactile feelings you get from an acoustic piano, in a digital one?
When I play an instrument, reproducing a melody for friends and
family is not the aim as much as having the all enveloping
experience of expressing every ounce of the music that can be
expressed. Will a digital do that? What are your own reasons for
preferring an acoustic piano for yourself?

--- In musicalfossils@yahoogroups.com, "ashtonrg" <ashtonrg@n...>
wrote:
>
> Hello Mindy,
> I have been teaching piano to children and adults for over 15
years and I believe that the most important question to ask would be
for an adult reference of the teacher you are looking to study
with. My adult
> students are always happy to give a reference. I truly enjoy
teaching adults because they all come to the lessons with such
enthusiasm and really want to learn. There are a variety of
adult "method" books I use however I never teach "page by page" from
the books. I find out what kind of music each adult wants to play
> and we work on a specific piece that they have "always wanted to
play".
> I believe when you are first looking for a teacher you should find
one that has a degree in music with lots of emphasis on piano
pedagogy (which is the art of teaching piano). I don't mean to be a
snob, however, there are lots of piano "teachers" who are teaching
just because they learned to play the piano at one time but really
do not know how to "teach" piano.
> To answer your question regarding a digital/electronic keyboard
vs. an acoustic piano....it is really up to you. I have adults who
play on both. I still prefer the acoustic piano to an electric one,
however, there are some really terrific digital keyboards on the
market and if you feel better using headphones, then by all mean use
them! You may decide later on that you would like to play on an
acoustic piano at home. Just go for your dream of playing the
piano...you will be glad you did! My adult students are amazed at
the progress they have made. Most couldn't read any notes at the
first lesson and after only a month were playing chords with simple
melodies.
> Good luck in your search for a teacher ... hope this has helped.
> Marianne A.
> Trenton, Ohio
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Pat McClard
> To: musicalfossils@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Sunday, November 06, 2005 2:13 PM
> Subject: [musicalfossils] Where to start?
>
>
> Hello,
>
> I am Mindy, 42 years old, and have been longing to learn to play
the
> piano forever. Problem is I have no idea where to start. Is it
best
> to buy an electronic keyboard or rent a piano? One aspect I
like about
> the electronic keyboards and digital pianos is that you can play
> silently with headphones, so I could practice any time
regardless of
> what else is going on in the house.
>
> I've been told repeatedly by musical friends that it is very
important
> to find an instructor with experience teaching adults. What are
the
> right questions to ask an instructor to find out if they really
have
> experience teaching adults?
>
> Any advice you can offer would be appreciated.
>
> Mindy
> in NE Iowa, USA
>
>
>
>
>
>
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