Is it always too late?

[XVampireX]

Hi, here's a fairly weird topic that I bet some of you at least wonder, hope you get something of it, yourself. Also, it is a very detailed post about what happened to me, so please if you feel like a good person, please go ahead and read it, and maybe even help me if you can.

I work in a research company, a company that deals with surveys, by phone.

So basically what happened today is that I went to work, and before we had to start working (like always) we had some tutorial that we need to do before we start working almost every day. What happened is that before we started this tutorial, everyone gathered in the tutors room and then I asked what everyone was doing over the holiday (the jewish new year), then not alot of people said what they were doing, and instead asked ME what I was doing, and what I said was very basic: I was training to play on the keyboard.

Now the next part is really depressing, some fairly old person there (60+) told me that to start learning at my age is impossible and that I have no hope. That totally ruined my mood, and during the whole day, until after the 30 minute recess that we had, I didn't think of why I was so down, so depressed. It was because of what that person told me, and after recess I talked to him and asked him why he said that, as if I have no hope for real. And he said it's not his opinion but something that he knows for a fact.

Now if you were ever moody, you'd know what I felt next, I felt destroyed, as if what I found to myself (That I really like playing the keyboard, and that one day I'll get myself the korg oasys) was no longer possible, as if my dream to become a great musician was destroyed. I told the supervisors there that I didn't feel good and when I went for a short break I called a friend of mine and told him what happened and he told me some stuff like that the person who told me that may be right and may be wrong, he doesn't know. Next I called my mother and while she was trying to comfort me by telling me that there is never too late and even retired people always can learn something... after a short talk I started crying, being as depressed as I am (I'm even still depressed now).

Anyway, after a while I just got out of my job for the day to relax a bit cause I know I wouldn't be able to work in this mood.

And here's my few questions:

1. What would you do if you were me?
2. Is it really too late for me?

I would really appreciate it if you could answer me.

Also let me tell you that I'm 19 right now and that I actually had some piano lessons (Even my school teacher saw that I'm more into the piano than anything) when I was at school, for like a year I had a few REALLY basic lessons, and even was taught by colored stickers instead of real notes/chords. Also the past few days I gained quite a bit of knowledge, I could learn to play a really basic version of mortal combat by the ABCDEFG notation... And I learned to play a really small part of the Metal Gear Solid 2 theme song, without reading how to play it, instead, I learned to play it by improvising, not even knowing that I'm playing the correct keys (when I already learned to play it, I looked into youtube how other people play it and I saw the exact same notes being played, and I mean people who know how to play, even the more complicated versions and even by NightShader1... It goes something like: E D C D E C E D C D E...). So that gives me a little bit of hope.

-Thanks
Sergey Sedlovsky

[citrus]

Hey man, what that person said was rubbish, i'm teaching myself and I'm in my early 20s, you can teach yourself at any age, who are they to go laying down the law, it just means the older you get the longer it takes to reach the same level (when you're younger its like learning to walk) when you're older its investing the time. So just practice practice practice, half an hour a day, then build it... an hour ... two hours etc, rather than a chore it will become fulfilling, you just have to get over the hurdle. My tip buy a book and try it, work through it, if you still fell shaky get lessons again, but never never never give up, and never let someone else tell you your abilities will not help you, the world is your oyster and only you can make the dream of playing true.

[EJ2]

Hey, Sergey,
I'm 63 years old and I'm still learning. That character is full of a pile of bad knish. I retired from a long career in education. I have two degrees (Bachelors and Masters) plus principals qualifications. Both my undergraduate and graduate degrees have a heavy loading in the history, psychology, sociology, and dynamics of learning. Again, all I can say is that person is ferkokt and has gornisht to say about learning. Learning is a never ending process. Now, at age 19, you have a long way to go, so enjoy the journey and never mind with the, "oy-yoy-yoy".

Cheers,
Eric[/i]

[XVampireX]

I'm most of the time now on the keyboard trying to learn some techniques even by playing the simple songs like mortal combat especially I'm trying to perfect my dexterity so I could lend my fingers correctly even when I'm playing faster than slow for example in mortal combat song it is the last part... but even the first part deals a lot of eye/hand coordination...

I'm still glad I'm trying and every little improvement makes me happy.

EJ2: I don't know yiddish, sadly... so I don't know these words

[XVampireX]

Actually here's one subtopic that's very interesting to talk about, and I couldn't find anything much about it: The Relationship between the Musician and the Musical Instrument.

What do you people think, for example, say, if I have had always been into synthesizers and keyboard... It's as if the instrument is there waiting for me to learn it. And when I learn it, I can go on and learn some more. So it becomes a tool for me to study with. It helps me, and I help it, kinda a synergy of sorts (Without a keyboard you can't play on it/Without a musician, the keyboard won't be played on).

I'm wondering if there's really some sort of connection between musicians and instruments that tell us what kind of music we play and with which instrument we do it.

