Introduction
Knowing
how to play a piano is an exciting talent to develop. If you are a jazz
enthusiast, you may have listened to piano music from great artists like Count
Basie or Duke Ellington or you might like modern jazz piano players better and
there are many who have won the hearts of audiences everywhere. One piano
player who crosses many genres is Jim Brickman, who often plays his own
compositions, and whose music is played on pop, inspirational, and new age
stations.
You
may however be more interested in the rock keyboard players, such as Rick
Wakeman of Yes, Tony Banks of Genesis, Dennis De Young of Styx, and David
Sancious who played for Springsteen, Santana, and Sting or rock piano players
such as Elton John, Billy Joel, Carole King, Paul McCartney and Carly Simon.
Even if you have
never liked classical music before, you might begin to enjoy it once you have
started to play the piano as it presents a challenge and is very satisfying to
master. Some of the classical greats are Mozart, Bach, Beethoven, Mendelssohn,
Schubert and Brahms. Once you hear these great musical works of art, you will
most probably, like many people, want to emulate them. You may learn well
enough to play for a band or as a solo act if you are dedicated enough and you
can certainly learn to play the piano well enough to entertain yourself, your
friends and your family.
There
are other benefits to playing the piano as well and one is relaxation. When you
feel upset, it is very therapeutic to play the piano or if you are angry,
playing the piano can release your frustrations. Your playing will soothe your
nerves if you are anxious and if you are feeling down, you can start with slow
songs and build up to more up-tempo, happier-sounding songs which will often
lift your sad mood.
If
you do end up playing professionally, you can gain a source of income from your
piano playing. Some piano players earn very little – just some tips from a jar
but other piano players can earn fantastic amounts of money if they are
talented enough and lucky enough. Another reason to learn to play the piano is
to develop discipline. If you are someone who starts and stops activities
without giving them a fair shot, you might have better luck with the piano as
it gives rewards at every level, keeping you motivated to stay at it and work
harder.
Familiarize Yourself
Before
you begin to play the piano, you need to become familiar with what the
instrument is. Some pianos are upright pianos, which are usually large, heavy,
tall vertical boxes. These are anywhere from 36 to 51 inches tall. Spinets are
the shortest upright pianos, at 36 to 39 inches. A studio vertical is 44 inches
or taller.
If
you have the opportunity to play on a grand piano, you will usually get a
better sound and a more responsive touch. Grand pianos are the more horizontal
pianos, ranging from 5 to 9 feet in length, with horizontal strings as opposed
to vertical strings found in a vertical piano.
The
piano will have a music rack of some kind which will either fold down or slide
into a slot and where you can place your sheet music. There should also be a
bench for you to sit on and which you can adjust so that you can reach all of
the keys from one end of the keyboard to the other. Do not sit either too far
or too close. There will also be pedals at the bottom of the piano where your
feet are. These need not be used by beginners, however, once you become more
proficient at playing the piano, you can learn how to use these pedals to
sustain sounds or even cut them short.
The
part of the piano that will be most important to your learning is the keyboard.
It is made up of white and black keys which run from the left to the right of
the piano face. If you look closely, you will see that the black and white keys
form a pattern that repeat from one end of the keyboard to the other. The
pattern consists of 7 white keys and 5 black keys in a particular order. From
the beginning of one such set of keys and ending on the beginning of the next
set, an interval is formed. Intervals are just the musical distances between
two sounds and this particular interval is called an octave. The keys are lined
up on the keyboard in order from the lowest on the left to the highest on the
right. Starting at the left and moving to the right, each black or white key is
a half step higher in pitch than the key before it. For a full step, it is
necessary to go up (or down) two half steps. Try some half steps and some full
steps. With a little practice, you should be able to learn the sound of those
intervals easily. Try other intervals to hear their sounds. Always pay
attention to how many half or full steps you are taking. Do the same intervals
at several different places along the keyboard.
You can try octaves by picking
out a key and playing the next key up that is in the same position in the next
pattern group. Soon, you will be playing octaves with ease. This is very
important to all kinds of piano playing.
The Home Keys and A to G
The middle C, where
you will put your thumbs, is marked with a C. The keys with numbers under them
are where you put your fingers. The twos are for the index fingers of your left
and right hand, the threes are for your middle fingers, the fours are for your
ring fingers, and the fives are for your little fingers.
