Hello everyone

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I found this forum by trying to learn more about Topilin, and this forum was the only place that had some info.

Could I go to this forum to learn more about secrets to the piano. I know a lot of secrets, I found out a lot, but, there is even more I am missing.

I want to become like Cortot, Sofronitsky, Feinberg, Richter, Paderewski, Scriabin, Rachmaninoff, Beethoven, Mozart, Hambourg, Anton Rubinstein, Hoffmann.

I am willing to train very hard, I have periods where I practice for about 8+ hours a day, and I can even do more, but, I also am studying CS and have to finish my degree and get a job in it. I plan on working for 1-2 years, then quitting to prepare for the Chopin Competition in 2030 with a teacher, and maybe I can make a name for myself if I get in.

I started during COVID, and I am largely self-taught, but had some lessons, I studied with a really good teacher for like 5 lessons, and then had maybe around 20 lessons between two teachers at college since I started. Now, I am starting weekly ones though, I have gotten some success from posting on piano forums, some good advice, but the ones that I’ve visited I can tell the people are pretty braindead boomers, but, you guys seem different, you have the powers of autism.

I can play Beethoven op 2 no 1 allegro, chopin preludes a major, c minor, italian and neopolitan song by tchaik, scriabin op 11 no 2, bach prelude c major, then a lot of pieces like sonatina romanze by beethoven, clementi sonatinas (i can sightread them now slow tempo no mistakes and keeping steady beat, and even get fast quick).

Then, I can play a lot of excerpts of stuff, and there is pieces I plan on finishing soon or working on.

Prelude G major chopin, op 25 1 chopin, op 10 2 (i only work on a measure or so a day for a bit), 10 1 (I can play the first measure pretty solid now, fast and even soft thumb, voicing pinky, legato no pedal), 25 6 (i only play the opening chords, but, I am starting to get them fast), opening phrase to op 3 no 2 by beethoven (I can play the double chords), finale to scriabin 4, maybe 4-6 measures (I can voice the melody though that is in the main theme while keeping inner quiet in rh), an arragnement i made of op 8 12, I can play the RH, bach inventions c major, dminor, b flat, a minor, f major (i know all notes hands together, but, haven’t fullypolished, some more than others), bach WTC c minor prelude (same thing, know all notes, can play it in all kinds of articulation and tempo, with evenness finally!!!), I’m learning some of poeme op 32 2 as well, I can finally read poem 32 no 1 by scriabin, and that’s basically as far as the stuff I practice everyday or most days, also I do a lot of scales, and am starting to do czerny a lot now, I working on a group of etudes, and am trying to get them really perfect, I can get them pretty good though in only like 30 minutes from czerny germer book.

Well yeah, there is everything basically, I also can do Hanon exercise 1 really nearly perfectly.

I know I still suck and have a long way to go, but, do you think it’s possible or worth it to try to pursue competition? I want to do piano forever, and my goal is just to play free like paderewski or Cortot (paderewski started the piano late btw too), and I think I know a good amount about the instrument, I already have one piano student that I teaching basics, and the lesons are going good, but, I want to become a true artist like my idols, and I am wondering on your guys thoughts.

Best,
Thank you for reading.

PS: I can also play the octaves of intro of liszt concert, some of tchaik concerts octaves main theme, hungarian 6 first phrase octaves (i will have a deeper tone slower tempo, less deep into keys wiht fast), and I can even do heroic polonaise octaves for a while… Keep in mind I started in summer of 2020, I had no idea how to play.

P.S.S: I meant to also say another pianist or idol I have is Heinrich Neuhaus, I feel like I can become like him or Paderewski would be my full potential, I do not think I will have the technical abilites, or maybe I will, maybe I’m lacking in brain, but, I don’t think I’ll be able to do superhuman things like PLetnev memorize all beethoven concertos in a weke, and im fine with that as much as I would wish I could, I just want to make sound paintings how cortot, neuhaus, paderewski did!

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Welcome to land of fury and furries, Cortot.

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nice name and pfp, richter looks so old in that doucmentary xD

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Welcome, player!

We is VERY friendly.

If you want to become like the old guard pianists, I’d suggest you start here:

:wink:

I can give you a free lesson via Zoom, send me a PM. I’m swamped with students but can afford to give back to the community :sunglasses:

That’s what pimps do!

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Welcome!

As heads up, my threads don’t make a ton of sense so you can avoid them.

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It’s one of the last complete uncensored places on the internet and sort of private as hell.

Tons of unrelated depraved shit on here:

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I’d recommend skipping Hanon and going straight to the Chopin Etudes. We can’t waste time on Hanon if we want to get into and win the Chopin Competition by 2030. Chopin comp winners have been playing the 'tudes for many years before they step on the stage in Warsaw.

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Thank you, I appreciate it.

