2016/09/05 16:05:20
Glyn Barnes
I have been messing around with keyboards for 40+years, starting out on mono synths but I have never has a lesson and while I can fumble my way around, know chords and scales and generally "put things together" using MIDI I would like to play a whole lot better, particularly piano and organ parts.
 
So I am thinking about finally taking some lessons now I have retired and I am no longer hopping around the world for work. BUT, will my lifetime of self taught bad habits make this futile? Would I be better off learning a completly new instrument like the guitar?
2016/09/05 16:14:15
eph221
Guitar is an ez instrument to play ok, but a very hard instrument to master.  It depends what your goals are.  If you're a composer, it might be a good idea to study one of the instruments that you have questions about.  For instance I've always been mesmerized by woodwinds, they're  so strange.  Learn Sitar and then plan a trip to India?  (it couldn't hurt to study buddhism imho).  Here in Portland there's gobs of *experts* at all kinds of instruments, alas no sackbut players.  How about hammered dulcimer?!
2016/09/05 18:53:44
craigb
I think everyone can benefit from lessons, even if it's not your primary instrument.  Although your long ingrained habits may interfere with any new approach, you've got two things that most kids don't - time and an interest in getting better. I say go for it! 
 
 
2016/09/06 06:01:29
Kalle Rantaaho
Alone finding out what a pro teacher thinks about your self-tought techniques could be a good enough reason to tae some lessons.
Making yourself struggle to meet new challenges may open doors of inspiration. And of course, in your case, you'd probably enjoy it anyway.
2016/09/06 08:03:47
Guitarhacker
It's never too late to take lessons.  However, with 40+ years of self taught playing, you have some deeply ingrained habits and techniques.  You need to find a teacher who will be able to accurately assess your current skill level and be able to develop a method for you to use that as a basis for moving forward.
 
A good teacher who is able to do that can really be an asset to your playing. One who insists that you go to square one and start from scratch may not be all that useful.
 
Having said that.... you didn't state your current music reading level if any, and if that even matters. Most teachers I have been familiar with insist on reading the music. And they teach from that perspective. Obviously, you've been playing like I play.... from hearing the music and playing it by ear.  I took 7 years of piano lessons and was fortunate to have had a teacher who not only taught the reading of the music, but theory as well as allowing for and acceptance of playing by ear.

The other option is to simply continue to play the keyboard more often and work on learning new piano parts in songs you like.  The more you play, the better you will become.   I don't know what your playing/practice schedule looks like, but are you currently spending an hour a day playing and practicing scales and other finger exercises and learning new, more difficult pieces?  If not... there's your answer.  All the teacher is going to do, essentially, is to make you practice more.  If you want to read, you can pick up a computer program that can help with that..... but it comes down to the amount of time you are willing to put in at the keyboard simply playing.

My 7 years of piano lessons came to a very abrupt halt when I went to my teacher's house for my weekly lesson. She opened the music book to the song she had assigned and asked me to play it. I launched into it and when I finished she said.... "That was nice. Now... would you mind playing what's actually written on the page?"   I fumbled through the piece. She asked me how much time I had spent practicing the piano that past week. I said maybe 30 minutes total.... I fudged, since it was less than that.  Then she asked how much time I spent playing the guitar....  I said an hour a day and I fudged that one on the short side..... I spent several hours a day playing along with the radio and my 45-rpm records. She told me to go home and practice the guitar and stop wasting my mom's money and her time.  Mom was mad for a while.  So I continued on as a self taught musician. 
 
What do you think you would gain by having a teacher?  Or, would you be satisfied to simply play better and could you accomplish that with more one on one time at the keyboard on your own?
2016/09/06 08:56:17
Beagle
either option is a good one!  taking lessons on either instrument would be greatly beneficial in many ways.  
 
OR BOTH!  you're retired now...immerse yourself in learning new instrument skills!
2016/09/06 10:11:44
57Gregy
You already know keyboards; why don't you try something completely different, like the saxophone?
http://forum.cakewalk.com/Sax-Maniacs-m3460053.aspx
 
2016/09/06 11:47:25
Moshkito
Guitarhacker
It's never too late to take lessons.  However, with 40+ years of self taught playing, you have some deeply ingrained habits and techniques.  You need to find a teacher who will be able to accurately assess your current skill level and be able to develop a method for you to use that as a basis for moving forward.
...

 
I was thinking that it is more about "augmenting" the deeply ingrained habits and techniques, than changing what is already there.
 
Those teachers are not exactly a dime a dozen, out there, but there can be some folks out there that have heard a lot more than just 4/4 rock music, that might be able to help? I sure hope so ... I'm in the same situation.
 
As much as I know a lot of music, to me, the same in writing, the habits and techniques are usually useless when a new something pops ... and us thinking that we have to use something that was already there and done, is a bit weird for me to understand and think.
 
Heck, I probably would be a better music teacher for many folks, with the variety of exercises and play that we could do, all of which are about adding flexibility to what you already know. How you use it later, is another story.
2016/09/06 16:31:03
Glyn Barnes
Thanks, the various comments echo my conflicting thoughts. It may very well be down to finding the right tutor. I think I might look for someone and initially just have a chat and get their opinion. But I really do need to define my objective first!
2016/09/06 16:58:48
Jesse Screed
Here is a good book about a 51 year old man who tried the same thing you are thinking about.  His name is Noah Adams, he used to be on NPR.  He might have benefited from a teacher....
 
https://www.amazon.com/Piano-Lessons-Music-Love-Adventures/dp/0385318219
 
Either way, I wish you luck!!!
 
Jesse Q. Screed
 
 
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