In
the beginning, you should always take a long look at the keyboard when you sit
down to play. Once you can recognize the home keys, you can begin any song from
that reference point. When you have learned more, you will take one glance at
middle C and know exactly where to put your fingers no matter where they should
go up or down the keyboard. Next you need to learn the names of the keys, A
through G. You know where middle C is now. Start two white keys below that and
you will be at A. Each white key up, or to the right, goes up a letter in the
alphabet until you come to G. Then, it starts over at A. Therefore, the middle
finger of your left hand is resting on the A in the Home Keys position. As you
go to the right, you will reach G by the time you get to the little finger of
your right hand.
So,
what are the black keys for? They are just as important. They represent the
sharps or flats. Interestingly enough, the same key can be either a sharp or a
flat. When you go up from a white key, the black key is a sharp, and when you
go down from a white key, the black key is a flat.
To try an example,
go again to middle C. Go up to the black key to the right of middle C. This is
C sharp. Now, move one white key up, to the index finger of your right hand.
This is a D. Go to the black key to the left of D. This is D flat. Amazing,
isn’t it? C sharp and D flat are both represented by the same key on the piano.
Explanation of Scales
A scale goes from
one key to the key that is an octave above that key and consists of eight
tones. There are different types of scales, some of which are major scales and
some of them are minor scales. Major scales have been described as sounding
happy, while minor scales are said to sound sad or gloomy. If you spend a part
of your practice time playing scales, you build muscle memory in your hands.
This means that, after much time practicing, your hands go more easily to notes
in the scale you are playing at any given time. You only have to see the
printed music or think of the melody and your hands know what to do. To talk
about scales, you must talk about keys.
There
are two kinds of keys when you are learning to play the piano – the physical
blocks of ivory, or some look-alike material, and wood. There are also keys
that scales or songs are played in. Have you ever been to a lounge where a
singer is giving an impromptu performance? She might lean down to the pianist
and say something like, “In the key of C.” That tells the pianist where on the
keyboard to begin. It also tells the pianist what physical keys to start with
and what chords to use. The key of a piece of music is very important.
When
you are learning scales, you can do it without learning all the key signatures
such as the written notation of the keys, i.e. the key of C or the key of G.
You can begin by playing a C scale. A major C scale is all done on the white
keys by beginning with your right hand in the Home Keys position. Remember that
your fingers are numbered 1-5, with the thumb being 1. Play 1-2-3 as usual.
This is C-D-E on the keyboard. Then, instead of playing the next note with your
ring finger, slip your thumb under the fingers and play F with your thumb.
Reposition your hand so that your thumb is 1 on F and your pinkie is 5 on the C
above middle C. Then, continue to play up the scale. So, you are playing
1-2-3-1-2-3-4-5, or C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C. You have just played your first scale.
Practice it a few times.
To
play a C scale with your left hand, put your little finger on the C below
middle C. Position your fingers from 1-5 coming up the keyboard from each key
to the next. Play 5-4-3-2-1. Then, reach over the top with your middle finger
and place it on the next key. Play 3-2-1 from this position. Therefore, you are
playing 5-4-3-2-1-3-2-1, or C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C. After you practice this for
awhile, try to put the left hand and the right hand together. Play the C below
middle C with your left pinkie at the same time as you play the middle C with
your left thumb. Continue up the scale with both hands. It can be a little
tricky at first because you are going over with your middle finger of your left
hand and under with the thumb of the right hand at different times.
Practice awhile and it will
come naturally. Once you get the basic procedure down, it is easy to play other
major scales. The only thing you have to remember is the sequence of steps and
half steps in a major scale. The correct order up a major scale is: beginning
note -step-step-half step-step-step-step-half step. You should be aware that,
since there are no black keys between them, the intervals from B-C and from E-F
are each half steps.
Reading Music: Introduction
With a little
success under your belt, you can begin to tackle the job of learning to read
music. Of course, many musicians do not know how to read music, they just hear
a song and play it, as they say, by ear. These musicians can improvise on any
simple themes and come up with elaborate renditions of popular songs. These
players know their instruments as well as singers know their own voices. You
may be someone who can do that and there will be some information later on
about chords and improvisation. However, if you are a beginner just finding out
about the piano, it is more likely that you need the help that written music
can provide you.
