I play piano but I don't know if I should mention that to a girl that I am on a date with. On one hand I would like a girl who likes that I play piano and maybe even classical music but on the other hand maybe it's better to let it come up naturally. Like if a girl comes over to my place she will discover the piano and then based on her reaction I will know if she is the right one for me.
What's the better strategy here? Mention it on the date or let it come up naturally?

>>33353619 (OP)
Nothing wrong with mentioning it, makes you look more interesting. Look at it this way:

1) You mention piano on the date. She will either find it interesting, not care, or find it bad (almost 0% chance unless her exes were all evil piano players or some shit). This will most likely give you a leg up.

2) You don't mention it. You might miss out because it could have tipped you over from a maybe to a yes. You might not get to wow her when you take her home. Or maybe she finds it bad when she comes to your place and leaves anyways, wasting your time.

I would mention it, positives outweigh the negatives. Good luck on your date.

>>33353630
I feel like there is a big risk with mentioning it on the date because if she only gives me a chance because I mentioned that I play piano then does she actually like me for my personality or just likes the piano?
I would like to find a girl who likes me for me.

>>33353651
But playing piano shows that you are someone who enjoys it. You ARE your actions, and playing piano is one of them.

I know your mentioned the whole "loves me for me" thing but playing piano IS you. It shows that you are disciplined enough to practice an instrument, curious about music, and enjoy piano.

If you are scared of someone who only likes the idea of a piano player, then just show other parts of yourself.

Imagine if someone did not shower or work or whatever. That would show that they are someone who is incapable of functioning, and I don't know about you but that is not attractive. Their lack of action IS them. Once it goes on for long enough it stops being a temporary thing and becomes a part of them. It could be depression or just laziness, but either way that IS them past a certain point, and that IS NOT attractive.

>>33353619 (OP)
I won't read threads that treat dating like a military campaign, conspiracy theory or detective story.

>>33353651
>does she actually like me for my personality or just likes the piano?
The piano IS part of your personality, retard.

>>33353713
>>33353798
How does it even come up on a date? Like do girls straight up ask if you have any hobbies or interests? I don't want to mention it out of the blue that seems pretentious.

>>33353619 (OP)
God you people are so stupid. Just be natural. Don’t fucking brag about shit. Chicks don’t like it. They don’t like insecurity. Chad with no achievements and no personality besides drinking doesn’t brag.

>>33353908
Just ask if she plays any instruments or is into music (classical or other). If music is important to you then you would probably want to ask. She may or may not ask, but you should ask what she is into regardless if you play piano.

>>33353918
I am actually trying to avoid coming off as pretentious or arrogant, hence why I asked the question whether it's better to NOT tell that I play piano.

>>33353946
this

>>33353998
I feel like you are overthinking it. There is literally nothing wrong with piano. You care a lot about it, so if she finds it bad it's better you find out early since it clearly means a lot to you (not that it is a bad thing, learning an instrument is good and music is cool, you just would be better off not being paired up with someone who hates music or whatever).

>>33354033
Okay thanks. I am just really worried. There are 2 things I can never really give up because I am passionate about them and that is sports and playing piano. But I have read so much here about how a girlfriend can nag you all day and force you to give up your hobbies.

>>33354102
If she is like that then do not be with her. Find someone who likes these aspects about you. Obviously yes you have to spend time with your gf, but no sane person is going to find either of those things a negative. That is another reason to bring it up, because you DO NOT want to end up with someone who is going to make you stop doing those things.

maybe if you're good at it... kind of embarrassing when people say "X is my passion!" but they are terrible. same goes for any other art of craft. inspires pity instead of fascination/interest. there are a lot of people out there whose parents forced them to take piano lessons, marching band, etc. it's one of the most common hobbies so both the skill ceiling and skill floor are high. you could meet some vapid middle class girl and there's a pretty high chance she can play beethoven.

