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Reading Vs Listening to Learn Piano

I have hacked around on a piano for a few years, mainly learning a few chords and "faking" it a bit but I am at a point where I am stuck and would love to learn more.

Despite protests from traditionally trained pianists and their teachers, I unfortunately do not have the time, patience or inclination to really learn to read music.

Curiously, whenever I have been really moved and inspired by someone playing the piano (most recently by a customer in the piano department at Harrods in London)it seems they RARELY know how to read music but will say things like:

"Oh I just picked it up" (?!?!)

or

"I had a couple of lessons as a kid, but then I just started to PLAY"

With no disrespect to anyone who can sight read Chopin, obviously an amazing skill, that to me seems to be a more technical and analytical exercise.

Musicianship, in my opinion, is ultimately more spiritual and inspirational, than it is technical.

I have had this discussion with one friend who I think can "play" from both parts of his brain, although his intution seems to emerge more on the guitar than the piano.

Despite my protests and references to Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles, he basically said I just didnt "get it."

So two questions please:

1) Do any of you have experience, thoughts on the subject of intuition and improvisation vs reading music, especially for piano, and

2) If anyone would encourage me down that spiritual, intuitive path, what jazz, blues, and/or gospel music would you suggest I listen to, in order to just "pick it up" as mentioned above.

Thank you.
cwlondon

Showing 2 responses by aida_w

aida_w
308 posts
 
First of all you have to be musically gifted in order to be able picking "something up". Then, still, you need technical skills to put down to a keyboard what you just heard. If you can play a tune after having heard it just once or twice you're definitely in the position to go further.
I would recomend to "invent" own stuff as well, for a start, to find out if you have the skills at all - and, after all, see a teacher. I had good results with adults not being able to read music but trying to "hear-copy" first, then later getting experienced in that "technique". A last thing: I doubt that you get the right chords without any idea of the basics here.
Good luck!
aida_w
308 posts
 
Thanks Rockethouse to point out my view in better words. Otherwise this topic would be getting too much on the light side - to say it in a nice way.
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