Furthermore, learning to read
written music can open up a whole new world to you as you can learn songs that
you have never even heard before. If you want to repeat the performance, you
will have the sheet music to guide you note for note.
There
is much to learn as you must find out about the way the notes are depicted and
what the staffs that they are shown on look like. You will learn how rhythm is
represented and how sharps and flats are shown. These are the basics, and you
can build on this knowledge over time. You can learn quite a lot just by
looking at one piece of music.
If
you have some sheet music, a hymnal, or a songbook, take it out and look at it.
If you do not already have some written music, buy some or borrow a songbook
from the library. You will notice that there are groups of five horizontal
lines. If the music is for both hands, it will have two of these groups of
lines connected together by a longer line along the side. The horizontal lines
are called the staff. You can get staff paper that is already marked with these
lines.
The Lines and the Spaces
Some people
remember this with little sayings, like “Every Good Boy Drinks Fizz.” There are
memory tricks for all the lines and spaces on both staffs. For the spaces of
the treble clef, you will notice that the letters of the notes spell F-A -C-E.
Now, you can relate the notes on the page to the keys on the keyboard. Remember
where the middle C is? The C on the left of the diagram above depicts middle C.
The middle C is shown on an added line below the treble clef or above the bass
clef. Using middle C as a reference point and your new knowledge of the letters
that go with the notes, try to look at each note and then play the key it
refers to.
On this diagram, the middle C is shown on the far right, which would be the end of this short piece of music. The lines of the bass clef are G-B-D -F-A. Many people turn the treble clef saying around and use the saying “Good Boys Drink Fizz Always.” The spaces are A-C-E-G. One popular mnemonic device for this is, “All Cows Eat Grass.” Feel free to make up anything that will help you to remember. Write your sayings down and memorize them.
Another thing to
learn is the notation for sharps and flats. This is the sign for a sharp: #
otherwise known as the hash key on a telephone key pad. It is placed to the
left of the note. The flat is a totally different sign. It looks something like
a small letter b that has been squeezed until the circle looks almost like a
half of a heart shape. It is also put on the left side of a note. Look through
your printed music for any sharps and flats you might recognize. Do not worry
about the rhythm at this point. Take your written music and play as many notes
as you can from it. Say the note names as you play at first as this will get
you in the habit of thinking about the written note as a musical sound with a
letter name. Associating the three aspects of a note together will help you
become more proficient at reading music.
Buy
some staff paper or make your own. You can make staff paper by drawing five
straight horizontal lines across the page, leaving a space, and then drawing
five more horizontal lines. Now you can draw some notes to play simple strings
of notes. Draw a note by making a filled in circle either on a line or in a
space. Then, draw a line up from it on the right. Make notes on different lines
and in different spaces. Set aside your pencil and try playing your notes. You
should be able to look at the note you have drawn and think of the letter name
and the physical piano key it belongs to. Pretty soon, you will be playing all
the notes you can write. If it comes naturally to you, you might start coming
up with music you enjoy listening to as you write your notes.
Written Piano Music and Rhythm
Rhythm
is something that can be improvised or changed easily if you know the piano
well. Think about singing - you can sing by holding some notes longer and
cutting other notes shorter. If you want to learn a song that you do not know,
written music can be used to help you understand the rhythm. Also, if you want
to play in an ensemble that is playing from sheet music, you will stay in time
with them better if you play this way.
The
first thing you need to learn about rhythm is the time signatures. The time
signature is written to the right of the treble and bass clefs on the first
line of a piece of music. If the time signature changes within the piece, a
different set of numbers is written at the point where the change is about to
take place. A time signature is two numbers, one over the other. The top number
tells you how many beats there are to a measure. A measure is a unit of the
musical piece that is marked off by a vertical line through the staff. There should
be identical vertical lines through the treble and bass staffs at various
points. Try to find them on your music. The bottom number tells you what kind
of note makes one beat. Therefore, a 3/4 time signature would mean that there
are three notes to a measure and these notes are quarter notes.
