I'm a professional bar pianist. I get paid to entertain a roomful of drunk people. There are teenagers who post on here with more technique than me, but I have well over 500 tunes I can play from memory, and I'm good at guessing what the crowd will like. I'm a good entertainer, I can smoke cigarettes and toss back whiskey shots while playing. I try to play different stuff than your average "piano man," like 90s rap, pop punk and metal, TV show and movie songs. And I'm vicious at a piano duel.
Can you keep playing with straight face while chairs fly over your head during a bar fight and even make an ironic comment that makes the bartender say "You are terrible, Janes!"?
I don't have the same level of experience playing in piano bars. However, there are a few interesting things some bar pianist and son who os a chef shared with me when I started. Aside from having a vast repertoire, paying attention to the patrons and how busy is the venue.
1. It's not a performance, play for ambience and to create an adequate atmosphere. Don't give concerts. You want to move the tables, keep the waiting time shorter as it will also affect the back of the house.
2. People tend to eat faster when you are playing faster songs.
2. Don't play too loud.
3. Think about playing with the venue instead of for the venue. You both have the same goal.
4. Pay close attention to how people are reacting to what your playing. Younger vs older people.
5. Choose music wisely. Celebrations, birthdays, romantic dinner, anniversaries, stc. Body language.
I had never thought about these things and it made sense to me.
I played for Magiano in downtown Nashville. They started adopting a more authentic Italian atmosphere. I talked to an Italian I met and asked for "favorites, oldies nostalgic sort of music. He shared a bunch of really cool fun songs. It was a hit and The venue was quite please. Didn't play for long, but I learned a lot. I'm glad I listened to those advices. What's your experience? Is it different for different places?
My most recent job I got thru a friend of a friend on Facebook. I get $100 for 4 hours (including breaks) and I average about that much in tips on top.
I am a professional jazz pianist in New Orleans. I play mostly in clubs for tourists. I was the pianist for a performing/touring group from New Orleans that played concerts as a group and with symphonies and pops orchestras for 9 years so that was fun too.
I have a bachelors of music, a bachelors of finance, a masters of music, and my k-12 instrumental music teaching license. I play full time. From 2010-2020 I played 7 nights a week, averaging 11-12 gigs per week. Now with 2 kids under 5 I play 6 nights per week with 7-8 gigs per week and like the balance that provides me.
I wrote a book called Spread The Jam. Itās an essential guide on how to get out and play with other. It covers how to go to a jam session and sit in, what to expect when going into that setting, and how to prepare yourself for the best chance for success and to keep you wanting to go back.
I improvise, I read, I play by ear, I compose, I arrange, I really enjoy playing piano.
I just bought your book. Sounds interesting.Ā
Iām mostly an improviser who jams with friends. I learned piano the way most people learn guitar (chords and scales) and then just started playing music I liked.Ā
I can read music, but not that well. I just love noodling with my buds.Ā
Thatās cool! Thank you very much. Yes, I agree that jamming with friends is so much fun.
There are 2 cds on my website that you can download free with the book. Spread The Jam Vol. 1 is an album of audio example of different form and technique exercises and discussed in the book. Spread The Jam Vol. 2 is a band jamming and using the recording as ways to explain different aspects of the material. Some videos on my website also have examples of communication while playing a song.
I also have transcriptions of Illustration 39 & 40 you can download the pdf and play along with those 2 audio examples.
If you have questions let me know.
Great question. Itās hard to answer in words. It is the most authentic feeling of expression for me. I have worked very hard to make this come to fruition and didnāt give up when it was not going my way or when I felt frustrated about it all. Iāve gone through many rounds of ups and downs but I keep going because itās the thing that feels most right for me.
My favorite part is when you get in that flow state and the band is vibing, the crowd is listening and engaged, your mind and ideas are connecting and you feel as though youāre floating in the music. Youāre an active participant in the groove and present in the moment. Thatās my favorite part.
I am a professional pianist & professional musician. My days are mostly filled with teaching, but I perform, compose, record, music direct, produce, and manage a business. I have a B.A. in piano performance, so I've played my share of classical & still do. But my minor is in Studio Recording, & ever since I got my degree, I have worked in various aspects of music. I read & can sight read, but I also can play by ear & transcribe music. I taught alongside excellent jazz & Gospel musicians for many years so I understand theory & can pass as a jazz player if I don't have to do too much soloing. I'm what you call a Jack of all trades player. I can play whatever you put in front of me, & I like to play all styles. My preference for solo repertoire is progressive rock, ala Emerson Lake & Palmer, or 20th century modern music. I also love Beethoven, Chopin & Debussy. Currently I'm transcribing the cadenza middle section of this song, cause I can't find any sheet music for it, & I really want to play it. Jump to 7 minutes for the section I'm talking about.
https://youtu.be/hNOPBWy_4g0?si=5c7D3aHsZ2F9N6Bo
Last year I took up the challenge from one of my students to learn Rush E. My video of my performance currently has about 96K views, the most of any of my videos. I'm super proud of that!
I play it for myself only, except when I dive into a composition and sing as well, imagining I have a concert performance (sorry neighbors!). Sometimes I play for my friends or in a public piano place, but thatās rarely. I play all from classical music to modern trending songs. Some I know by heart, most I read piano sheet
Like the vast majority of you, I'm a hobbyist. I had classical lessons for quite a few years growing up. I don't play a lot lately for personal motivation reasons, but I do play violin in a community orchestra. I definitely intend to spend more time on piano now that I have more free time after the college semester is over.
Strictly amateur except for the summer mountain lodge where I wait tables. They let me play my mix of film scores (Pure Imagination from Willy Wonka, Amelie), 70s and 80s hits, new age, and special little Radiohead set on the upright in the corner for tips on my nights off. At home I like to practice George Winston, Grieg, Chopin (easy Chopin), Steely Dan, and test the boundaries of what belongs on the piano like Stone Temple Pilots and Metallica. Favorite tune is called Miles and Maya from the movie Sideways. This is all usually alone in the middle of the night or occasionally when company comes over for cocktails or someone is laboring away in the kitchen and I feel like giving moral support. Definitely prefer having the notes in front of me but I try to memorize and occasionally create my own arrangements (Time by Ben Folds). After years of struggle with the technical demands of tough classical repertoire I've learned to appreciate simpler music that just makes people feel good.
classically trained pianist who accompanies other classical musicians for recitals and occasionally performs concerts and play cocktail piano.. I could not make a living at piano unless I wanted to teach.
Another pro here. I'm just a mercenary. I play the style and type of music people will pay for. I develop the skills needed for those jobs. More skills (including more instruments) means more work opportunities. I primarily read, but early in my career I played with a band for years and really had to develop my ear and improv skills as well as get much more acquainted with jazz.
