Advice for an enthusiastic novice.

[elevenwhy]

A year and a half ago, I knew nothing of Chopin, and listened to mainstream music. Then, via Fantaisie Impromptu, I was captured. Nowadays I am offended at the idea that I used to listen to MTV etc. Now, Chopin is my favourate musician ever and I am obsessed and captured.

Anyway, I'm almost 16 now, and have a bright and logical mind and I pick things up easily. I've been teaching myself to play the piano and I absolutely love it. I have got fairly good and now can play Chopin's Waltz In C Sharp Minor. Though I am hitting the right keys I am sure that my pedalling and touch is probably disgusting to anyone who is experienced on the piano, so for this reason, I am going to get a teacher soon.

My main question is, I want to become a good pianist, where should I start? The Etudes? If so, which ones?

Thanks.

[Jeliness2]

Hi there,
My first Chopin I seriously worked on were his Nocturnes (op. 32 no.1 in b major/ op.72 no.1 e minor)... You can learn so much from them (like pedalling)... I also got many of his other piano works (preludes, impromptus, polonaises, mazurkas, ballades, scherzos) and just sightread them. Although at the beginning, it is frustrating to play them, and you might think you play them horrible, who cares, when you are playing by yourself? Sight-reading all that music gives you a good sense of playing Chopin (and improves your reading skill)...
Good luck!

[PJF]

Study everything of Chopin. Go logically and gradually, easiest to hardest, (may take years or even decades) but study all of it. You will go through a wondrous evolution.

[PianistSk8er]

I would certainly not recommend the Studies until you have got a teacher, and both you and he/she feel that you're ready for them. As for Chopin, I started out with nocturnes and waltzes, moved my way to harder pieces, played around with a couple ballades, and tackled the Studies after about ten years of lessons.

I wish you the best of luck with your lessons, and I hope you will share some recordings with us as you progress!

PS

[juufa72]

Start with some of his preludes, then move into the mazurkas, then waltzes, the nocturnes, then etudes, then scherzos, then ballades.

It will take a very long time for you to play through at least one from the above catagories.

But the journey will be enjoyable.

Take your time and meditate the fact that every note you play was an idea written onto paper from someone who lived long before you.

(I hope that made sense)