[Daz]

Now the next part is really depressing, some fairly old person there (60+) told me that to start learning at my age is impossible and that I have no hope.

Excuse me for saying, but that is a crock, ignore that.

It's not your age but your artististic sense, your will will and love of playing that matters.

Play and enjoy.

Daz.

[XVampireX]

Ok, after a lot of looking around, I've finally found this article that may come to use to any other person who encountered the same problem as me: http://www.musica.uci.edu/mrn/V3I1S96.html

Thanks guys for all the help, your help is really appreciated and my mood is quite a bit elevated

[tritex4]

It's not your age but your artististic sense, your will and love of playing that matters.

Play and enjoy.

Daz.

Ditto!!!

[chinard]

ive encountered this before and i attribute it to 'old generation' thinking.

If your aspirations were getting in to a world-class music conservatory then maybe..

seriously, just ignore that crap and play.
the best thing you should do is to prove that guy wrong

[Timo]

That guy is perhaps bitter that he hasn't tried something in the past and in his bitterness is intent on bringing down others that have that chance while he still squanders his.

In short, he is wrong. Plain wrong.

If he wanted to, even he can start training and acumulating a decent level if he put the time in (although I think people of the digital-generation may perhaps grasp the technology/GUI aspect of things easier). I'm 28, and still picking up techniques all over the shop, perhaps not in my playing ability but in the synthesis and music-production areas instead. You're never too old.

Music tweaking is so fun these days. Anyone can enjoy it.

19? You're not even in your prime, let alone past it!!

Go get.

[Giner]

Right on, Timo!

Hey, the 60-something who stomped on our young friend is way off base. I'm a 60-something myself and, competent as I need to be, fully subscribe to the view that you're never too old to learn anything - especially when it's as much fun as these modern keyboards make it.

Hey, chinard, I know what you're saying about 'old generation' thinking, but it's not necessarily an age-related phenomenon. I don't think of myself as being any different than when I was in my thirties. It's just the old body pops up and reminds you now and again. Rock on!

BTW - just had a gander at your band's website - very nice.

[Dr.InnoVation]

And here's my few questions:

1. What would you do if you were me?
2. Is it really too late for me?

I would really appreciate it if you could answer me.

Also let me tell you that I'm 19 right now and that I actually had some piano lessons (Even my school teacher saw that I'm more into the piano than anything) when I was at school, for like a year I had a few REALLY basic lessons, and even was taught by colored stickers instead of real notes/chords. Also the past few days I gained quite a bit of knowledge, I could learn to play a really basic version of mortal combat by the ABCDEFG notation... And I learned to play a really small part of the Metal Gear Solid 2 theme song, without reading how to play it, instead, I learned to play it by improvising, not even knowing that I'm playing the correct keys (when I already learned to play it, I looked into youtube how other people play it and I saw the exact same notes being played, and I mean people who know how to play, even the more complicated versions and even by NightShader1... It goes something like: E D C D E C E D C D E...). So that gives me a little bit of hope.

-Thanks
Sergey Sedlovsky

You are 19. You are a young and guess what?
YOU could be 30 or 40 and guess what?

You NEVER stop learning as you get older....It sounds to me the jerk that told you you have no hope, he himself has no hope and is projecting his 60yr old self and his vews onto you. Trust me anything in life no matter how significant or insignificant is all about what you put into it.

All you have to do is assert yourself.
Are you tone deaf?
Are you good at basic math because the secret to Piano is this piece of million dollar advice I'm about to tell you about right here:

The key is NOT to question but understand okay? here goes:

Every note black or white. Look at them as half notes okay? As you know 2 halves equal 1 whole. The goal of this exercise is to find each key signature and how to correctly play them. Example#1

You know that Sound of Music song right? Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do
8 half notes or keys. The most common not having any black keys is C D E F G A B C -The answer isn't what but HOW we go about pressing the correct keys Still with me?

The formula is W-W-W-H-W-W-W-H

What is the key signature of D?
Use the formula and you will be able to play ANY key signature!

W=Whole
H=Half
As you progress along the keyboard say aloud WHole for WHole and Half for Half. In this case the white key D is considered a WHOLE note when you begin.

So In the Key of "D" you would put your finger on-
D (say whole out loud) Which starts off as a Whole note.
Hit D# and don't say anything because 2 halves = a whole, and for this purpose consider it a half note.
When you hit the note "E" say WHole
Then hit F (white key) and then hit
F# which is another WHOLE note you say out loud....(also a black key)
So far you have hit 3 whole notes. That means you are half done.
The next note WILL be a half note.

SO..from F# hit G (white Key) and say HALF out loud. See the pattern yet? Try and see if you can figure out the rest Sergey and get back to me!

[RiotNrrd]

It sounds to me the jerk that told you you have no hope, he himself has no hope and is projecting his 60yr old self and his vews onto you.

Every now and then I'll run into someone who claims "You can't learn anything from books." And I always want to say to those people "No, you mean YOU can't learn anything from books. I've learned plenty from books."