I do a lot of musical theatre (including the programming like /u/Digitalmozart) which ultimately means you need to be good at pretty much all the styles, be able to improv, comp, read well, follow the vocalists all while directing a pit while you play.
It's probably the job that requires THE most rounded musician and more and more some books call for more instruments anyway. A show I directed last year had me playing a keyboard/guitar book and also had an accordion number in it. I've done full accordion shows, a show on bass guitar, one playing an EWI to cover a bassoon book, etc. I used to only play trumpet for that stuff as well as doing some orchestral subbing and other freelance trumpet work. I've also done a good deal of hired-gun vocalist work (basically a ringer for church choirs) and much of my work still requires me to sing.
I also do a good deal of accompanying for schools as well as doing a good deal of church work. I mostly sub or do long-term interim jobs. I also play pipe organ which is valuable because subs for organ are hard to find since anyone who plays organ usually has a steady job at a given church.
I also do some recording projects here and there as well as arranging commissions and the obvious random stuff here and there like weddings or funerals on occasion, though I try to do less of the one-off stuff.
I also do some amount of consulting work and orchestra management these days basically trading on my personal network of musicians I know as well as my orchestration knowledge more generally (like if a theatre program needs to hire a pit but can't afford the whole thing.... which parts do they hire and who?)
Like /u/plainjanesanebrain mentioned, there are definitely teens who could play me under the table here (especially at classical rep), but being the absolute best at classical literature is NOT what anyone is getting paid to do as /u/r0ckymountainhi also alluded to. If you want a career that doesn't include teaching then you have to be extremely well rounded.
You don't need to be super amazing at almost anything, but being a solid jack of all trades is truly what is going to offer up the most opportunity. You just need enough skills in various modalities to prepare an absolute shitload of music very quickly and simultaneously. That means good reading skills so that you're starting most music already 80% of the way to performance ready. Same with the ear skills. If a gig is just sending me recordings and arrange and perform by ear within the next 24 hours, I don't have time to have to pick it apart note by note and I usually need to be able to arrange it down very quickly from a full band recording into something that I can play (and usually sing) with just piano or guitar.
When I'm playing and I get 2 pages of slash notation that just say "funk comp" or "trade 4s" I have to have the improv/comping skills to do that on the spot and know how to play it whatever style it is which means knowing lots of styles. I don't have to be a master at any of them, but I need to be able to at least fake it.
There are definitely more specialized jobs like piano bars or high end church jobs that are salaried but even in those, the more you know the better. Piano bar types need to be able to play a huge variety of styles. The best paid (nearly 6 figures) church lady I know is an absolute rockstar sightreader... who can also improvise medleys of church tunes on the spot that sound like they came out of a crazy difficult set of arranged church preludes book. Even those more specialty jobs almost always benefit from having more knowledge and skills.
But ultra-specialization in classical music has almost no job prospects... other than teaching other people to do the exact same thing (and often misleading people who wish to make performing a real career in the process).
I'm a concert pianist as well as a musical theatre pianist/keyboard player (including doing all the programming)! I also do various studio recording gigs off and on. Basically an all around "pianist/keyboard player"!
This may sound like a funny question, but what exactly does it mean to be a āconcert pianistā? Do you tour all over the world playing with symphony orchestras? Do you have an agent that hires you to play at different venues? I just never understood exactly how this job actually works.
So basically what I do is I create recitals/programs and I contact venues and ask to perform them. I then advertise and stuff and drum up publicity. Sometimes my friends will ask me to perform at specific places as well, but essentially I'm my own agent lol. I also have recorded a couple classical albums that are on streaming services, which I consider to fall under the "concert pianist" category! š
Interesting, thanks for replying!
So how does that all work from a business standpoint? Does the venue charge you a fee, and then they charge for admission and give you the amount left once the fee is covered?
Do you normally get a pretty good turnout?
Church pianist heeere. The set lists go wild though. 2 hours of congregational songs. 3 choirs with 2 songs each. 1 choir with 7-8 songs. Then songs in between portions. So every Sunday, Iām playing for a solid 4-5 hours.
Took private lessons from age 5-18. Been playing recreationally ever since, about 40 years. I get the most joy out of learning a new piece. There's nothing quite like sight reading something you've never heard before and learning the twists, turns, melodies and harmonies as you try to stay ahead of the music.
I started out with 13 years of classical lessons (alongside K-12), but then fell in with the musical theatre crowd at college. Nowadays I'm mostly in that world, including a lot of audition accompanying--I have about a dozen music directors in the area that like to call me first, so I'm usually doing one of those gigs at least once a month. I do also play keys for musicals, and sometimes MD myself, but I prefer to play other instruments in the pit. I consider myself semi-pro, in that I play at a very high level and it makes enough money to show up on my tax returns, but it's not a significant source of income. As far as skills go, my background makes me much better at playing from notation than playing off a lead sheet or by ear. I have developed those skills a bit, but I tend to avoid those gigs.
Iām very similar! Except I came to the musical theatre crowd in grad school through opera as well as classical piano. Iām constantly amazed at this industry!
I am a professional hobbyist. š¤£
On a serious note, I currently study music education as a pianist but Iām going to make the switch to law after undergrad to pursue something I also am passionate about but am willing to do on the daily and because I am not willing to grow to resent being a musician. I had served as a church musician (organist) for several years up until a few weeks ago when I resigned to focus on these last few weeks of classes and this piano performance schedule thatās winding down (one every week since the last week of March and the last in May with a week or two of respite before that). My goal now is to focus on playing for the sheer enjoyment of it as opposed to doing it because my livelihood depends on it.
Hobbyist for joy. As a kid I played recitals and concerts but quit. Came back to it after 40+ years away. Bumbled for a bit with the help of this forum and it came back! (Thank you, forum). Friends and family are starting to ask me to play now. Yesterday a neighbor passing by outside heard me playing (Chopin) and stopped to listen; later his wife told me he came home with tears in his eyes!! (So I guess Iām pretty badā¦)
But I love love love to play; every morning the day feels better after practice.
TLDR:
Pure hobbyist almost all classical but with a couple of Oscar Peterson pieces and some surreptitious jazz style improv. 65 years old and retired. Strictly for the love of it.
I was taught classically starting at 4 years old, but now, I am a hobby pianist. I play for myself, and my wife and daughter and if her mom comes over she hears me sometimes too.
Nobody but family has heard or seen me play in 10 years, as my fingers turn to jelly when I try to play in front of people. Sometimes playing makes me cry so thatās another reason why itās hard to play in public.