I have my first real lesson for starting weekly lessons, I will hopefully get put on a more strict regime, instead of being all over the place.

I appreciate the video you sent me, it’s a great recording, I’ve never quite liked the piece besides truecrypt’s recording of it, and I think I will listen to it much more now.

My goal is maybe to be like someone like Lucas Debargue, or just maybe instead of doing piano fully, do programming, and have a small rep of miniatures that are played very freely. But, I have no idea my potential yet, I think it can be very weak, or very strong, I have no clue.

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Yeah, I felt like I got lucky as soon as I found the thread on Topilin, I’ve known a place like this on the internet existed somewhere, but, I had no ideas on where to look. I even tried going on 4chan music board for classical, did not work out well.

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Why not both?

I think I can learn these etudes now, I think I’m ready, but, I will confirm with my teacher tomorrow: Op 25 1, op 25 2, op 10 9, op 10 12 (STRETCH MAYBE prelude in G major LH though is starting to be perfectly even and tempo?), and butterfly etude.

I do practice though the hard etudes daily, generally very slow and secure, with freedom in my arms/wrists, legato no pedla, pedal, but also tons of other ways…

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Well, then. You are on your way. Chopin Etudes within 2 years of being mostly self-taught is an accomplishment. Should I buy my tickets for your Carnegie debut now?

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2023 SDC growth is insane :sunglasses:

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My goal is to be like Lucas Debargue, I think we started at a similar age. I think that is my saving grace, I will post some of my playing shortly so you can evaluate, but, I think maybe if I learn enough rep for some competition, I can maybe do well enough to get some small following from abusing that narrative. Started late mostly self taught.

Debargue did have past musical experience, I’ve tried instruments growing up and my brother is a great guitarist, well to call him just a guitarist is disrespectful, he is an artist, he can play anything! Sadly, he did not end up pursuing music…

I cannot play any chopin etudes fully yet, but, I can learn them I think, I just tried reading through some of them again, and op 10 9 was quite easy to read (the LH I have practiced in the past, HT wasn’t bad), I also read through revolutionary and it’s not bad as well, but more bad cuz its soooo LONG…

I will post a video of my op 2 no 1, and maybe just show how I play some of the etudes to show that my technique I think is correct for op 10 no 2 atleast.

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Acquisition pitch.

30% growth last day alone.

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Anything is possible, just keep going.

Definitely post sum vids on here

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Yeah it’s the untouched Liszt transcription with all his extra additions etc, I’ve always felt it’s way more exquisite than the Horowitz transcription of it which people stubbornly play.

Keep shredding, dude, and don’t let anyone tell you it can’t be done.

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Thank you all for the kind words.

Here is some random playing.

I play first repeat of Beethoven op 2 no 1, there is a bit of mistakes, I usually am not nervous playing, but, for some reason I was a bit nervous, I attribute it to not eating yet though, I am usually a bit shaky until I eat.

Practicing ideas on op 10 no 2

Some of Prelude in G major by Chopin

Some of Prelude in A major

Some of Prelude in C minor no pedal (trying to do pedal legato trick)

Some of Scrriabin Finael sonata ( I butchered it xD, usually it goes much better)

Maybe some of revolutionary etude as well.

The playing is not supposed to be good, just more of a honest assessment of my abilities with mistakes included and mishaps, I could’ve probably took a video that is more perfect, but, I think this is a fair enough assessment.

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dis is 88chan, apparently :dong:

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I’m not one of the experts here, but for someone who only took a handful or two of lessons, to be able to even attempt some of those pieces (though, let’s be honest, with the exception of the Beethoven Op.2/1, they’re a bit above your current level) shows you have some natural dexterity, which is important.

One piece of advice that I don’t think anyone would argue with is that you need a very competent teacher that can give you a solid technical and musical foundation.

Another piece of advice that I think most would agree with is that you shouldn’t spend time on pieces that are obviously way above your level. What will happen is that you’ll develop bad technical habits and possibly strain your muscles. It’s better to play maybe a Mozart sonata to perfection with crystalline clarity, fluency, and musicality, than fumble with a Chopin Etude. That way you’ll create good habits and actually progress more quickly. Play pieces that are manageable but that are just a bit of a challenge. Then work on them till they’re polished and you can play them in front of people with no problems.

Most importantly…don’t go on forums expecting precise and correct advice on your specific situation.

TL:DR Get a competent teacher (who is engaged during the lesson and can explain and demo anything he/she/they is trying to teach) and practice consistently with as much concentration you can muster.

BTW: I was at a Debargue concert and I wasn’t impressed. Of course he played Gaspard de la Nuit (that’s his warhorse) and it wasn’t very exciting. He’s good but I’m sure that a top level pianist can demonstrate lapses in his technical development.

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Of course