It's the same thing here. The guy thinks that what is true for him is true for everybody. Trouble is, it just isn't true.

I took music lessons on and off when I was a kid, but I totally wasn't into it, and I really didn't learn much. Then, when I got into college, I discovered that I had a lot of free time that, yeah, I could have spent studying, but naah, instead I finally wanted to learn to play the piano that was sitting in the dorms social room. And so that's what I learned on. On my own. Just by playing.

Age: 19.

Now I'm 45, and still playing and writing music, and still enjoying it. And I don't think I'm all that bad at it, if I do say so myself.

Age doesn't matter. Giving up before even trying DOES matter. If you like playing music, then that's ALL that matters. "Just Do It" (tm). Who cares what some jerk says - what mystic knowledge does he have that he can just say what is and what isn't true? Forget him. Play your instrument, and enjoy it.

[XVampireX]

Dr.InnoVation.Bennicelli: I just learned the major scale the other day via some jazz piano website and it taught me that there are really half steps and whole steps, E and F are half steps so instead of going from e to f you gotta go to e to f# and when you go backward you gotta go from f to e# I know that but I need to practice it a lot so it will be within me.

Now here's something, I think that I have some talent playing on the keyboard although I need to practice a lot and get a teacher not just learn via the internet or books or by myself, cause the more you play, the more you practice, the more you can recognize patterns in songs and the more you have control over your fingers that's what I think, so if I learn the the chords and notation system, and I get a good teacher that can teach me all kinds of techniques on the piano I think I'll be set, as I'm determined, even as a beginner I practice several times a day, 10 minutes+ at a time. Still I think I need a teacher and I'll get one soon enough, at least for 1 lesson a week that will give me some basis to study until every next lessons so I get better all the time.

I know now that he's talking complete bullshit, too.

Also, what do you think, I have this friend who plays the drums and he wants to form a band with me, he used to have his own before and they did a lot of tours in europe, until a friend of his from the band died. Now he doesn't seem to be as good as he used to (He showed me clips of him when he was 16 and I know more or less how he plays now), but then again he says he wants to get his technique back and play as good if not better than before. But actually the question is if you think that this is a good opportunity for me cause people say that unless you succeed you can play music only as a hobbyist... kinda sad, no?

I see my future in a band though, making money and doing what I like (playing music)

[Dr.InnoVation]

[quote="XVampireX"]Dr.InnoVation.Bennicelli: I just learned the major scale the other day via some jazz piano website and it taught me that there are really half steps and whole steps, E and F are half steps so instead of going from e to f you gotta go to e to f# and when you go backward you gotta go from f to e# I know that but I need to practice it a lot so it will be within me.Cool. As long as you use the formula which is universal then you can do any key signature, depending on the pitch of the song you can play a song in every key signature...

Now here's something, I think that I have some talent playing on the keyboard although I need to practice a lot and get a teacher not just learn via the internet or books or by myself, cause the more you play, the more you practice, the more you can recognize patterns in songs and the more you have control over your fingers that's what I think, so if I learn the the chords and notation system, and I get a good teacher that can teach me all kinds of techniques on the piano I think I'll be set, as I'm determined, even as a beginner I practice several times a day, 10 minutes+ at a time. Still I think I need a teacher and I'll get one soon enough, at least for 1 lesson a week that will give me some basis to study until every next lessons so I get better all the time.Sure. Unlike the piano keys not everything is black and white. For example I learned to play by ear, by Identifying the Bass which is the root you can create chords. The basic fundamental is 1-3-5. Not to mention by dropping the #3 note by a half step you can make it a minor chord, 1-3-5 is a major chord. I took music theory but never took lessons which is very important for learning the technical side of playing music



Also, what do you think, I have this friend who plays the drums and he wants to form a band with me, he used to have his own before and they did a lot of tours in europe, until a friend of his from the band died. Now he doesn't seem to be as good as he used to (He showed me clips of him when he was 16 and I know more or less how he plays now), but then again he says he wants to get his technique back and play as good if not better than before. But actually the question is if you think that this is a good opportunity for me cause people say that unless you succeed you can play music only as a hobbyist... kinda sad, no?Well what do you think? In all reality it doesn't matter what anyone thinks!
it only matters what you think. But you asked for my opinion so here it is: Play and jam with every and anyone. Learn how they play, see how prepared or not how they are at what they do.
I also recommend you learn to sightread and become proficient at notation. The technical side of music is IMO very much the foundation of a good musician, something I lack myself. I mean I can learn any song just hearing it once, and knowing the chords but sight reading is very crucial. As for playing in a band, and by repetition learning the songs sure, that can be done. But when you get to the professional level, sight reading is essential, again IMO.

In other words Do IT!!!!!
I would if I were you atleast learn all key sigs and learn augemented, diminished, tritones....Learn ALL chords and learn basic notation before playing in a band only because it will really help you when people are telling you or handing you sheets of paper with chords written on them....