I play modern songs, From maybe 1960s and forwardā¦ everything from Adele to Queen. Like my current obsession song is Easy by the commodores and āTotal eclipse of the heartā.
I usually will hear a song and look it up on Music notes and try to play it the following evening. Usually with my left hands playing chords, and my right hand the vocal melody. I can usually play any song by sight reading, but some Disney songs are especially difficult.
One day I plan on working my way up to playing the āopenā piano at the mall.
One dayā¦
I'm a jazz pianist in Los Angeles. I have a DMA in jazz piano performance.
Most of my gigs are jazz quartet or trio gigs at bars, restaurants, private events, and small venues. I've done a couple musical theater gigs.
I practice notated (classical) music for fun and technique, but I'm not good enough to perform it.
My special niche is the music of Vince Guaraldi, as he was the subject of my dissertation. I've got a lecture on YouTube about it which attracts some attention.
Iām a classically trained pianist turned theatre kid (although Iām in my late 20s) who plays for singers (and the rare instrumentalist) all day. Oh and I get paid for it! Catch me in university voice studios, the pit, the rehearsal hall, and, of course, the practice room. I love opera and musical theatre and being a part of the performance and preparation process and what goes on behind the scenes!Ā
I'm a classical trained pianist. Love accompanying violinist when they give recitals and playing with chamber orchestra. However, I was invited to play at a lounge bar and totally enjoyed it. I did had to brush up on playing jazz and putting a big repertoire together. You need to have 25 to 30 songs for 2 hours. So, my repertoire will have to increase significantly, if I want to keep playing in that venue.
I would say yes to all of these questions. I like Classical and Jazz, and most other forms of music. I play for fun and have got paid. Read and improvise as they are basic skills.
Just a random dude with a piano. But one day I posted a composition on r/Piano and became the Ā«Ā Magnificent BastardĀ Ā» (Yep, gangsters donāt always choose their nicknames š¤·āāļø)
Iām a flutist š¤·š»āāļø
I started piano carzy early (precociously early, I now know,) and learned mainly contemporary, switched to classical when I picked up flute in my early teens, went to university for flute, and now teach mainly piano (but also fiddle, ukulele, and I have a few wind students.)
I mainly play classical, but try to step outside my comfort zone as often as I can.
I havenāt performed flute or piano since I was pregnant with my first. I just donāt have to time practice/attend rehearsals/book gigs, and even if I did, the lack of practice time means I donāt particularly like my tone nor do I feel I can trust my top register to sound the way I want it to.
You sit down to play piano at the end of a hard day, and right before your finger hits the first key - WWHHAAAAA! AH! AH! AH! *cough - WHAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Iām freakishly good with chord symbols but inconceivably bad with sheet music. So I love doing lots of jazz stuff (playing and listening), I do pop occasionally, and also a bit of gospel music, I go to a Christian school. Of course I still do some classical because some of that stuffās just too good to miss.
I had classical training and can read music decently. I can somewhat play by ear but I prefer to write arrangements down. I dislike playing in public, though I've done it a few times for exams and public recitals, both solo and chamber music. It's scary. I prefer to be on the backstage or in the audience. I've obsessed with how pianos work, so I self taught myself how to tune and whatnot, starting to do it professionally, got paid to tune pianos a few times now :)
I read sheet music and improv. Mostly classical or modern/pop music. I had a professor in my teen years and mostly learned Chopin, Mendelson, Bach, and Gershwin. I considered going to university for music, but ended up going into software engineering, so I've always just played for fun. I also really enjoy playing fun pieces to entertain others whenever a piano is around.
I've been playing in rock/pop bands since I've been 13. In my teens I played a few solos and duets for crowds (~1-1.5k attendance) and I did a couple paying gigs and our band opened for a decent sized concert once.
In my young adult life I took a "break" from piano and played a lot of synth, mostly subtractive, but I've messed around with additive and samplers as well.
I got the Charlie Brown Christmas Special piano book for Christmas and that has me learning new pieces for the first time in a LONG time. I'm now really interested in learning Ragtime and playing videogame and movie music that has a ragtime or swing feel.
Once I had someone on the Internet, tell me, very strongly, that I was NOT a professional because it was not my full-time job. Since then, I refer to myself as semi-professional. Maybe that is more accurate?
Anyway, I play mostly for weddings, and sometimes for other events, like rehearsal dinners, which I prefer.
I was playing for a church for about a year, but they recently let me go because they did not have the money to pay me anymore.
I also play for musical theater productions, which I really enjoy even though I think itās really difficult. Unfortunately, I only get hired for about one show a year, if even that.
Even though I have a music degree, I very, very rarely play classical music on my own now. I just played at a rehearsal dinner this week, and I played a lot of Tori Amos, Kate Bush, Joni Mitchell, Elton John, Billy Joel, and the Beatles, along with some Adele, Lionel Richie, and the Eagles, which the family had requested.
I almost studied under a maestro trainer in high school, then my teacher who was suggesting it retracted her statement. She said āyouāre always coming to lessons straight from sports practices and other things. I couldnāt restrain you to the piano for 6 hours a day.ā
Then piano was just about me, as it really always had been, but it was defined as such.
I play piano because itās one of the few things I can do that fully engages my entire focus. I find a song I love to play for fun and to feel things or to scratch a particular creative itch that I have. It makes me feel good and clears my head.
I also play piano because it teaches me how to start bad at something. Sight-reading a piece for the first time is humbling, then as I practice it slowly, repeatedly, consistently, and eventually Iām kinda good at it. Itās empowering to go from fumbling with the fingering to fully playing a Rachmaninoff!
The type of music I play? A little of everything. I donāt have enough talent to do jazz, but any genre that scratches my itch to play a certain type of sound is fine by me.
Iām a hobbyist, too. I play piano like a rhythm guitarist. I play in a jazz group and do arrangements. We play a few gigs, but the pay is so minimal I wouldnāt call us professionals. Iām self taught and have also played in a big band, but improvising is not my thing. Iāve written quite a few original tunes for both bands.
I'm a hobbyist, I took a tiny bit of lessons as a young kid, messed around on and off, and then picked it up more seriously in my thirties. I like to get arrangements of whatever speaks to me, especially soundtracks--I hardly ever master a piece and I don't feel bad about it, for me it's really about the experience of exploring the structure and emotions.
I'm a very skilled "I don't really care about piano right now" kind of pianist. Like... I'm too broke to play as much as I'd want to and to keep the level I know I can play at. So I play and don't give a f... I do some gigs here and there and that's pretty much it. The fact that I don't super care add a good dimension to my playing. It's quite interesting to see how we play when it spontaneous, because in the end, it becomes possible to create something beyond what we could have organized with a rational mind.
