Chopin

[Synyster Shadows]

Ok, so I want to learn a piece by Chopin. I was considering the Minute Waltz but my dad thinks I should learn the Nocturne in E-flat (Op. 9, no. 2). When I told him, he said he'd buy me a grand piano if I played it well for him. Now I really want to learn something. Which one do you think I should try?

[Kameraden]

To be frank, you won't play it well. Sure, maybe you'll play it accurately (which I highly doubt), but both pieces need more than talent to play, it needs passion, something you do not yet have.

[Emerald Dream]

That's such a great incentive. It sounds like he wants to buy you that piano, and he wants to see some effort go into it to justify it.

I think you'll do great with it, no matter which one you choose.

5ZUw78FXpG4
KESTJm1g_N0

They're both good.

[CharlieHorse]

That's such a great incentive. It sounds like he wants to buy you that piano, and he wants to see some effort go into it to justify it.

I think you'll do great with it, no matter which one you choose.

5ZUw78FXpG4
KESTJm1g_N0

They're both good.

These! ^

My dad plays a lot of Chopin because it makes my dog sing. She howls along. :) It's so cute.

This is her favorite song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svdh2i1IgAs

[Synyster Shadows]

Which one do you think I'd be better off trying?

[Emerald Dream]

Which one do you think I'd be better off trying?

Even though it's longer, I like the Nocturne better. :)

[Kameraden]

That's some awful advice, guys. There is no way a fourteen-year-old can play a Chopin piece well, regardless of its difficulty or novicity.

[Emerald Dream]

That's some awful advice, guys. There is no way a fourteen-year-old can play a Chopin piece well, regardless of its difficulty or novicity.

You're entitled to your opinion, and your discouragement is acknowledged.

However, he asked a question and doesn't need to be trolled by you. If you wish to continue it, you can do so in private with me.

I think he'll do fine with either one. :)

[Scooby Dooby Drew]

That's some awful advice, guys. There is no way a fourteen-year-old can play a Chopin piece well, regardless of its difficulty or novicity.

Wow you're pretty dumb.
The cool thing about Chopin is that you don't have to be a professional or even an expert to play a lot of his tunes, but at the same time they're complex and musical enough that experts can challenge themselves with them. I mean a concert pianist is probably going to give a better performance of one of his pieces, have a better understanding of the harmony, the direction of the melody, the contrast in the dynamics, and just technically be more in control, but there's absolutely no reason a novice can't also play it well. It's by playing difficult songs and emulating the great players and building off of what you hear that makes you better; if you only play Mary Had A Little Lamb over and over because it's the only song "on your skill level" then you'll never improve.
So please. Like. Shut up?

And MusicalInV, you should totally play the Nocturne; it's what I'm learning right now too.

[Synyster Shadows]

Wow you're pretty dumb.
The cool thing about Chopin is that you don't have to be a professional or even an expert to play a lot of his tunes, but at the same time they're complex and musical enough that experts can challenge themselves with them. I mean a concert pianist is probably going to give a better performance of one of his pieces, have a better understanding of the harmony, the direction of the melody, the contrast in the dynamics, and just technically be more in control, but there's absolutely no reason a novice can't also play it well. It's by playing difficult songs and emulating the great players and building off of what you hear that makes you better; if you only play Mary Had A Little Lamb over and over because it's the only song "on your skill level" then you'll never improve.
So please. Like. Shut up?

And MusicalInV, you should totally play the Nocturne; it's what I'm learning right now too.

Thanks for the defense, bro.

Too late. ;) I'm learning the Valse. It's actually easier than I thought. I can play parts of it with both hands slowly, which is a good start, and I'm doing my best to pay attention to dynamics and such. Though the hard part is the tempo at which I'll have to play it. it won't be one of those super-duper fast performances, but ya know, moderately fast, like 150 bpm. Oh, and that final cadenza. But other than that, it's going well. :)

This just came to my mind - what would be the ideal minimum tempo, like where I can say "Ok, this is acceptable but let's see if I can go faster without overdoing it"? I'm currently playing it at 76 bpm and will be slowly working up to 100 in the next few weeks.

[Scooby Dooby Drew]

Thanks for the defense, bro.

Too late. ;) I'm learning the Valse. It's actually easier than I thought. I can play parts of it with both hands slowly, which is a good start, and I'm doing my best to pay attention to dynamics and such. Though the hard part is the tempo at which I'll have to play it. it won't be one of those super-duper fast performances, but ya know, moderately fast, like 150 bpm. Oh, and that final cadenza. But other than that, it's going well. :)
He was annoying me.

I don't know the Valse, but generally Chopin's music has a lot of room for give and take with the tempo. I'd say don't rush it; sometimes it's more fun to take it really slow. (I also don't really know how the Valse is meant to sound but whatever I'm an amateur that's my excuse.)

And oh gosh the Nocturne has four versus two in it I can barely play duple vs triple how is this going to work.