Recommendations for learning piano/keyboard

Hopefully this is the appropriate forum. I've been toying with the idea of learning how to play piano so that I can take better advantage of all the cool virtual instruments I have. I always struggle trying to build chords on a keyboard and when I do figure them out, my playing is extremely sloppy.
 
My main instrument is guitar. I was wondering if there were any guitar players on the forum that taught themselves how to play piano and might be able to recommended some books, resources, etc or even share how they went about it. All I can really think of at this point is to grab a random beginner piano method book, flick on a metronome  and start learning Mary Had a Little Lamb, etc. Any advice out there? I don't have money for lessons at this point.
 
Also, for any keyboard players. What helped you best learn chords and different voicings? I remember early in my guitar days using a guitar chord book to learn some new voicings to play. Is there a piano equivalent?
 
Thanks to anybody that replies.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Play+Piano
 
http://www.walmart.com/search/search-ng.do?search_query=Virtuoso%20Pianist&adid=22222222220206545215&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=e&wl1=s&wl2=c&wl3=27693063440&wl4=&veh=sem
 
Although I don't believe it is at that store.
But that is more - finger exercises.
 
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Music+Circle+of+Fifths
 
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Music+Scales
 
Other videos there also.
 

Philip, just realized I missed your reply. Thanks for the suggestion. I'll try printing off some chords and see if that helps me.

Sorry, but the Virtuoso Piano book was kind of a joke persay. Yes it can exercise your fingers, but even though I have one of those books I never use it. By the time I get done with it and the first few exercises, that is all there is in my head. Even months and years later, I can repeat the first few exercises by heart in my head. I find that when I tried to use it, all that ended up in my brain for music was that book and those exercises. If anything like me, I defer not using that book unless you do not have a memory. Perhaps listening to hours of music of something else a day would eliminate that. I prefer not to be driven crazy by that book. But it would help my fingers play better though.
 
I sure they have chord videos at utube probably also. Actually piano is not that hard. You have 12 notes in an Octave, and all the way up and down on the keyboard they are the same, just like moving up the frets on a guitar with the same chord. Only thing different on the piano is learning the notes that make up the chord, and with different chords the intervals of the notes are all the same. I suppose learning the intervals that make up the chords might help, but unlike guitar where you might learn different fingerings for chords and remember those, on the piano it is just you have to learn what makes up the chord and in different octaves of a piano or even an octave and a half, there is not that many different positions to move the chord up or down the piano.
 
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Piano+chords
 
Obviously this is another probably dumb post, and you will have to excuse me. If you know the notes of any scale, then applying by thinking of what notes make up a major, minor, dim, augmented, min7, maj7, 9th or any other chord on the piano is basically just another set of finger spacings depending on the key signature somewhat like a guitar that you learn to play. Well, obviously also I do not teach any musical instrument either.
 
It's getting your fingers stuck between the black and white notes on the piano that is different nowadays with the smaller spacing between the white and black keys on the piano. I swear on a regular piano (not a synthesizer) there use to be more room between and on all keys. Now on a synth like it is only an inch for a key space, where before I swear it was 1-1/4", at least on a guitar somewhat you can pick out the length of the neck you want - 24.75", or 25.5" somewhat, on a piano, no you usually can not do that anymore.
 
http://www.dolmetsch.com/theoryintro.htm
 
I suppose that may be a worse website, but it is all music theory.
 
And at last:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6YsfxrCVYU
 
Tones and semi-tones and the interval between those make up chords on a piano (actually it is music theory even on a guitar).
 
Then with guitar strapped on your neck using your hands, and piano on the desk using your feet and perhaps your head for bass drums or drums, you can end up like some of these people making more money than a lot of musicians make in this world, being a one-person band.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2lo5Iz3gRY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDLrpG0DCqI


Okay, I am done!

 
 
 

When I went to the IMSTA FESTA in New York last year, there was a company there touting some interactive piano lesson app which actually looked really good. I meant to check it out further when I got home but couldn't for the life of me remember the name so it got forgotten about. I should have realized how easy it was to find it out from the IMSTA website though....so here it is, Playground Sessions, co-created by Quincy Jones:
 
http://www.playgroundsessions.com/
 
 

One lesson he spoke about how chords in the lower octaves could be much more open than the lower, as the overtones helped for form the constistant sound of being that chord.

 
There is a basic rule in theory that notes below a certain octave should never be closer than a fourth or fifth.  The frequencies are so close together that it becomes just mud.  Lower chords are better spaced out, never a third on the bottom.  
 

I swear on a regular piano (not a synthesizer) there use to be more room between and on all keys. Now on a synth like it is only an inch for a key space, where before I swear it was 1-1/4", at least on a guitar somewhat you can pick out the length of the neck you want - 24.75", or 25.5" somewhat, on a piano, no you usually can not do that anymore.

 
Synth key usually are smaller.  They are obviously not meant to be used as a piano performance medium, but more of a musical/compositional aide.   Though I personally hate full sized "Hammer-Action" keys on most electric stage pianos and large synths.  IMO worse than standard weighted keys and nothing at all like a piano feel.  

I guess it depends on which one-person band outfit you choose.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KobTtlkWNM
 
 

Like the OP, I'm in the same boat. I agree that taking formal lessons is the best but if you live in the boondocks like me that's not always easy. I had a look at "Playground Sessions" but it seemed even the advanced lessons were focused on chord/melody style playing. That's great if you just want to entertain yourself at home but that's not how you would accompany yourself on a song you're writing.
 
Lots of stuff on the internet. Learn the chords and the keys then go through Bill Hiltons youtube videos. If you're still dedicated after that I'd suggest checking out "PianoWithWillie". It's not cheap and probably 65% jazz orientated but there's worse things in life than accidently picking up a little jazz theory. The whole point of his site is to learn to play like a real keyboardist would either live or on a recording and how to take chord/melody sheet music and turn it into an actual arrangement.
 
I find the hardest part is just devoting the time. Good luck, mantofini, and have fun!

I fall under the category of playing guitar since I was 7 years old and never really trying a keyboard until it became my input device for midi in 1984. So I wasn't really trying to play the "piano" so much as get my fingers to cooperate and know where the notes were. 
Of course a lot of input was drums.  I was make all my own backing tracks so a single note bass line is a big part of what I do.
So formal lessons were useless for the way I wanted to play.  After all, we are not just trying to record keyboard parts, but a lot of other instruments are involved.  And site reading while useful is not really needed by those of us who have a good ear for a tune. I have learned to site read over and over but I never get real good at it because I end up using it only as a reference and then my ear takes over. 
 So I took Music Theory which was the best thing I ever did musically in my life. You don't have to play an instrument to study Music Theory.
The chops come with practice. I know what to do, I just need to practice it so that you make that connection. Drums are the same for me too.. just play and concentrate. 
I pretty happy with what I can play on my keyboard these days. And I'll say that's the combination of knowing the theory and practicing parts.