Hey, I’m Alex
November 14th, 2019. My 23rd birthday. I’m standing in some guy’s garage in Burbank, handing over $147 cash for a Yamaha keyboard with a sticky D key that smells faintly like cat. The sustain pedal is held together with electrical tape. Happy birthday to me.
That was the start. No teacher. No musical background. No idea what I was doing. Just a stubborn desire to finally learn this thing I’d wanted to do since I was a kid.
I made every mistake possible. Ignored my left hand for months. Avoided theory because it seemed boring. Practiced without a metronome. Tried to learn songs way above my level. Hit plateaus that made me want to quit.
But I kept showing up. Ten minutes a day, even when I didn’t want to. And somewhere around month four, something clicked. I played “Lean on Me” all the way through, both hands, no mistakes. 11pm on a random Tuesday. I just sat there staring at my hands.
That feeling – the “wait, I did that?” moment – is why I kept going. Still chase it every time I nail a new piece.
A few years later, I can actually play. Not concert-level. Not even close. But real music. Songs people recognize. Stuff I’m genuinely proud of. If you’d told garage-sale-keyboard me that I’d get here, I wouldn’t have believed it.
Why This Site Exists
When I was starting out, I couldn’t find honest information. Everything was either too basic (“this is middle C!”) or too advanced (music school theory). Nobody was talking about the messy middle – the plateaus, the frustration, the practical stuff that actually matters.
So I started documenting my journey. What worked. What didn’t. The mistakes I made so you don’t have to.
This isn’t a course or a program. It’s just me sharing what I’ve learned. The guides I wish existed when I started.
What I’m Not
I’m not a professional pianist. Not a music teacher. Not classically trained. I’m a regular person who learned piano as an adult and wants to help others do the same.
If you want advanced technique or conservatory-level instruction, that’s not me. But if you’re a beginner or intermediate player trying to figure this out on your own, I’ve been exactly where you are.
Get in Touch
Questions? Suggestions? Just want to say hi? Contact me here.
If you’re just starting, check out my complete beginner’s guide or the Start Here page.