Playing the piano

As a teenager I had piano lessons once a week. I enjoyed them very much, although my teacher was a little old-fashioned, so from memory I spent most of my time on our home piano playing sheet music that I had chosen myself! It had been years since I touched a piano, but I held on to all my music in the hope that one day I'd own one, and finally it's happened!

A couple of weeks ago we bought a digital piano - the Casio PX-860. Inspired by a small keyboard that we were given just before Christmas which Harry took to straight away, we decided that it would be great for him, and Mia too in time, to start piano lessons. I like to think that I'm quite musical and the children seem to be too, they can both sing in tune quite well and they have a definite interest in learning how to play.

Of course the piano was for me as well, although it's been years since I last touched one. Digital pianos weren't around back when I was learning and so I was a little suspicious of them - I thought that they were basically large keyboards but with bigger keys and a nice wooden surround. So when we went along to a local piano shop to try one out I was very impressed. 

It looks and feels just like a real piano. The keys are weighted and you can alter the sound of the note by how you press the key - a gentle touch for a softer sound or a heavier touch for more emphasis. There's even a difference in how the keys feel on the very lowest and highest notes, just like a real piano. But digital pianos are guaranteed for years, don't need tuning, and although they are heavy they can be moved around the house fairly easily.

I've really enjoyed getting out my collection of piano music. In the days before Amazon you were a little more limited in the type of sheet music that you could easily purchase. I can't remember exactly where I used to buy mine, it must have been in the local music shop, but I've got some great Britpop books as well as individual songs, and it's like a time capsule into my mid-teenage years. 

When I first sat down at the piano I was a little daunted by how much I'd forgotten. But after playing for a short while every day I'm surprised by how quickly it's all coming back to me, and I'm building up quite a repertoire of classic Oasis as well as a bit of Beethoven and Pachelbel. Even Ram has shown an interest in learning to play!

Did you learn a musical instrument when you were younger? Have you kept it up?