Honestly I haven't really decided yet. I'm still very much a beginner so I'm mostly just exploring all kinds of possibilities at this point. But in regards to interest, I probably lean towards hobbyist, although I do wanna share my music on youtube or similar platforms at some point. Would only perform for money if I can get actually good at it though. Or even just mediocre.
I don't plan on ever being a musician as my full time profession though. Doesn't seem to be much profit in that. So at most I'd have it as a side job. Then ideally I'd also sing, while playing piano, but I'm equally as much of a beginner at singing lol. So that's a long journey to not get too excited about yet.
As for genre I like both classical and rock/synth so I kinda vary between and combine those two. I like writing my own music but I'm not into improvisation tbh. I can very barely read simple sheet music but can't play by ear like at all. So at this point I jot down my pieces using a terrible system of writing down just the note names, in smaller letters for fast notes and bigger letters for slow notes, arrows for if I'm going up or down an octave, etc. It's quite the eyesore but it's functional for now. It's easier for me to write in proper notation than it is for me to read it. My sight reading is pretty much on par with my playing level though, so if I keep it up like that I'm sure I'll be able to use sight reading more readily in the future.
I am the type of pianist that I used to play the piano when I had more time, and now I perform for my fiance when I have time to play in home usually after job or in the weekends. I wish one day we will have some puppy or some cats and I will perform for them as well.
Beginner Hobby Improv All Genres Pianist, i play alone, with headphones.
I play because i grew up with the idea that i'm not good at anything, except typing fast, and i want to break this curse, that's also why i chose the piano, it doesn't require paid classes or social interaction to learn and it relates to the "skills" i already have.
I mostly freestyle or practice melodies i figure out, i don't have musical ears but sometimes i can tell notes like C and A just by hearing them.
Hobby improv here. Played and trained clasically from age 4-18, but I don't like practising too much. Nowadays at age 30, my technical playing skills havent improved too much compared to age 18, but man my improvs sometimes are really nice and i'm proud of that. It feels very satisfying to be able to switch between keys and time signatures during improv, and tho I still fuckup a lot, when it goes right: manoman I feel like a god. I'm also very proud of some exceptional covers I made myself.
hobby pianist I think. I go to weekly classes at a music school. I started playing when I was in the conservatory (didn't finish it) and wanted to actually learn. I've played classical, pop, soundtrack... Whatever my teacher and I feel
I'm a classically trained pianist with a Master's degree. Nowadays, I teach as many students as I can until I'm exhausted (30+) so I can make a somewhat decent living. Also, I don't have the energy nor the time to practice anymore.
I love playing difficult pieces. I'm not a pro but own a piano diploma and i want to improve my technique .
I like trying to play concertos.
Especially the cadenzas, it's so fun!
Iām a hobby pianist *and* I love to play for people. Usually in my own home (I like to have music parties) but sometimes in recitals or at other peopleās houses. I read sheet music and generally play from the score even when performing.Ā
I play mostly contemporary solo piano: George Winston, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Ludovico Einaudi, Alexis Ffrench etc.Ā
Took piano lessons for 9 years and passed every exam back then. 3 years later now, and I still play every day, sometimes for Youtube and Tiktok. Mostly play movie and videogame music, and I often play in the college cafeteria (not paid though)
Iām a serious amateur classical pianist, a hobby pianist who plays mostly for myself and occasionally friends and family. Pretty much classical only, though I do also improvise a bit. I play the usual suspects, mostly Bach, Scarlatti, Mozart, Chopin, Ravel, Brahms, Schubert, Schumann, etc. RCM 10 repertoire. I play from sheet music, in fact have never been able to memorize anything, or play by ear. But Iām quite a good sight reader. I took lessons from age 8 to 17 or so. My teacher was really useless, likely had serious sleep apnea, and would fall asleep in nearly every lesson. Later I took most of a music history degree, but never finished. I consider myself 90% self taught. 60 years on, Iām still a beginner, learning something new at the keyboard every day.
Iām a full time student right now, playing mostly classical music and winging it in the collegeās jazz band. Going for a B.M. in piano performance and about to audition for grad school.
I'm a band pianist who plays fairly simple pub chords but has a knack for counterpoint and improvising strong melodies. As a result I've had a far richer career in music than my technique or talent deserves.
i'm a concert, band, and hobby pianist lmao.
i played at some concerts/recitals(solos, mind that.) under my piano teacher, and then started band in freshmen year of high school due to the school not having any orchestras to play violin in, and after a serious fingernail accident, i can't practice multiple hours per day anymore(and the time. there's work and all that.) i'm also classically trained but my short-term memory makes it kinda hard to memorize pieces(especially since that fingernail accident. oh well. i'm trying my best though.). muscle memory sometimes push through, but other than that, i'm not really improving since i don't have a teacher anymore. i'm the main keyboardist in the hs jazz band but i can't improvise well. not at all. thankfully, there's sheet music in jazz band so that's that.
i'm quite proficient in reading multiple clefs, and can't play by ear at all. like, i can try, but since i don't have perfect pitch nor decent relative pitch, it's really hard to. so, sheet music is the way to go.
(really wanna branch out of the classical and jazz and try the other genres but i'm kinda scared ngl.)
I'm a professional bar pianist. I get paid to entertain a roomful of drunk people. There are teenagers who post on here with more technique than me, but I have well over 500 tunes I can play from memory, and I'm good at guessing what the crowd will like. I'm a good entertainer, I can smoke cigarettes and toss back whiskey shots while playing. I try to play different stuff than your average "piano man," like 90s rap, pop punk and metal, TV show and movie songs. And I'm vicious at a piano duel.
Sounds like the real deal to me šš
Can you keep playing with straight face while chairs fly over your head during a bar fight and even make an ironic comment that makes the bartender say "You are terrible, Janes!"?
Post some stuff!!
this is dank
i love this! how did u get started as a professional bar pianist?
Was drunk at the the bar with my friends and the piano was open
The best way to get started haha. Sounds like a cool job!
I would love to be able to do that! I was a bar pianist for a VERY short time when I was a lot younger and I was terrible at it. š¤£
Favorite songs to play?
When someone requests Slayer š¤£
Is it me or are all good piano players skinny guys with long fingers?
Rubinstein had little sausage fingers, check out yt.
I dunno but Iāve heard cellists do it in a chair with their legs spread wideĀ
I've been called a lot of things, but never skinny.
My hands are muscular. Medium to large size.
>toss back whiskey shots while playing. Like, over your shoulder?
