Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2013 May 25

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May 25

Music

How may I learn music for free on the Internet without any physical contact between me and the teacher (by which I man that I am not in the same rooms as them but they still may talk to me)? Where may I do this? I would like to learn the following:

• music theory
• conducting
• playing instruments (mainly piano and guitar)

Is it possible for me to learn music without any prior knowledge?

92.0.228.251 (talk) 22:58, 25 May 2013 (UTC) Ps, Is my lack of facial hair (beard or moustache) a major concern at age 16 ?

If you expect to learn for free, who do you expect to pay the teacher? You can probably find decent learning materials free online somewhere, but don't expect an actual human being to show up and teach you for nothing. AlexTiefling (talk) 23:02, 25 May 2013 (UTC)

I don't expect that, I just want to talk to them over the Internet. 92.0.228.251 (talk) 23:06, 25 May 2013 (UTC)

You've missed my point: you're still asking a qualified musician to give their time up for nothing on a (semi-)regular basis. What's in it for them? AlexTiefling (talk) 23:08, 25 May 2013 (UTC)

Sounds like you're arguing just to argue. A sponsor could pay the musician to upload lessons and then could host the teacher's materials on their site and use ad revenue to pay for it, effectively making it free for the viewer.--Jerk of Thrones (talk) 10:56, 26 May 2013 (UTC)

What online sources do you recommend for myself to use for music theory, conducting and piano playing? 92.0.228.251 (talk) 23:12, 25 May 2013 (UTC)

Conducting is dependent on a rapport with performers. I really would be surprised if you could learn it without regular in-person contact with both a tutor and some conductees. AlexTiefling (talk) 23:14, 25 May 2013 (UTC)

Answer the question please! 92.0.228.251 (talk) 23:16, 25 May 2013 (UTC)

The question is a bit broad, if there is something specific about music theory etc. we might be able to answer, as for websites that cover it I'm sure thers a few but the way your question is phrased it is something like a syllabus outline for a whole semesters worth of instruction. ^{Market St.⧏} _{⧐ Diamond Way} 23:33, 25 May 2013 (UTC)

You're a bit too uppity for a hairless 16-year old. AlexTiefling did give you a reasonable answer, one with which I entirely concur. -- Jack of Oz ^[Talk] 00:28, 26 May 2013 (UTC)

It's a far more common world view than us Xers had. ^{Market St.⧏} _{⧐ Diamond Way} 00:09, 28 May 2013 (UTC)

The stuff here about paying the teacher is a bit unnecessary. Lots of things that used to cost money can now be found for free on the Internet. I believe there's even a free global encyclopaedia. There are certainly sites where one can get started in music theory for free. Google is the tool for that. HiLo48 (talk) 00:33, 26 May 2013 (UTC)

And if not now then soon, possibly even a cartoon gecko advertising lessons for 80% off. ^{Market St.⧏} _{⧐ Diamond Way} 00:09, 28 May 2013 (UTC)

A lot depends on what you mean by "learn music". My son taught himself to play guitar entirely from the Internet using the Guitar tab system...and ended up being pretty good at it. He didn't need human interaction to do that. I think you should be able to learn piano and music theory too. But some instruments (like maybe violin) require a lot of mechanical technique that I would expect to be hard to learn without a teacher sitting next to you watching and listening. I agree that it might (in principle) be possible to find a bunch of people willing to pass on their skills for no pay - but that's not guaranteed! SteveBaker (talk) 02:17, 26 May 2013 (UTC)

There are lots of recorded music "lessons" available free online. I'm not sure if they will actually teach you music, but they are interesting to watch! This series shows you how to play heavy metal by a noted guitarist. http://www.howcast.com/videos/506499-How-to-Play-Heavy-Metal-Guitar-with-Alex-Skolnick Maybe you could look for other series on howcast and see if they have anything you're interested in. --Jerk of Thrones (talk) 10:48, 26 May 2013 (UTC)

I am wondering how I can learn piano within days without much practice? 92.0.228.251 (talk) 18:53, 26 May 2013 (UTC)

Why do you think that would be possible? AndyTheGrump (talk)

You could always pretend to play, while playing a CD, like Bart in The Fabulous Faker Boy, or Milli Vanilli in real life. But you'd be found out and shamed pretty quick. Other than that, no, I think you need practice. InedibleHulk (talk) 19:11, 26 May 2013 (UTC)

"Learn piano" is a very broad statement. It shouldn't take more than maybe an hour to figure out by yourself how to play Chopsticks. Rachmaninoff Preludes may take a bit more work... Pfly (talk) 19:13, 26 May 2013 (UTC)

You want to learn Beethoven's 5th Symphony by next Tuesday week? Why didn't you say so!. -- Jack of Oz ^[Talk] 19:42, 26 May 2013 (UTC)

• The piano stuff is preamble. The actual question asked is a medical one that needs to be addressed to an endocrinologist. But it is amusing to see the OP play the forum, isn't it? μηδείς (talk) 21:14, 26 May 2013 (UTC)
  • The answer to the second question in part depends on whether the OP is male or female. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 22:55, 26 May 2013 (UTC)

I am male 92.0.228.251 (talk) 23:41, 26 May 2013 (UTC)

OK, in that case, only a doctor can give you proper advice on that question. It's patently obvious, of course, that adolescents develop at different rates, i.e. some earlier and some later. You could ask your father if he recalls what age he had to start shaving, or likewise with older brothers if you have any. That's not an absolute correlation, just a possible indication. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 01:33, 27 May 2013 (UTC)

Yes, if you are really worried, ask a doctor. The majority of 16-year-old males will have developed some signs of facial hair, but it is not really unusual for that particular secondary result of puberty to develop well after the age of 16. That article says: "Some men do not develop full facial hair for up to 10 years after the completion of puberty." Dbfirs 17:33, 27 May 2013 (UTC)