Do you want to learn how to play the piano but don’t know where to start? Do you always see people playing the piano on TV, and wish that you knew how to play it yourself? If so, then you are not alone. It is very common for many people who hear the sound of a piano to want to learn how to play it for themselves. While it may seem like a very difficult and long process, it’s one of the easiest instruments to learn, and there are some tips that you can follow in order to quickly and effectively learn how to play the piano.
1. Get Inspired
There’s no going around learning scales and chords. However, if you’re just getting started, you might find that going with the classical beginners’ compositions isn’t all that fun after a certain age. As Steve Nixon, who is a professional jazz and blues piano player, explains on Steve’s jazz website, a lot of people are interested in incorporating techniques of these music genres into their playing to make it more enjoyable. If Beethoven simply isn’t your cup of tea, it’s probably not the best idea to put all of your efforts into learning his pieces. You can still learn Beethoven, but you should do it alongside some other composers’ works.
There are many famous more modern pieces that will help you get started. If you’re feeling inspired by other people’s work, then odds are that you’ll be able to learn how to play their compositions as well. Once you start learning, you’ll realize that there’s a whole world of music knowledge out there.
2. Learn To Read Music
This is an essential skill if you want to play the piano. As a matter a fact, whether you always wanted to learn how to play, or just thought it would be a cool thing to try out, learning how to read music is crucial for any instrument. It’s similar to learning your letters so you can write.
You can learn how to sight-read in a couple of days and it will definitely help you down the line. It not only helps with reading notes but also learning new songs and playing in key signatures. A good way to go about this is to write out the notes in words on your music sheet, which can be done in very little time. Then practice playing while reading the sheet.
If you’re struggling with connecting the notes with the keys you’re pressing, consider writing on the keys themselves as well. So simply take a graphite pencil and write down which note each key represents, and have at it. Keep in mind that while playing faster can sound good, it’s important to go slow when you’re practicing. That way you’ll be able to see where you have room for improvement, and how to have better control of your fingers.
3. Get Familiar With Music Theory
It may sound boring, but learning music theory is important. If you want to figure out why certain things sound right, or if you want to be able to improvise after you get the basic skills under your belt, it’s important to get familiar with the basics of music theory. It will help you understand why certain chords sound off, or even how to better utilize your voice range if that’s what you’re looking for. Understanding the basics is also important because it gives you more control over your playing abilities, so it’s definitely something worth incorporating into your learning process sooner than later.
Musical theory is similar to math in many ways. It’s based on logic, and every new component leans into what you’ve already learned. That means you can’t really jump to learning about harmony before you understood the principles and rules behind notes, scales, pitch, or any other basic component of musical theory. So take your time with these fundamental components, and once you start to see how everything comes together, you’ll be able to greatly improve your playing skills.
4. Practice
As with any other skill that you’ve worked hard for in life, practice is crucial when learning how to play the piano. In order to do it properly, one thing that helps a lot is using a metronome in order to make sure you’re keeping with the rhythm. This tool will help you improve your skills by enabling you to understand the time signatures and speeds of certain pieces better.
Once you have this down, it’s time to start practicing things over and over again until they become second nature. For example, you can start by playing simple scales and walking down them in order to keep your bearings. You can then try moving up and down or side to side across the keyboard, but always staying within the scale. It would be a good idea to practice for at least an hour daily. However, if you’re not aiming to become a professional, however much time you can spare is fine.
If you’re worried about disturbing the neighbors and don’t want to spend money on a silent piano just yet, you can always just draw the keyboard on a table. That way, you won’t have any noise complaints, you can practice at any time, and you might find that – since there isn’t any music – you have a greater focus which can help you develop better control of your fingers while you play.
5. Get Lessons
Whether you’re looking for free lessons online, or you prefer a real-life one-on-one approach, having some sort of guidance can make a huge difference when learning how to play the piano. That’s because you’ll have someone who can point out your mistakes without making you feel embarrassed about them, plus they can help you get more familiar with the different techniques that go into playing this wonderful instrument.
In order to find an effective teacher, try looking for one that comes highly recommended by other students, and preferably one that plays professionally apart from teaching. This can be a great opportunity if you want to improve your skills and perhaps even start playing for other people as well. The right teacher is out there for you, and you’ll know it when you go on a trial lesson.
Learning to play the piano can be a lot of fun, but it’s crucial to make use of the above tips if you want to get better at it. Think of them as guidelines – there is no perfect way to learn how to play an instrument, but they’ll help you bring your playing skills up a notch and take some frustration out of the mix as well. As you start your journey into the world of music, you’ll be able to better appreciate the beauty of this art, and you’ll understand how it can be applied to every aspect of your life. Good luck!