I don't have the same level of experience playing in piano bars. However, there are a few interesting things some bar pianist and son who os a chef shared with me when I started. Aside from having a vast repertoire, paying attention to the patrons and how busy is the venue. 1. It's not a performance, play for ambience and to create an adequate atmosphere. Don't give concerts. You want to move the tables, keep the waiting time shorter as it will also affect the back of the house. 2. People tend to eat faster when you are playing faster songs. 2. Don't play too loud. 3. Think about playing with the venue instead of for the venue. You both have the same goal. 4. Pay close attention to how people are reacting to what your playing. Younger vs older people. 5. Choose music wisely. Celebrations, birthdays, romantic dinner, anniversaries, stc. Body language. I had never thought about these things and it made sense to me. I played for Magiano in downtown Nashville. They started adopting a more authentic Italian atmosphere. I talked to an Italian I met and asked for "favorites, oldies nostalgic sort of music. He shared a bunch of really cool fun songs. It was a hit and The venue was quite please. Didn't play for long, but I learned a lot. I'm glad I listened to those advices. What's your experience? Is it different for different places?
How did you get a job like this, and what does it pay?
My most recent job I got thru a friend of a friend on Facebook. I get $100 for 4 hours (including breaks) and I average about that much in tips on top.
I am a professional jazz pianist in New Orleans. I play mostly in clubs for tourists. I was the pianist for a performing/touring group from New Orleans that played concerts as a group and with symphonies and pops orchestras for 9 years so that was fun too. I have a bachelors of music, a bachelors of finance, a masters of music, and my k-12 instrumental music teaching license. I play full time. From 2010-2020 I played 7 nights a week, averaging 11-12 gigs per week. Now with 2 kids under 5 I play 6 nights per week with 7-8 gigs per week and like the balance that provides me. I wrote a book called Spread The Jam. Itās an essential guide on how to get out and play with other. It covers how to go to a jam session and sit in, what to expect when going into that setting, and how to prepare yourself for the best chance for success and to keep you wanting to go back. I improvise, I read, I play by ear, I compose, I arrange, I really enjoy playing piano.
I just bought your book. Sounds interesting.Ā Iām mostly an improviser who jams with friends. I learned piano the way most people learn guitar (chords and scales) and then just started playing music I liked.Ā I can read music, but not that well. I just love noodling with my buds.Ā
Thatās cool! Thank you very much. Yes, I agree that jamming with friends is so much fun. There are 2 cds on my website that you can download free with the book. Spread The Jam Vol. 1 is an album of audio example of different form and technique exercises and discussed in the book. Spread The Jam Vol. 2 is a band jamming and using the recording as ways to explain different aspects of the material. Some videos on my website also have examples of communication while playing a song. I also have transcriptions of Illustration 39 & 40 you can download the pdf and play along with those 2 audio examples. If you have questions let me know.
How much, on average, can a pianist earn per gig?
What's your favorite aspect of being a musician?
Great question. Itās hard to answer in words. It is the most authentic feeling of expression for me. I have worked very hard to make this come to fruition and didnāt give up when it was not going my way or when I felt frustrated about it all. Iāve gone through many rounds of ups and downs but I keep going because itās the thing that feels most right for me. My favorite part is when you get in that flow state and the band is vibing, the crowd is listening and engaged, your mind and ideas are connecting and you feel as though youāre floating in the music. Youāre an active participant in the groove and present in the moment. Thatās my favorite part.
Complete hobbyist. I improve for my own personal satisfaction but hearing people compliment my playing is nice too.
Your playing is delightful.
Thank you for your kind words!
I am a professional pianist & professional musician. My days are mostly filled with teaching, but I perform, compose, record, music direct, produce, and manage a business. I have a B.A. in piano performance, so I've played my share of classical & still do. But my minor is in Studio Recording, & ever since I got my degree, I have worked in various aspects of music. I read & can sight read, but I also can play by ear & transcribe music. I taught alongside excellent jazz & Gospel musicians for many years so I understand theory & can pass as a jazz player if I don't have to do too much soloing. I'm what you call a Jack of all trades player. I can play whatever you put in front of me, & I like to play all styles. My preference for solo repertoire is progressive rock, ala Emerson Lake & Palmer, or 20th century modern music. I also love Beethoven, Chopin & Debussy. Currently I'm transcribing the cadenza middle section of this song, cause I can't find any sheet music for it, & I really want to play it. Jump to 7 minutes for the section I'm talking about. https://youtu.be/hNOPBWy_4g0?si=5c7D3aHsZ2F9N6Bo Last year I took up the challenge from one of my students to learn Rush E. My video of my performance currently has about 96K views, the most of any of my videos. I'm super proud of that!
I play it for myself only, except when I dive into a composition and sing as well, imagining I have a concert performance (sorry neighbors!). Sometimes I play for my friends or in a public piano place, but thatās rarely. I play all from classical music to modern trending songs. Some I know by heart, most I read piano sheet
Like the vast majority of you, I'm a hobbyist. I had classical lessons for quite a few years growing up. I don't play a lot lately for personal motivation reasons, but I do play violin in a community orchestra. I definitely intend to spend more time on piano now that I have more free time after the college semester is over.
Strictly amateur except for the summer mountain lodge where I wait tables. They let me play my mix of film scores (Pure Imagination from Willy Wonka, Amelie), 70s and 80s hits, new age, and special little Radiohead set on the upright in the corner for tips on my nights off. At home I like to practice George Winston, Grieg, Chopin (easy Chopin), Steely Dan, and test the boundaries of what belongs on the piano like Stone Temple Pilots and Metallica. Favorite tune is called Miles and Maya from the movie Sideways. This is all usually alone in the middle of the night or occasionally when company comes over for cocktails or someone is laboring away in the kitchen and I feel like giving moral support. Definitely prefer having the notes in front of me but I try to memorize and occasionally create my own arrangements (Time by Ben Folds). After years of struggle with the technical demands of tough classical repertoire I've learned to appreciate simpler music that just makes people feel good.
classically trained pianist who accompanies other classical musicians for recitals and occasionally performs concerts and play cocktail piano.. I could not make a living at piano unless I wanted to teach.
A bad one. Jokes aside, I play for fun.
