r/learnpiano

Hey everyone!!
So I’m kind of in a weird spot with my piano journey. I took classes for a couple of months (intensive classes) a while back, but they were super expensive and honestly felt like a waste of time (i don’t even know what the hell is major and minor, which shows that i really was wasting time there), so I’ve been teaching myself since, although i only just realized i’ve been missing the basics i thought piano was just about learning new songs and finger positions until recently)
I’m currently confused about where I actually stand. I see people online talking about "scales" and "arpeggios", I’d never even heard of those until I looked them up on YouTube recently to start practicing them on my own
(I think I’m around an intermediate level, but honestly I don't even know what “grade” I'd be)

Also, I have a major hurdle: I learned everything using Solfège (Do, Re, Mi...) instead of the A B C system😭
Should I force myself to learn the letter system, or does it not matter?

Most importantly: I really want to level up and become genuinely skilled. Like, beyond just memorizing a song, I want to actually build proper technique and sound like a pro

If you're an advanced/pro pianist, what are the absolute MUST-knows I should be focusing on right now? What drills, theory, or habits made the biggest difference for you?

I can’t read sheet music and I have never roughed an instrument in my life. How hard would it be and how long would it take to be good enough to play a song like moonlight sonata or other classical longs like it. And is it possible to learn a few songs by memorizing them or do you need to go through and learn how to actually play piano?

I've been working on this app for the past year, (largely for my own benefit) and I feel it can really help a huge audience of pianists, especially in the beginner to intermediate range. You can scan sheet music (or import MIDI, MusicXML) and convert it into falling notes. You can also connect your keyboard and practice along with the notes. Additionally, there is a chord / scale trainer, and a growing library of already existing songs to practice with that are free. Give it a try if you feel you're at a dead end with practicing, and might need something to keep yourself engaged.