Mark

I hope my comments didn't dissuade you from pursuing learning more on the piano. I think (hope) my meaning was more to keep you goals simple at first and then expand as you go on. For most of our type of gigs if you play the melody out front, correct harmonies, and even better if you sing well thats what is needed.
I wish I had pursued jazz piano more when I was younger but there were no outlets to work in jazz. Playing Hammond in bands was the way to go back then and it worked well for me. Now when I don't care about all that I wish I could play jazz better but am having fun on my FP90 playing for myself. And IMHO playing jazz piano to a high degree just can't be taught. You can learn all the "tools" but to really put it out there is an inborn talent. I believe it was the actor Dustin Hoffman who before acting pursued jazz piano and gave up because as he said "I didn't have the ear" I listen to someone like Erroll Garner and ask myself where does all that come from ?
Go for what is satisfing to you. Good Luck.

Totally agree on all points Bill.

Some times as the old saying goes..
old horses cant learn new tricks per say
.......& sometimes it,s better to do what you do best and make it better and better each time imo.

Hi Bill.....after I signed off on my post, I was thinking I'll bet you read this the wrong way and don't notice the "thankfully" word. I'm guessing......you DID miss the "thankfully" word!

If not for you, I would have finished out my days learning jazz and going nowhere with it, and......I don't have that many days left.

There's too much to get done in every day life. Time spent on music has to be rationed sensibly. Music goes off in so many directions nowadays you have to make careful decisions on what you focus on. Learning jazz I can't say is not stimulating, but the time has to be designated for other things like learning Gypsy and Musette, learning my PA3x, Windows 10, Spanish language, and you get my drift.

If I was 20 again and high-energy and we weren't living in the complexity we are living in these days, I guess I wouldn't be saying the above.

But, back to what you wrote. I don't remember exactly what it was, but it helped me to back up and look at reality. Reality being I should have taken another musical path that was more practical for me.

BTW....I spent almost a month going from store to store, and house to house (Craigslist), looking at both acoustic pianos and digital pianos. I did get to try the Roland and the Kurzweil, the new Yamahas and the new Casio's. Even the Korg.

THAT was most of the reason I stopped the lessons! I went into acute piano-itis and dropped everything musical for probably a month!

I'll share something with you. I feel the same way and have many regrets about not learning the piano at the same time I started on the accordion when I was 12. Though I always loved it, I came to the piano relatively late in life. I think around the 1980's before I really started playing. Even then it took me 2-3 years to make the transition from accordion (unlearning the accordion and relearning the piano).

But you don't get it all in life. I'm happy I got what I did!

Mark

Mark
Glad my comments were a positive and not a negative. Your right, many directions to go with music and the reality of ones personal situation should be a guide. I'm slowly learning to stress less over things and go with the flow.

Well said, Mark:

Nobody ever promised us anything but the opportunity to try! I'm grateful to be "above ground" and enjoying every day. It is so enjoyable to see and hear the thoughts of so many talented people gathered in this special place. Nigel is a pretty darn good referee, too. For the most part, he only steps in when absolutely necessary.

The beginning of my music store/school started when accordion was popular. After six years the accordion began to fade and the guitar became popular. My closest friend was an accordion player. He traveled form accordion to midi accordion with a sound module. His last step was to a Technics Kn1000.

Most of the accordion players who made the change to playing a keyboard had a great right hand on the keyboard. Full chords, arps, and not looking at their right hand when playing gave them a big advantage.

No disputing that piano playing gives the best advantage – for me it’s #1. The accordion players follow right behind.

John C.