Playing the piano is a popular pastime for all ages. With practice, you can produce a beautiful tune, go on to play in an orchestra, or even teach. But that’s not all; this skill is proven to heighten hand-eye coordination, fine-tune fine motor skills, and promote the human growth hormone, which can lessen the adverse effects of aging.
Although this musical instrument requires time and dedication to perfect, it mustn’t be intimidating. Provided you have the motivation to learn, you’re well on your way to becoming a pro.
From embracing music notes to understanding the keys and where to place your fingers to learn how to play a song, there are several steps to learning to play this musical instrument.
To assist you in this journey, we’ve created a handy guide featuring five essential tips for beginners looking to master the piano.
Learning Music Notes
The first stage of learning how to play piano involves learning musical notes. A handy tip when trying to do this is to remember A, B, C, D, E, F, G, or the first seven letters of the alphabet. Doing so will assist you in embracing the rise and fall of the notes and how they sound when played out loud.
Becoming a talented musician begins with learning how to read music and listening to how each note sounds. The most effective way to remember how these notes sound involves singing the infamous Do-Re-Mi-Fa-So-La-Ti-Do from The Sound of Music like this.
The easiest way to embrace the piano is by consistently practicing for a short period every day. When starting, begin by learning small groups of scales and notes. Moving your fingers to the right, then backing down the keys to the left, and singing the do re mi melody will help you grasp the basics.
Another tip is to learn the note C. This is the first white key and always sits to the left of two black keys. Black keys feature half steps between notes. White piano keys boast a full step between notes.
Half a step up denotes a sharp #. Half a step down is a flat♭. This same rule applies to various musical instruments.
Once you have mastered the C scale, you can move on to the next step.
Learning the Piano Keys
The piano boasts an impressive 88 keys, which makes it an extremely versatile instrument. You can play almost any song and any genre on this device.
When learning to play the piano on your own, one of the most basic lessons involves learning piano keys. It’s good to recall the Do-Re-Mi-Fa-So-La-Ti-Do melody when learning this step. As a beginner, you must place your thumb on C and your pinky finger on the eighth note (“C”).
Once you have mastered this step, repeat the same procedure with other scales. Using both flat and sharp notes.
Embracing Note Lengths
The piano is renowned for being able to produce numerous sounds. It is easy to produce a diverse range of sounds due to the length of each note. This is when your math and creative juices should start flowing, as the piano boasts equal elements of both.
A good place to start involves learning the difference between an eighth note, a whole, half, and a quarter note. As an example, a whole note boasts four beats, often nicknamed a full bar.
A half, as you would expect, is a whole note halved or two beats. A quarter note is half a half or a quarter a whole note.
Finally, an eighth note is 1/8 of a whole note.
When learning to play this instrument, always factor in the beat. Why? This will assist you greatly when reading music and will dictate when you play each note, how long for, and when to rest in between. Rests are as important as the notes and can make all the difference to the song.
If you can read music, you’ll find learning how to play the piano much easier. Even learning to read the notes for ten minutes per day will help. This could be before bed, on your morning commute, or between studies. For best results, visualize the piano keys when reading the notes.
Hot Cross Buns
One of the most prevalent tunes for beginners? Hot Cross Buns. Although a simple song, it will help you to get a feel for the piano, where the keys sit, note length, and how to string a tune together.
Playing this song on repeat is a great way to ingrain these notes into your brain. Once you have the basics perfected, everything else will follow suit naturally.
Other easy-to-learn songs include Old McDonald Had a Farm, Itsy Bitsy Spider, and Jingle Bells.
Practice Makes Perfect!
As with almost everything, practice makes perfect! Once you have mastered hot cross buns, the C Scale, and everything else, you can start playing the songs you love.
Even if you don’t own a physical piano, you can invest in a smaller keyboard or download an app on your tablet or smartphone. Having a real piano and the apps will allow you to practice wherever possible.
The Bottom Line
We seldom go a day without listening to music. From turning on the radio to watching a commercial with a catchy theme tune to passing a busker in the street. So why not learn to play your instrument? The piano is a great option and one adored by many. When you put it to practice, it’s an instrument that can be mastered in a handful of steps over time.
Aside from being an instrument, which with practice can create exquisite melodies, playing the piano is proven to lower cortisol levels and decrease anxiety. Even if you only dedicate 20 minutes to this instrument daily, it’s a pastime worth picking up.