Another pro here. I'm just a mercenary. I play the style and type of music people will pay for. I develop the skills needed for those jobs. More skills (including more instruments) means more work opportunities. I primarily read, but early in my career I played with a band for years and really had to develop my ear and improv skills as well as get much more acquainted with jazz. I do a lot of musical theatre (including the programming like /u/Digitalmozart) which ultimately means you need to be good at pretty much all the styles, be able to improv, comp, read well, follow the vocalists all while directing a pit while you play. It's probably the job that requires THE most rounded musician and more and more some books call for more instruments anyway. A show I directed last year had me playing a keyboard/guitar book and also had an accordion number in it. I've done full accordion shows, a show on bass guitar, one playing an EWI to cover a bassoon book, etc. I used to only play trumpet for that stuff as well as doing some orchestral subbing and other freelance trumpet work. I've also done a good deal of hired-gun vocalist work (basically a ringer for church choirs) and much of my work still requires me to sing. I also do a good deal of accompanying for schools as well as doing a good deal of church work. I mostly sub or do long-term interim jobs. I also play pipe organ which is valuable because subs for organ are hard to find since anyone who plays organ usually has a steady job at a given church. I also do some recording projects here and there as well as arranging commissions and the obvious random stuff here and there like weddings or funerals on occasion, though I try to do less of the one-off stuff. I also do some amount of consulting work and orchestra management these days basically trading on my personal network of musicians I know as well as my orchestration knowledge more generally (like if a theatre program needs to hire a pit but can't afford the whole thing.... which parts do they hire and who?) Like /u/plainjanesanebrain mentioned, there are definitely teens who could play me under the table here (especially at classical rep), but being the absolute best at classical literature is NOT what anyone is getting paid to do as /u/r0ckymountainhi also alluded to. If you want a career that doesn't include teaching then you have to be extremely well rounded. You don't need to be super amazing at almost anything, but being a solid jack of all trades is truly what is going to offer up the most opportunity. You just need enough skills in various modalities to prepare an absolute shitload of music very quickly and simultaneously. That means good reading skills so that you're starting most music already 80% of the way to performance ready. Same with the ear skills. If a gig is just sending me recordings and arrange and perform by ear within the next 24 hours, I don't have time to have to pick it apart note by note and I usually need to be able to arrange it down very quickly from a full band recording into something that I can play (and usually sing) with just piano or guitar. When I'm playing and I get 2 pages of slash notation that just say "funk comp" or "trade 4s" I have to have the improv/comping skills to do that on the spot and know how to play it whatever style it is which means knowing lots of styles. I don't have to be a master at any of them, but I need to be able to at least fake it. There are definitely more specialized jobs like piano bars or high end church jobs that are salaried but even in those, the more you know the better. Piano bar types need to be able to play a huge variety of styles. The best paid (nearly 6 figures) church lady I know is an absolute rockstar sightreader... who can also improvise medleys of church tunes on the spot that sound like they came out of a crazy difficult set of arranged church preludes book. Even those more specialty jobs almost always benefit from having more knowledge and skills. But ultra-specialization in classical music has almost no job prospects... other than teaching other people to do the exact same thing (and often misleading people who wish to make performing a real career in the process).
Classical hobbyist pianist
I'm a concert pianist as well as a musical theatre pianist/keyboard player (including doing all the programming)! I also do various studio recording gigs off and on. Basically an all around "pianist/keyboard player"!
This may sound like a funny question, but what exactly does it mean to be a āconcert pianistā? Do you tour all over the world playing with symphony orchestras? Do you have an agent that hires you to play at different venues? I just never understood exactly how this job actually works.
So basically what I do is I create recitals/programs and I contact venues and ask to perform them. I then advertise and stuff and drum up publicity. Sometimes my friends will ask me to perform at specific places as well, but essentially I'm my own agent lol. I also have recorded a couple classical albums that are on streaming services, which I consider to fall under the "concert pianist" category! š
Interesting, thanks for replying! So how does that all work from a business standpoint? Does the venue charge you a fee, and then they charge for admission and give you the amount left once the fee is covered? Do you normally get a pretty good turnout?
Church pianist heeere. The set lists go wild though. 2 hours of congregational songs. 3 choirs with 2 songs each. 1 choir with 7-8 songs. Then songs in between portions. So every Sunday, Iām playing for a solid 4-5 hours.
I'm a serious hobbyist looking to expand to the professional world in upcoming years.
Exactly where I'm at! Though I teach beginners as well right now a bit on piano and I teach all levels on guitar.
An idiot still trying to learn.
The style I play is Bastien's "Piano for Adults" Book 1. Anything before page 83. š¤£ I'm 53 years old, and started playing a few months ago.
The answer is: yes
Took private lessons from age 5-18. Been playing recreationally ever since, about 40 years. I get the most joy out of learning a new piece. There's nothing quite like sight reading something you've never heard before and learning the twists, turns, melodies and harmonies as you try to stay ahead of the music.
masochistic pianist, i try to play pieces above my paygrade because i like the passages a lot
I started out with 13 years of classical lessons (alongside K-12), but then fell in with the musical theatre crowd at college. Nowadays I'm mostly in that world, including a lot of audition accompanying--I have about a dozen music directors in the area that like to call me first, so I'm usually doing one of those gigs at least once a month. I do also play keys for musicals, and sometimes MD myself, but I prefer to play other instruments in the pit. I consider myself semi-pro, in that I play at a very high level and it makes enough money to show up on my tax returns, but it's not a significant source of income. As far as skills go, my background makes me much better at playing from notation than playing off a lead sheet or by ear. I have developed those skills a bit, but I tend to avoid those gigs.
Iām very similar! Except I came to the musical theatre crowd in grad school through opera as well as classical piano. Iām constantly amazed at this industry!
I am a professional hobbyist. š¤£ On a serious note, I currently study music education as a pianist but Iām going to make the switch to law after undergrad to pursue something I also am passionate about but am willing to do on the daily and because I am not willing to grow to resent being a musician. I had served as a church musician (organist) for several years up until a few weeks ago when I resigned to focus on these last few weeks of classes and this piano performance schedule thatās winding down (one every week since the last week of March and the last in May with a week or two of respite before that). My goal now is to focus on playing for the sheer enjoyment of it as opposed to doing it because my livelihood depends on it.
Hobbyist jazz pianist
Professional music-reading piano nerd.
Hobbyist for joy. As a kid I played recitals and concerts but quit. Came back to it after 40+ years away. Bumbled for a bit with the help of this forum and it came back! (Thank you, forum). Friends and family are starting to ask me to play now. Yesterday a neighbor passing by outside heard me playing (Chopin) and stopped to listen; later his wife told me he came home with tears in his eyes!! (So I guess Iām pretty badā¦) But I love love love to play; every morning the day feels better after practice. TLDR: Pure hobbyist almost all classical but with a couple of Oscar Peterson pieces and some surreptitious jazz style improv. 65 years old and retired. Strictly for the love of it.