>>33357536
Yeah, you are right, I have been playing just a bit over a year, so I am still terrible at it. I have weekly lessons but that doesn't matter.
I would rather be completely silent about me playing piano because the biggest risk is if a girl wants me to play her something and I just have to disappoint her with some easy Mozart or Bach minuet.

>>33353619 (OP)
As a fellow musician (guitar, piano, vocals), I prefer to never bring it up unprompted, for multiple reasons.
>The best way for anyone to discover is by actually hearing you play without you ever mentioning it. Makes you appear more interesting, like there's so much to you that you don't even consider yourself as that guy who plays piano really well.
>If I bring it up too early, it sounds like I'm too eager to impress.
>Most importantly, I actually don't really like talking about it, unless the other person is roughly on my level or above so I can maybe learn something from them. I get no joy from a conversation where I'm just talking over someone's head about esoteric musical terms. If I ever talk about how great Bach or Mozart are, I communicate strictly by metaphor, not terminology. I'm currently talking a lot recently to a girl who knows next to nothing about classical music, but knows a ton about philosophy and science, so I generally stick to something we have common ground on. Have eclectic interests, be well-rounded.

On that note, how good are you, OP? I'm currently working on Bach's A minor fugue from book 1 of WTC, and it's been kicking my ass for two months, but it's finally starting to come together. Working on some early Mozart and Beethoven sonatas too, but Bach has just been devouring most of my practice sessions recently. That fugue is HUGE.

>>33357795
Also, one more point:
>I don't want to set the expectations too high, nor be known as "that piano guy", even though I'm actually really good.

>>33353619 (OP)
Wait until they discover it. I never tell anyone I play music but when they see my room full of gear they're always interested/excited.

>>33357820
Do they ever ask you to play something then? I don't ever want to play something to a girl until I am able to play Chopin Nocturnes or a Beethoven sonata, which means another 5-10 years of practice for me.

>>33357795
>how good are you, OP
I am a 1 year beginner. My best piece right now is Solfeggio by C.P.E. Bach and the prelude in c major by J.S. Bach.
I have a teacher which basically trains me classically, so I gotta go through all the beginner repertoire. Honestly, Mozart und Beethoven sonatas are probably 3+ years away.
Teacher said that if I practice hard we can start Für Elise at the end of the year at least.

>>33357839
Not usually, but with a piano I could see that happening. Just learn some romantic jazz shit or play a song she likes but slowed down and sexier and make her lay on the piano.

the general rule for bringing stuff up on dates:
will it take time away from her?
will it start a fight later?

>>33357861
prelude in c major is the notorious
>makes you sound good but anyone who knows anything about piano knows it's easy
piece

>>33357861
Wonderful, you're actually doing it the smart way. I was concerned you were one of those who attempted to brute-force Fantasie-Impromptu after two weeks of memorizing River Flows In You from synthesia videos before sustaining an injury, but you actually are a serious piano student. Congrats, WTC prelude no. 1 and Solfeggio are wonderful landmarks to reach after one year. I attempted to perform both last year in a formal setting, and kinda botched both, since performing in front of an audience is way harder than just playing at home.

When you get comfortable with intermediate repertoire, my personal recommendation is to spend a lot of time on Mozart's sonatas because:
>easy to learn, hard to master
>harmonically straight-forward, but still masterpieces
>they feature a wide variety of different technical requirements and will bullet-proof your technique
>the music is so perfect and transparent that every minor imperfection in your technique is exposed sticks out like a sore thumb, leading to further refinement of technique
>long, unbroken, beautiful, singing melodies that will force you to play with immaculate phrasing and dynamics, developing a singing tone to your playing

His easiest sonatas to get started with are
>no. 4 in Eb
>no. 5 in G
>no. 7 in C (this one is particularly amazing)
>no. 16 in C (the famous sonata facile)
>no 17 in Bb

Most students spend far too little time with Mozart, when he is perhaps the most useful for overall development, except for maybe Bach.

>>33358519
Sure, it's the definitely easiest WTC piece to get started with by simply playing the notes, but to play beautifully with great dynamics, voicing and pedaling is not something just anyone can do instantly.