Learning How to Play the Piano on Your Own

in Music

Learning to play the piano can be a daunting task for many musicians. However, with the rise of digital technology, it is now easier than ever to learn how to play the piano. Many software tools are available that teach students how to play the keyboard interactively.

Get a piano 

First, you need to buy a high-quality piano. You can set a budget before you start to search for the types of pianos available around you.

You can look for your local Piano Store that rents keyboards. Alternatively, you can reach out to your family members or friends in the music genre since they might know someone planning to sell their old instrument. If you do not get a piano, you can look for a keyword. Understandably, most keyboards have lots of features and sound that could improve your music; they never go out of tune and are affordable.

Further, they do not take a lot of space and are easier to move around. Most importantly, they come with videos and books to assist you in learning your musical notation. Therefore, you can begin with a keyword before upgrading to a piano.

Learn the basic piano concepts

Although it might appear obvious, you need to begin with the basics.

You need to acquaint yourself with the piano. You can concentrate on the musical (sound) and physical features of different keys, including the middle keys, bass tones, high tones, flats (left black keys), and sharps (right black keys).

Learn the location of the middle C and be familiar with it. It is a white key at the left of the two black keys near the keyboard’s middle section. That is the most vital key position, and it forms the foundation of piano learning.

Study the primary keys. The black keys are referred to as “accidents” because they produce sharp, flat notes that emanate when one presses them. The white keys are referred to as the “naturals,” including the “C-D-E-F-G-A-B.” An “octave” would consist of five incidentals, either sharps or flats.

You need to understand the music language. You can do that by watching tutorials online.

Familiarize yourself with the primary keys

When learning how to play the piano first, you need to begin by learning the primary keys. For instance, you can educate yourself through the numbering system such as:

  • 1= middle C
  • 2 = D
  • 3 = E
  • 4 = F
  • 5 = G
  • 6 = A
  • 7 = B
  • 8 = higher C

Ensure you concentrate on one major key every week and memorize the notes contained in that key.

Study the basic chords

Even if you cannot read music, you can learn the primary and standard piano chords. In reality, chords comprise different keys, with primary chords using a root, third and fifth key. In contrast, the minor chords use the root, flat third, and fifth key. Most of the pianos have 12 major and minor piano chords. However, since you are learning how to piano yourself, it is advisable to first concentrate on the minor and primary chords. After that, you can learn advanced chords, including diminished, augmented, sixth, and seventh chords.

Learn the music patterns

When teaching yourself a piano, you will realize that music has specific patterns. For instance, some songs have repeating chords. If you manage to identify the patterns in songs, you can easily learn how to play them. In particular, you can learn the baselines and melodies of songs provided you note their patterns. Most importantly, you need to become an active listener when listening to music. You can choose a song you love and attempt to identify various patterns in its melody. After that, you can play those patterns on your piano.

Learn proper finger positioning

You should know the ideal places where to place your fingers. One of the ways you can learn that is by playing scales. It is recommended to first play the primary scales before attempting the minor scales.

The first finger plays on the D key, the second finger plays on the E-flat key, the third finger plays on the F-sharp key, the fourth finger plays on the G-sharp key, fifth finger plays on the A-sharp, sixth finger plays on B-flat key, seventh finger plays on the B-natural key. The thumb should be placed below the left hand to rest against the wrist bone. It should also be straight with your index finger for maximum power, speed, and accuracy.

Practice regularly

It is essential to practice at least 5-10 minutes every day. That will help you build up your skills and increase your motivation levels. Also, find someone who knows how to play well and ask them for advice on what they would do differently if they were learning how to play themselves. Further, you can practice with others. That will help you learn in a social environment and see what mistakes other people make that you might not have noticed before, which can be helpful when it comes to developing your style of playing the piano.

As a beginner, you might have several questions about what you should be doing when learning to play the piano. Luckily this post has everything – from learning how to read music, choosing your instrument, and getting started with learning chords.


Image Credits: Tadas Mikuckis

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