Bring your karma
Join the waitlist today
HUMBLECAT.ORG

Blind and Visually Impaired Community

Full History - 2020 - 11 - 30 - ID#k415sj
34
patient piano learning via zoom so long as you have a piano/keyboard (free) (self.Blind)
submitted by expecttheinquisition
Hi, everyone. I'm teaching piano for free online to blind/low-vision students.
Just DM me to introduce yourself and schedule; I'll provide you with more info.

Piano-playing is one of the most significant learning endeavors of my life, and it can definitely be one for you, too. I'm so happy to get to share my passion with motivated students regardless of background. Visual cues are NOT prerequisites in the realm of music playing. So long as you engage in your other senses the right way and remain patient, you will make steady progress over time.

It goes without saying that I'll be as patient and considerate with you as possible. I just hope you're patient with me, because although I'm experienced with playing (18+ years) and teaching (4+ years), I'm still learning to communicate my best with the r/blind community.

Please don't feel daunted by the endeavor. I promise you that I'll do my best to interact in a way that makes you feel comfortable and empowered. I believe there's no limit to your growth as a musician so long as your mindset and effort are in line with your greatest potential.

Personal background info:
I'm a recent college psychology/premed graduate and pianist from a well-known university. I was part of said university's chamber ensemble as a violinist for 2 years as well. My number one goal is to become an ophthalmologist, but that's far into the future. Right now, I just want to grow my skills as a humble piano teacher.
AchooCashew 2 points 2y ago
Would you teach someone who already has good piano skills but is rusty?
expecttheinquisition [OP] 1 points 2y ago
Absolutely, u/AchooCashew. I love people who have experience already. We can start wherever you're at. If you have time to meet via Zoom tomorrow, would mornings or afternoons work for you?
AchooCashew 1 points 2y ago
Your generosity is touching. :) I'm actually not in possession of a keyboard quite yet, haha. Choosing one online and committing to the $$$ without being able to test/feel them in person has been hard.
rory-games 3 points 2y ago
IMO Yamaha PSR keyboards are great. I played on a lot of midi keyboards and these are super awesome, at least for me because the keys are very light and easy to play, but at the same time you can still get a lot of expression because its got a lot of volume layers. It also comes with over 750 sounds, dsp effects like flanger, phaser, rotory, a chorus, reverb, resonating low pass filter, adjustable envelopes, and a ton more stuff. And it is also useable as a midi controller.
expecttheinquisition [OP] 2 points 2y ago
No worries!

I understand that pricing is an issue when it comes to owning an instrument, so a used one or a borrowed one from a friend may work best.

In regards to what features to have, testing/feeling them in person may be an advantage, but it honestly depends on a few key features and your personal time horizon.

Any functional keyboard with 61 keys is all you need if you want to brush up on the core principles. You can get these for under $100.

However, in the likely chance that you're looking to get used to playing as a passionate hobby for greater than a year, I'd recommend having a piano with the following two features:

Weighted and full-size (a.k.a 88 keys)

I'd be happy to work with whatever you end up getting. I can almost guarantee that it's worth the investment, especially if you've longed to get back on track with your musical development.

Let me know if you end up in possession of a piano, u/AchooCashew!
[deleted] 1 points 2y ago
[deleted]
Marconius 1 points 2y ago
Nice, are you focusing solely on classical? I could use a brush up in jazz. I've been playing since I was 5 and have been blind since 2014. I gave up on braille music and have played mainly by ear.
expecttheinquisition [OP] 1 points 2y ago
It so happens that I value playing by ear more than notated music. Solid ear training and memorization exercises can take you from jazz lick to jazz lick much faster than braille music if you have a recording to play, pause, and rewind by your side. During my second year of teaching, I've taught jazz to a handful of students, although as you guessed right, classical is my stronger suit. However, regardless of the genre, I'd love to listen to you play so that you have the opportunity to grow. Just DM me if you're available mornings or afternoons. I'd be excited to facilitate your brushing up in any way I can.
bjayernaeiy 1 points 2y ago
How much do you charge for lessons?
expecttheinquisition [OP] 1 points 2y ago
Hi, u/bjayernaaeiy . Lessons are absolutely free. If you're interested in a one-hour lesson, we still have room for you in the afternoon depending on your availability! Just DM me.
CloudyBeep 1 points 2y ago
It's in the title and the body of the post.
[deleted] 3 points 2y ago
[deleted]
[deleted] 1 points 2y ago
[deleted]
[deleted] 1 points 2y ago
[deleted]
Mendy3273 1 points 2y ago
How about if I have zero experience, but an interest in learning?
expecttheinquisition [OP] 1 points 2y ago
Hi, u/Mendy3273. That makes it super fun for me :D I hope that your interest only grows from here on out. In my experience, I've taught and continue to teach first-timers from age 3 to age 80. Everyone started from zero experience at one point in life. It would be a joy to be your first piano coach. If you're available for Zoom meeting tomorrow, would mornings or afternoons work best for you?
This nonprofit website is run by volunteers.
Please contribute if you can. Thank you!
Our mission is to provide everyone with access to large-
scale community websites for the good of humanity.
Without ads, without tracking, without greed.
©2023 HumbleCat Inc   •   HumbleCat is a 501(c)3 nonprofit based in Michigan, USA.