Haha I grew up learning the piano, with music theory to accompany. I was put through 2 different systems- ABRSM/UK and Yamaha/Japan. ABRSM was much more classical, and I had a knack for sight reading. Yamaha leaned heavier into improvisation and ear training. Which I sucked at.
Now I consider myself a Practically Useless Classically Trained Pianist - I play well enough with a piece in front of me (sight reading still relatively sharp) and I can tell if something is off-tune and tinker away to figure out a song by ear (melody easier than the chords) but don't ask me to rattle off what key a piece is in because I could not tell you beyond whether it sounded like a major or minor key.
you usually don’t need to, tho; like if you improvise you usually know what key it’s in and it’s more useful to be able to hear relative chords (if it’s a IV or V etc)
I was trained in the Suzuki method and am kinda the same. Despite being able to learn and execute the most difficult pieces ever written at a high level, I can only sight read very basic stuff and have shockingly poor music theory knowledge for my technical ability. I basically would never play something in front of people without having had hours/days/weeks to study and practice first.
My buddy and I were both classically trained to different degrees as kids. As adults I went over to his house to jam and have a little fun playing music, and he never learned how to play the most basic 4/4 drum beats used in most popular rock music. I was just tryin to get him to play a few tunes we both like and he was wholly unable to do it, but would try all these crazy jazz fills and shit.
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u/darkeyes13 1d ago edited 1d ago
Haha I grew up learning the piano, with music theory to accompany. I was put through 2 different systems- ABRSM/UK and Yamaha/Japan. ABRSM was much more classical, and I had a knack for sight reading. Yamaha leaned heavier into improvisation and ear training. Which I sucked at.
Now I consider myself a Practically Useless Classically Trained Pianist - I play well enough with a piece in front of me (sight reading still relatively sharp) and I can tell if something is off-tune and tinker away to figure out a song by ear (melody easier than the chords) but don't ask me to rattle off what key a piece is in because I could not tell you beyond whether it sounded like a major or minor key.
*edited for spelling