Get a Piano!

[r05c03]

I have read several post and read several pieces of bass related literature expressing the benefits having a keyboard or piano to work on theory and listening skills. I want to give shout to the truth to this. We recent picked up an old (1930's), but well maintained piano, primarily for my son, who is in lessons. But I was looking foward to getting a crack at it myself. After having it for only two weeks I can tell a big difference in my ability to differentiate major from minor chords, 3rds, 5ths, and octaves (and I have a fairly poor ear). It is also great for memorizing scales and seeing note relationships. I can also practice basslines. I can do all of this while holding a sleeping baby, or sharing the keyboard with an awake baby, so in situations where I would not be able to pick up the bass I can still practice important aspects of music. We have had a keyboard for awhile, but I was never compelled to play it. There is just something about a real piano, the weight, the ringing of the strings, and harmony of it that promotes further musical exploration. Just my observations

[mvw356]

i used to play piano when i was young, basically my parents forced me to do it and i didn't like it so i gave up after a couple of years and switched to bass (when you are 14 its cooler to play bass than some music written by people who lived 200 years ago) i regret that i gave up the piano lessons, i sometimes play a bit, mostly simple rock and pop stuff like october by u2. it does really help your musical understanding. i think piano is the most coplete instrument there is as you can really do anything with it. much more versatile and complex as anything else. also, switching instruments teaches you not to play the same fills all the time. some stuff is really easy but effective on bass, on another nstrument this might not be the case or vice versa- ever tried to play a saxophone solo on guitar or bass? you know what i mean. also the piano forces you to think a bit like a drummer, your hands and feet have to be able to move independently.
my point is picking up piano will make you a better musician for sure. you don't have to be the next herbie hankock, but if you know the basics of the piano that is already enough.

so kiddies, remember when your parents tell you that you have to go to the piano lessons, you better like it and stick to it.

[charic]

Im primarily a keyboard player but learned the joys of bass, and yes i agree the piano is the best for understanding theory and the theory is increasin my learnin speed on bass by far. Also ive found that bass has also made me better at keyboard, weird aint it lol

[steveb98]

Piano is a good thing to have, I don't have one currently but looking at getting a electric piano not only to save space, but want something I can make sustain chords a long time to practice chord scale relationships for soloing.

Also playing an instrument other than your main instrument opens up creativity especially for writing music even creating bass lines. When you're on your main instrument you tend to do think based on what you know about your instrument and how it's played. Get on an instrument that you don't play all the time and you just focus on the sound of the notes.

[msquared]

When I was in college, I was a drummer who was forced to learn piano because it was required if you weren't focusing on guitar as an instrument. It was enjoyable enough but I hated the people who dictated this and cursed them daily because I felt that it was taking away from more important things.

Now I thank those people daily. My wife is an amateur pianist so we have one as well, and while I don't play it regularly, my skills on the piano made learning the bass a lot easier than if I hadn't had them. I'm not much into the piano as something to sit around and play but as a device for getting theory stuff down, it's downright essential to me.

[SuperDuck]

I won't have the space or the money for a piano anytime soon, but does anyone have any recommendations for a weighted-key keyboard for not a lot of dough?

[RiseOfTheWooten]

Originally Posted by SuperDuck

I won't have the space or the money for a piano anytime soon, but does anyone have any recommendations for a weighted-key keyboard for not a lot of dough?

You could get a weighted MIDI keyboard for a couple of hundred bucks, and use it to play sounds out of your computer/laptop if you have one.

[SuperDuck]

Originally Posted by RiseOfTheWooten

You could get a weighted MIDI keyboard for a couple of hundred bucks, and use it to play sounds out of your computer/laptop if you have one.

That's a good idea! And I do! With lots of software that would work perfectly, to boot!

[RiseOfTheWooten]

Cool, don't forget to get a pedal for sustain as well, then you're set. If you have decent sounds on your laptop, you could even gig with that keyboard.

[Sagaris]

(Old) Harmoniums work just as well as Pianos.

[tplyons]

Ironically, I was looking to learn piano, and went out and bought a used Yamaha DX-7 synth. Sounds like poo but I love it for what it does. The very next day, my neighbor offers me a Korg that I can have if I move it. No power cord, just the keyboard and the sustain pedal, I went out bought a new power cord, plugged it in, and it's heavenly to my ears. Weighted action that plays as well as some Steinways, the tone is wonderful with built in chorus. Unfortunately, their used value is somewhere around a grand. I've since collected a Hammond organ and Hohner pianet since then, and am taking some serious jazz piano lessons at college. I've expanded my playing as a musician, as well as a pianist or bassist very much in the 4 months since I started taking piano seriously.

[Marcus]

In response to the thread title...

"Buy it for me!"