1 year of piano progress (400 hours, self-taught)

Here’s my one year of piano progress. When learning, I didn’t really use any books (but I definitely should have and I practice with Hanon now), but I watched lots of YouTube videos. I studied a 3-hour music theory course by Marcs Piano where it taught all kinds of different chords, scales, and some arpeggios I believe, and I practiced them all. I also watched beginner practice videos by Pianote and Jazer Lee and did some of that.

To address many comments about pedalling, I do have a sustain pedal and I tried incorporating it, but my first year it just didn’t sound right and my hands would start playing the wrong keys, so I thought I’d hold off for a while. I do practice with the pedal now and it’s working.

I have to admit that most practicing I did last year was just rehearsing those pieces. I didn’t have a very structured practice plan, I just wanted to learn new songs. I would divide each piece into 15-20 (sometimes more) parts and just work on one part a day. I did lots of repetitions, and wouldn’t skip to the next part until I was confident in the current part.

I learned to read sheet music at 6 months (Just the Two of Us at 8 months was the first piece I learned by reading sheet music), and before that I learned with the help of online tutorials.

I should have practiced different exercises and learned new pieces simultaneously, but now I’m doing all kinds of exercises and I see that at least learning those pieces my first year helped, so the exercises I’m doing now (chord inversions, octaves, arpeggios) aren’t too overwhelming.

Looking back, my main regret is that I learned lots of fairly difficult pieces but perfected none of them. My timing was all over the place in all of the recordings. So this year I started to practice with a metronome daily and I prioritise quality over how many pieces I learn and how difficult they are.

[carlab]

"A pink top and a pink tie and nobody noticed"... girl it was the first thing I noticed! I love when musicians are in character ❤

[davidroberts]

I'm a retired Jazz drummer who has worked with many great Jazz Artists, and I'm going to take up piano come January 2024. I'm 76 now and I took piano lessons when I was 5 or 6 years old for about a half a year, then took up accordion for about a year, then switched to drums when I was around 8 years old, and continued playing professionally until 2011 when my best friend I'd played with most of my life passed away from cancer. It crushed me, and I felt like I had lost all interest in ever playing again. I donated my drum set which was almost new to the Phoenix Performing Arts Center for someone to play who was less fortunate. I never picked up a pair of sticks again until last year when I bought a snare drum just to practice my rudiments with. I made a pledge to learn to play Jazz piano starting in January of 2024. I just watched your video and was so encouraged by your job, keep it up. Perhaps I'll video my progress just as you have starting in January and finishing in December. Wish me well.

[oleoleanderson]

The amount of people who try to learn a new skill and quit when things get too hard is most people. But you stuck with it and I respect that. Keep up the great work and good luck on your journey!

[tazman]

OK, so I'm impressed with the 1 month in. The fact that you could play with both hands doing different things.. I'm 1 week in and my brain is still struggling with each hand playing different things at the same time... I'm hoping it will just click at some point like when I first learned guitar, spent hours and hours a day learning one song and then all of a sudden I woke up one day and I could play it. (It just clicked).

[Max_TheMonkey]

With my 8 years of piano experience i truly feel that you have talent and that if you keep practicing like that you will eventually want to play harder and harder songs until it can’t get harder anymore.. and the songs that you have practiced before will just sound too easy and empty. My experience with that just never ends. I wish you the greatest of honor to become a piano master one day!

[howtobecomehealthy]

i’ve been playing since 8 years and i can tell you for 1 year you’re great and i wish u the best to get better and better ❤️❤️

[smeetdhakecha]

These are the kind of videos that I absolutely love. Realistic progress!!! I've been learning piano, and I relate to so many things. She has been consistent, and it paid off. Good luck!!

[Shadow_]

You are amazing! I’ve been self teaching myself how to play piano for 7 months now. Thank you for this video! True inspiration!❤❤❤ keep it up and don’t stop.

[nightcheese]

You came such a long way in just a year, especially with being self taught! Well done! 😃

[jaybee]

Finally one of these videos that seems real and what we’d expect with mistakes and timing issues. You’re really good for one year and self taught! Like really good! 😁 I liked pink panther and the nocturne was really cute! Also I didn’t want to leave advice but seeing as you said it yourself in the end, perfecting the piece before moving on is the best thing to do! And have fun with the sustain pedal, it will change your world!

[marylinesperance]

Für Elise in 4 months is absolutely insane. You should be so proud of yourself omg, I started playing the piano at 7 and maybe it was because I didn’t like playing and never practiced at home but it took 3 years of piano learning for me to start learning that piece

[yixinglee]

Thank you for inspiring me to practice which I struggled every time. I love your progress it’s so authentic 🙂♥️✨

[sheseemscreepy]

Thank you for sharing your journey! I'm exactly where you were at month 1, so far I'm loving it and am inspired by your progress to keep going!

[MotifMusicStudios]

What a whole lot of determination and dedication! Congratulations on the ways you've stayed creativity! Here's to many more years of musical fun!

[BibethSharma]

I am a University professor who has been playing the keyboard but not learning to read music but now I am 43 and have promised myself that this year I shall learn to read the music on my keyboard. Your video is very inspirational.

[EdwinC]

Loved it. Will watch again. Keep up with your dedication. I am rooting for you.

[PINENEEDLE]

Really good for self-taught. Keep it up. You are surely a great encouragement to others who may be learning a new skill or talent, especially the self-taught. 👍

[ahmedhossam]

Impressive. I've been learning for 3 weeks now (self taught too) and as much as I'm finding it difficult I'm also enjoying it. Your journey encouraged me a lot, thank you and good luck!

[nikamak]

Thank you for putting so much time into learning this beautiful instrument. With your rate of improvement you will master the piano in no time!!! ♥♥♥

[juanbaume]

it has been an expiring video looking at your determination playing the piano. I had the fortune to study since I was young but didn´t care too much of it at that time, but seeing such hardwork and determination for doing it really moves something on people I can assure you, thanks for sharing it and hope that you continue on that path, cause the piano is something magical to play!