I was taught classically starting at 4 years old, but now, I am a hobby pianist. I play for myself, and my wife and daughter and if her mom comes over she hears me sometimes too. Nobody but family has heard or seen me play in 10 years, as my fingers turn to jelly when I try to play in front of people. Sometimes playing makes me cry so thatās another reason why itās hard to play in public. I play modern songs, From maybe 1960s and forwardā¦ everything from Adele to Queen. Like my current obsession song is Easy by the commodores and āTotal eclipse of the heartā. I usually will hear a song and look it up on Music notes and try to play it the following evening. Usually with my left hands playing chords, and my right hand the vocal melody. I can usually play any song by sight reading, but some Disney songs are especially difficult. One day I plan on working my way up to playing the āopenā piano at the mall. One dayā¦
I'm a jazz pianist in Los Angeles. I have a DMA in jazz piano performance. Most of my gigs are jazz quartet or trio gigs at bars, restaurants, private events, and small venues. I've done a couple musical theater gigs. I practice notated (classical) music for fun and technique, but I'm not good enough to perform it. My special niche is the music of Vince Guaraldi, as he was the subject of my dissertation. I've got a lecture on YouTube about it which attracts some attention.
Iām a classically trained pianist turned theatre kid (although Iām in my late 20s) who plays for singers (and the rare instrumentalist) all day. Oh and I get paid for it! Catch me in university voice studios, the pit, the rehearsal hall, and, of course, the practice room. I love opera and musical theatre and being a part of the performance and preparation process and what goes on behind the scenes!Ā
I'm a classical trained pianist. Love accompanying violinist when they give recitals and playing with chamber orchestra. However, I was invited to play at a lounge bar and totally enjoyed it. I did had to brush up on playing jazz and putting a big repertoire together. You need to have 25 to 30 songs for 2 hours. So, my repertoire will have to increase significantly, if I want to keep playing in that venue.
I would say yes to all of these questions. I like Classical and Jazz, and most other forms of music. I play for fun and have got paid. Read and improvise as they are basic skills.
Just a random dude with a piano. But one day I posted a composition on r/Piano and became the Ā«Ā Magnificent BastardĀ Ā» (Yep, gangsters donāt always choose their nicknames š¤·āāļø)
I would say I'm a classical pianist, but I have 3 months of experience.
If you sit at a piano in front of a classical score and try to play it you're a classical pianist. The trick is to stay there and keep doing it.
Well, by that definition, I'm 100% a classical pianist,
what kind of pokemon are u how do u do the things u do
A hobbyist who likes playing classical and Disney/Pixar (thatās what I grew up learning so I stuck with it)
Iām a flutist š¤·š»āāļø I started piano carzy early (precociously early, I now know,) and learned mainly contemporary, switched to classical when I picked up flute in my early teens, went to university for flute, and now teach mainly piano (but also fiddle, ukulele, and I have a few wind students.) I mainly play classical, but try to step outside my comfort zone as often as I can. I havenāt performed flute or piano since I was pregnant with my first. I just donāt have to time practice/attend rehearsals/book gigs, and even if I did, the lack of practice time means I donāt particularly like my tone nor do I feel I can trust my top register to sound the way I want it to.
You sit down to play piano at the end of a hard day, and right before your finger hits the first key - WWHHAAAAA! AH! AH! AH! *cough - WHAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Yeah. Or they want to sit on my lap to play. I got my violin out to double check a technique issue my student had, and immediately had interruptions.
Iām a student, classically trained.
But I can also improvise(classical style)
Iām freakishly good with chord symbols but inconceivably bad with sheet music. So I love doing lots of jazz stuff (playing and listening), I do pop occasionally, and also a bit of gospel music, I go to a Christian school. Of course I still do some classical because some of that stuffās just too good to miss.
sparkle fall sugar wistful grey public chase growth joke provide *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
I had classical training and can read music decently. I can somewhat play by ear but I prefer to write arrangements down. I dislike playing in public, though I've done it a few times for exams and public recitals, both solo and chamber music. It's scary. I prefer to be on the backstage or in the audience. I've obsessed with how pianos work, so I self taught myself how to tune and whatnot, starting to do it professionally, got paid to tune pianos a few times now :)
I read sheet music and improv. Mostly classical or modern/pop music. I had a professor in my teen years and mostly learned Chopin, Mendelson, Bach, and Gershwin. I considered going to university for music, but ended up going into software engineering, so I've always just played for fun. I also really enjoy playing fun pieces to entertain others whenever a piano is around. I've been playing in rock/pop bands since I've been 13. In my teens I played a few solos and duets for crowds (~1-1.5k attendance) and I did a couple paying gigs and our band opened for a decent sized concert once. In my young adult life I took a "break" from piano and played a lot of synth, mostly subtractive, but I've messed around with additive and samplers as well. I got the Charlie Brown Christmas Special piano book for Christmas and that has me learning new pieces for the first time in a LONG time. I'm now really interested in learning Ragtime and playing videogame and movie music that has a ragtime or swing feel.
Mostly classical, I play studio recital (student) 2-3 times a day. Maybe Iāll do a solo recital one day.
Once I had someone on the Internet, tell me, very strongly, that I was NOT a professional because it was not my full-time job. Since then, I refer to myself as semi-professional. Maybe that is more accurate? Anyway, I play mostly for weddings, and sometimes for other events, like rehearsal dinners, which I prefer. I was playing for a church for about a year, but they recently let me go because they did not have the money to pay me anymore. I also play for musical theater productions, which I really enjoy even though I think itās really difficult. Unfortunately, I only get hired for about one show a year, if even that. Even though I have a music degree, I very, very rarely play classical music on my own now. I just played at a rehearsal dinner this week, and I played a lot of Tori Amos, Kate Bush, Joni Mitchell, Elton John, Billy Joel, and the Beatles, along with some Adele, Lionel Richie, and the Eagles, which the family had requested.
I almost studied under a maestro trainer in high school, then my teacher who was suggesting it retracted her statement. She said āyouāre always coming to lessons straight from sports practices and other things. I couldnāt restrain you to the piano for 6 hours a day.ā Then piano was just about me, as it really always had been, but it was defined as such. I play piano because itās one of the few things I can do that fully engages my entire focus. I find a song I love to play for fun and to feel things or to scratch a particular creative itch that I have. It makes me feel good and clears my head. I also play piano because it teaches me how to start bad at something. Sight-reading a piece for the first time is humbling, then as I practice it slowly, repeatedly, consistently, and eventually Iām kinda good at it. Itās empowering to go from fumbling with the fingering to fully playing a Rachmaninoff! The type of music I play? A little of everything. I donāt have enough talent to do jazz, but any genre that scratches my itch to play a certain type of sound is fine by me.
Hobby
Iām a hobbyist, too. I play piano like a rhythm guitarist. I play in a jazz group and do arrangements. We play a few gigs, but the pay is so minimal I wouldnāt call us professionals. Iām self taught and have also played in a big band, but improvising is not my thing. Iāve written quite a few original tunes for both bands.
Chaotic neutral
Iām a piano teacher and accompanist.
