Can anyone play piano?

[Athene Perthro]

I'm working on a novel, and my main character plays the piano flawlessly. The only problem is, I haven't played piano in about 3 years, and don't own one either.

This is the paragraph I'm stuck on;

Like his father had insisted on keeping the Porsche, Art had insisted on keeping the piano. To him it wasn't a luxury, but a necessity to keep him sane. He sat down on the velvet stool and ran his long fingers across the unmoving black and white keys, and they made not a sound. He closed his eyes and

How does one go about starting to play? What key do you reckon he would start on?

Or, could anyone describe a difficult piece of piano music to me, and how it is played? Or at least, how it starts and finishes?

Or any suggestions at all, would be great

 

[Alicia Barker]

I play, but my problem is that I'm self taught and can't read music. So basically I can hear something and play it. Recently I've taught myself Fur Elise by Beethoven and Turkish March by Mozart. Look 'em up, they're both awesome songs! I haven't played in a while, but know that when you take beginners courses they say to have your thumbs start off on the middle 'C'. But that's for beginners, if he's awesome at it, then he wouldn't probably do that. I know that they say to keep your fingers slightly bent. If you want him to play Fur Elise then it starts off with your ring finger and middle finger on the right hand for the first 8 notes just on the right hand and then from there you join in on the 9th note with your left hand and pretty much 'travel' up the scale with your left hand and joining in with your right hand. I don't know if that helps, but I'm really not able to play like a normal person (not being able to read music at least). I mean, okay, I can read music for the alto sax, but that's it.

 

[Thanatos Perthro]

That was incredibly useful. Thanks so much, Alicia

Unfortunately, my sound card doesn't work, so I can't listen to any piano online. A lot of people have suggested Mozart, and I have some on the computer that I put there last year, but it's worthless without a sound card and speakers.

I might just have him play a made up song. A friend suggested that I have him start or stop on A minor. It needs to be a bitter or angry song, as he isn't in a very good mood.

 

[Alicia Barker]

Oooh! Then I'd suggest Toccata And Fugue In D Minor by Bach or Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven; those are both angsty songs....Moonlight Sonata is my favorite classical song ever!!

 

[Nicolas King]

I should've figured you the angsty type

 

[Alicia Barker]

Oooh and Verdi's Requiem by Giuseppe Verdi >XO<

 

[Alicia Barker]

I should've figured you the angsty type

Yup!! Oddly enough.....my favorite song of all time was written and performed before I was even born.....Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong.... :X

 

[Nicolas King]

I should've figured you the angsty type

Yup!! Oddly enough.....my favorite song of all time was written and performed before I was even born.....Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong.... :X

That song was murdered brutally for me.

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Morning Athene, bit like yourself in that I haven't played in about two years now. No piano.
Alicia is right though a beginner would start learning with his/her thumbs first, every piece of music is different but the most frequent keys to use from what I can remember is 1, 2 and 4 on your right hand to begin a piece and 1, 3 and 5 on your left hand.
Unless you know a piece of music in side and out, it's pretty hard to write about it. Especially if your sound card is down. Best bet is to create a piece in your head, try to keep it the same without massive variation every time you play it in your head. Note your crescendos ...note your highs and lows in the music, when it gathers momentum and when your character needs to feel as if there is nothing but him and the music, his fingers and those keys.
I have a ton of music books but I'm sure there are plenty of online sites, that could help you with the terminology.

I've discovered that if a character is supposed to be good at something, it's just as well to take the time to bone up on it. Listen to as much of the type of music that your character might be into. Alicia has given you some good music pieces to start you off.

Hope this helps. And good luck with the novel. ;-)

 

[Lexi Rodriguez]

i can play the lyre, i can teach you the hedwigs theme. but not on the piano.

 

[Violet Bellamy]

Funny, I just opened my school emails and got my piano exam results. B+, for 8th grade. Now I only have to do my certificate of completion exam. =P.

However, I can't really assist you, sorry! There's a song I play well, it's Ruled By Secrecy by Muse, it's in F minor and it's based (sort-of) on the music of Rachmaninov. Sounds like the music from The Piano, too. You could have the person starting with arpeggios?

(yes, I just wanted to brag about my results. =P)

 

[Thanatos Perthro]

lol, I don't even know what arpeggios are :3 I probably did once upon a time, but not any more.


But it's OK. I've finished the chapter I was stuck on, without going into to as much detail in the piano scene as i would have liked, but it didn't turn out o bad.

Thanks everyone!

 

[Rhyspa Marinescu]

Oooh and Verdi's Requiem by Giuseppe Verdi >XO<

We played part of that; Dies Irea in band! It sounds awesome!