- Jun 9, 2007
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Michael Pinnella once mentioned in an interview that he studied with some Russian lady, but never mentioned her name. If anyone knows this please say.
Michael Pinnella's piano teacher
- Thread starter Lucius Octavion
- Start date
Prismatic Sphere
We Carouse
- Jun 9, 2007
- 528
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Have you already know who is Michael Pinnella's piano teacher is? This was a curiosity question to say the least. I just hoped that things would turn out well when we finally know who that person is.
SymphonyXV
Member
He probably had a number of piano teachers growing up. You can't just start learning piano at say age 15 and then turn out playing like that. The best almost always start out at the same time as they learn to walk and speak.
No offense intended toward Pinnella, but he is NOT among the "best" pianists. Not even close. I'm pretty sure most people could start playing at age 15, and with enough dedication be playing like Pinnella in 8 years. If that.
I can see what Cog is saying. I am not a piano player, but Jordan Rudess, Kevin Codfert (Adagio), and Vitalij Kuprij (my personal favorite) are a few that seem to be a little more technically adept to me. I think Pinnella hangs with the likes of Johannson, Kevin Moore, and Derek Sherinian though. I remember reading a review by an accomplished pianist of Pinnela's solo cd where that person was very impressed by some stuff on there more so than his SyX work, particularly the Scriabin etude. Do you think Pinnella does not let it all out in Symphony X?
If you ask me, the solo with synth and piano madness at the end of Awakenings is quite impressive. Not totally sure if he can properly pull it off live tho.
Isaac_de_Moorea
Silent Member
I´m totally agree with you.
Despite that, I must be honest, My favorites of the pianist/keyboard players you have mentioned are Pinella and Moore
.It´s hard to explain, but their simplistic lines tend to be sometimes more creative, melodic and emotional for my taste.
The work of Rudess, Codfert and Kuprij is just virtuous and insane, (maybe sometimes TOO virtuous and insane to me).
Johannson and Sherinian... don´t care about them too much, as I´m not a fan of Stratovarius or to the DT´s FtI album. Maybe I need to hear them with other band/project/whatever...
I think he did, but he does not anymore...
I really find some key lines in "DWoT", "TiO" (Orion the Hunter!!!
) and "V" quite original, creative and brilliant. Just fantastic to me, those lines made me a huge fan of SX´s and Pinella´s himself. But, since the band has become so guitar-driven, of course, the keyboard have seen its importance, participation, volume and, IMO, quality, decreased.
Even Pinella`s participation in composition was minimal in PL!, and this could explain why the keys sound so different in this times... I haven´t heard Iconoclast yet, and I think none of us has the song´s credits, but I suspect Pinella´s contribution won´t differ too much than in PL.
Althought I can be wrong, and I really want to...
I think his solo album was absolutely great, and if Symphony X gets back a little bit of that (which was present in the past), we will be back again to "V-ish" times...
(Sorry if I´m editing too much, my English is not so good!
)While I agree that Codfert is more technically skilled than Pinnella (Rudess is questionable), nobody mentioned is in the same league as pianists such as John Ogdon, Jonathan Powell, Marc-Andre Hamelin, and Ian Pace.
Prog is King
Member
I have to add Tony MacAlpine to the discussion. Brilliant pianist AND guitar player. One of my favorites.
Neal Morse is also on the list.
Neal Morse is also on the list.
Islandstone
Member
SymphonyXV
Member
This is exactly what I mean. The best of the best usually (keyword: usually) start at an extremely young age. I started playing keyboard when I was 10 and over 8 years have gone by and I still could never play say Tarkus or The Odyssey. Piano teachers can help you along (I've gone through a lot of them), but at the end of the day, it's in their best interest to make a profit. Most will hold you back from advancing simply so that you never part ways. They don't ever want you to feel that you can go on without them.
Really? I always found Glass's work quite repetitive and heavily tonal. Not much skill required to play them imo. Yea Glass is a musical genius, but I suggest you check out Michael Finnissy or even Ursula Oppens if you want more virtuosity.
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