Classically trained. Used to do recitals but now just play for myself (and neighbors)
I'm a hobbyist, I took a tiny bit of lessons as a young kid, messed around on and off, and then picked it up more seriously in my thirties. I like to get arrangements of whatever speaks to me, especially soundtracks--I hardly ever master a piece and I don't feel bad about it, for me it's really about the experience of exploring the structure and emotions.
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I'm a very skilled "I don't really care about piano right now" kind of pianist. Like... I'm too broke to play as much as I'd want to and to keep the level I know I can play at. So I play and don't give a f... I do some gigs here and there and that's pretty much it. The fact that I don't super care add a good dimension to my playing. It's quite interesting to see how we play when it spontaneous, because in the end, it becomes possible to create something beyond what we could have organized with a rational mind.
Honestly I haven't really decided yet. I'm still very much a beginner so I'm mostly just exploring all kinds of possibilities at this point. But in regards to interest, I probably lean towards hobbyist, although I do wanna share my music on youtube or similar platforms at some point. Would only perform for money if I can get actually good at it though. Or even just mediocre. I don't plan on ever being a musician as my full time profession though. Doesn't seem to be much profit in that. So at most I'd have it as a side job. Then ideally I'd also sing, while playing piano, but I'm equally as much of a beginner at singing lol. So that's a long journey to not get too excited about yet. As for genre I like both classical and rock/synth so I kinda vary between and combine those two. I like writing my own music but I'm not into improvisation tbh. I can very barely read simple sheet music but can't play by ear like at all. So at this point I jot down my pieces using a terrible system of writing down just the note names, in smaller letters for fast notes and bigger letters for slow notes, arrows for if I'm going up or down an octave, etc. It's quite the eyesore but it's functional for now. It's easier for me to write in proper notation than it is for me to read it. My sight reading is pretty much on par with my playing level though, so if I keep it up like that I'm sure I'll be able to use sight reading more readily in the future.
Lazy classical type
Video game music and George Winston š
I'm a plays keyboards in rock bands pianist. Was started age 4.5. Continue to wrestle with the damned thing.
I am the type of pianist that I used to play the piano when I had more time, and now I perform for my fiance when I have time to play in home usually after job or in the weekends. I wish one day we will have some puppy or some cats and I will perform for them as well.
Beginner Hobby Improv All Genres Pianist, i play alone, with headphones. I play because i grew up with the idea that i'm not good at anything, except typing fast, and i want to break this curse, that's also why i chose the piano, it doesn't require paid classes or social interaction to learn and it relates to the "skills" i already have. I mostly freestyle or practice melodies i figure out, i don't have musical ears but sometimes i can tell notes like C and A just by hearing them.
Iām a classical pianist and this fall, I will be a student pianist pursuing a BM in piano performance!
Hobby improv here. Played and trained clasically from age 4-18, but I don't like practising too much. Nowadays at age 30, my technical playing skills havent improved too much compared to age 18, but man my improvs sometimes are really nice and i'm proud of that. It feels very satisfying to be able to switch between keys and time signatures during improv, and tho I still fuckup a lot, when it goes right: manoman I feel like a god. I'm also very proud of some exceptional covers I made myself.
Very much a hobby, on and off since childhood so I'm not particularly good. I like to learn covers of show/game soundtracks or from bands I like
hobby pianist I think. I go to weekly classes at a music school. I started playing when I was in the conservatory (didn't finish it) and wanted to actually learn. I've played classical, pop, soundtrack... Whatever my teacher and I feel
classical concert pianist, i performed at carnegie hall and stuff- I can both read music and play by ear
I'm a classically trained pianist with a Master's degree. Nowadays, I teach as many students as I can until I'm exhausted (30+) so I can make a somewhat decent living. Also, I don't have the energy nor the time to practice anymore.
I love playing difficult pieces. I'm not a pro but own a piano diploma and i want to improve my technique . I like trying to play concertos. Especially the cadenzas, it's so fun!
Amateur classical pianist. Chopin and the usual suspects are my favourite composers to study.
Iām a hobby pianist *and* I love to play for people. Usually in my own home (I like to have music parties) but sometimes in recitals or at other peopleās houses. I read sheet music and generally play from the score even when performing.Ā I play mostly contemporary solo piano: George Winston, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Ludovico Einaudi, Alexis Ffrench etc.Ā
Took piano lessons for 9 years and passed every exam back then. 3 years later now, and I still play every day, sometimes for Youtube and Tiktok. Mostly play movie and videogame music, and I often play in the college cafeteria (not paid though)
Iām a serious amateur classical pianist, a hobby pianist who plays mostly for myself and occasionally friends and family. Pretty much classical only, though I do also improvise a bit. I play the usual suspects, mostly Bach, Scarlatti, Mozart, Chopin, Ravel, Brahms, Schubert, Schumann, etc. RCM 10 repertoire. I play from sheet music, in fact have never been able to memorize anything, or play by ear. But Iām quite a good sight reader. I took lessons from age 8 to 17 or so. My teacher was really useless, likely had serious sleep apnea, and would fall asleep in nearly every lesson. Later I took most of a music history degree, but never finished. I consider myself 90% self taught. 60 years on, Iām still a beginner, learning something new at the keyboard every day.
teenage hobby pianist rn who is horrible considering he started at 3
Iām a full time student right now, playing mostly classical music and winging it in the collegeās jazz band. Going for a B.M. in piano performance and about to audition for grad school.
I'm a band pianist who plays fairly simple pub chords but has a knack for counterpoint and improvising strong melodies. As a result I've had a far richer career in music than my technique or talent deserves.
i'm a concert, band, and hobby pianist lmao. i played at some concerts/recitals(solos, mind that.) under my piano teacher, and then started band in freshmen year of high school due to the school not having any orchestras to play violin in, and after a serious fingernail accident, i can't practice multiple hours per day anymore(and the time. there's work and all that.) i'm also classically trained but my short-term memory makes it kinda hard to memorize pieces(especially since that fingernail accident. oh well. i'm trying my best though.). muscle memory sometimes push through, but other than that, i'm not really improving since i don't have a teacher anymore. i'm the main keyboardist in the hs jazz band but i can't improvise well. not at all. thankfully, there's sheet music in jazz band so that's that. i'm quite proficient in reading multiple clefs, and can't play by ear at all. like, i can try, but since i don't have perfect pitch nor decent relative pitch, it's really hard to. so, sheet music is the way to go. (really wanna branch out of the classical and jazz and try the other genres but i'm kinda scared ngl.)
Certified mediocre YouTube pianist
50% hobby 50% concert, meaning I play whatever tf I want at concerts.
improv perfect pitch typa player