How to learn piano using synthesia

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mta
Posts: 10

Post by mta »

Hello All!

Is there a "best practice" for learning to play piano with synthesia?
How do I practice best to get good at finding correct keys for the falling notes?

please share your tips for best practice technique and what synthesia settings you use.

thanks
mta
st5555
Posts: 38

Post by st5555 »

I've been waiting for someone to respond as I asked the about question about a year ago.
The only response I got was to hire a piano teacher and take some lessons.

I think it's still a good question as I would also like to know what a good lesson plan would be using Synthesia.

Two major exercises I use are Hanon and Czerny.

Hanon with finger hints can be found at the bottom of the page here:
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=1794&p=39743&hilit= ... oso#p39743

Czerny with finger hints links can be found near top of page here:
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=1794&hilit=czerny+with+fingering
When practicing Czerny, I set the instrument to some kind of organ as that works well with the sustained notes.

Other than that, I will wait along with you to see if anyone has some thoughts.
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jimhenry
Posts: 1899

Post by jimhenry »

I am afraid the answer of hire a piano teacher, take a piano class, or find a self study book or website is about the best you are going to get. Synthesia is NOT a piano tutorial. It is a practice tool that can help with whatever form of piano study you are doing.
Jim Henry
Author of the Miditzer, a free virtual theatre pipe organ
http://www.Miditzer.org/
tsaylor
Posts: 2

Post by tsaylor »

If your main goal is just to be able to match up the falling notes to the actual keyboard keys, I really like the option of a lighted keyboard. I bought the "Best choice for beginners" recommendation from the Synthesia site, the Yamaha EZ-220. Makes it very easy to match up keys to Synthesia, and for me it makes the experience more fun. Combined with the practice mode, where the app waits until you've found the correct notes to move on, I find it a very effective way to learn the notes. Sure it's not the same as proper instruction, theory, etc, but it's a fun way to actually make some music and see progress.

I've had piano lessons in the past, going back to childhood, and I can find the notes from sheet music but it's a very slow process. Using Synthesia simplifies and accelerates the process, even if I'm not really learning to read the sheet music.
Anthonio
Posts: 2

Post by Anthonio »

I go to a music teacher, who has put me on to Alfred's Premier Piano Course. These books are written for kids, but actually work very well for adults, especially since you can just pass over the more child-like exercises. The books can be bought second-hand for pennies on a well known on-line bookseller.

Alfred's also sell MIDI files accompanying the books. These can be loaded into Synthesia, this means you can work your way through the books, playing each piece as it comes up using Synthesia. Synthesia will ensure you get the piece correct, etc. When the MIDI files are bought, you do need to tell Synthesia which MIDI channels are your left and right hand. (Channel 3 left, Channel 4 right-hand)

I have Synthesia set up to only display the score.

Every few pieces, Alfred's will introduce a new idea or a new bit of theory. These are the bits you want to study well if you're working on your own. The pieces of music after that then put that concept into practise.

For me, the music teacher works well to explain the theory and keep me motivated (She expects me to have practised after all...), and so speeds up learning, but i have no doubt it -could- be done without.

One more thing.. hand-placement... Alfred's asks you to put your hands in different positions for every piece as part of their teaching method... So, you have to use the book to place the hands in the right places before hitting "play" on Synthesia... I would also on occasion read off the book, rather than Synthesia, as the book contains finger numberings alongside the notes in strategic places to help you learn, though I always end up using the Synthesia notion in the end...
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