As
you become more familiar with piano rhythms, you will see that the time
signatures are more of a suggestion than an order to stamp your foot and play a
quarter note with each beat. However, to begin it is easier if you do tap your
foot and play one beat per every note of the type listed in the bottom of the
time signature.
Notes
have different values based upon how they are written. A whole note is the
basis of the rhythm. A measure can consist of a whole note and nothing more. In
4/4 time, a whole note is worth 4 beats. This makes sense when you consider
that a quarter note is worth 1 beat. Four quarter notes would make one measure,
four fourths equals a whole.
Music
rhythm is very similar to math. In fact, it has been shown in studies that
babies who are exposed to hearing music with complex rhythms are better at
complex math later in life. To begin though, you only need to know a few simple
equations. If a whole note is worth 4 quarter notes, it can be worth two half
notes as well.
A
measure can also be divided up into eight notes. A whole note, two half notes,
or four quarter notes are worth eight eighth notes. When you add a dot to a
note, it adds half again to that note. So, a dotted half note would be worth
three beats, or the duration of three quarter notes. The whole note is a simple
circle with an open center. The half note is the same, but it has a line coming
up from the side of it, making it look different. The quarter note is like the
half note, except that the center of the circle is filled in. An eighth note
has a small flag on the line coming up from the note. It can look like this if
it is alone: ♪. Or it can look like this if it is with another eighth note: ♫.
you pick your foot up. Try clapping out rhythms of any sheet music you can get your hands on. Often there will be more than one simple line of music, so you must choose to ignore all but one line to begin, clapping out one note at a time.
When you are good
at clapping out rhythms, go on to playing notes in rhythm. If you cannot find
music that is simple enough for you to understand, make up some of your own.
Use the staff paper you have purchased or made, make a 4/4 time signature and
write some measures, making sure you always put in notes that add up to 4
beats, or one whole note. You can also use rests, which are notations denoting
a pause where nothing is played at all on that clef.
Keys and Key Signatures
It is difficult to
talk about keys without some confusion because the physical blocks you strike
on the piano are called keys. At the same time, it is also necessary to talk
about the theoretical keys music is written and played in. For the purposes of
this chapter, keys will refer to theoretical keys and not the physical
ebony/ivory piano keys.
Remember
the talk about the lounge singer choosing a key in which to sing? Also remember
that keys can be major or minor – happy- sounding or gloomy-sounding. There are
many factors that determine what makes up the key of the music and they involve
theory that is too complex for most beginners. However, you can learn the key
signatures that show what the key usually is. The key signature is a grouping
of sharps or flats on the staff at the beginning of a piece of music. There
might be no sharps or flats, and if it is a major key, then it is the key of C
major. For the purposes of beginning key signature theory, it is best to begin
with major keys.
The important thing
to learn is what notes to make sharp or flat when you are playing. Write on a
sheet of paper: F -C-G-D-A-E-B. Now draw a box around the G. This is a way to
remember the sharps and the major sharp keys. One of the sharp keys is G which
has one sharp being F. Another sharp key is D, which has two sharps – F and C.
In other words, you start with the box to learn the name of the major key,
then, you count the letters starting with G. The key will have that many sharps
in it, and they will start with F. For the flats, write down: B-E-A-D -G-C-F.
This time draw your box around the F. Therefore, the key of F has one flat,
which is a B flat. Then, you go back to the beginning for the next one. The key
of B flat has two flats, which are B flat and E flat.
Before
you begin to play a piece, look for the key signature on the left-hand side of
the staff after the clef sign. It will simply show sharp signs on each line or
space that corresponds with the notes that should be raised one half step, or
it will show flat symbols on each line or space that matches the notes that are
to be lowered one half step.
One
thing to remember is that, ordinarily, the sharps or flats in the key signature
are carried throughout the piece. This means that, for the key of F, every time
you see a B on the staff, you play a B flat, for example. The flat or sharp
signs will not be written beside those notes as long as the key signature is in
place. The key signature can change during the piece at any point. If it does,
there will be a new clef sign and a new key signature marked on the staff at
that point. Another time you might play something different is if you have an
‘accidental’. An ‘accidental’ is a note that is not ordinarily in the key. A
sharp or flat sign will be written by it to tell you what to do.
Get It Together with Chords
If you have sheet music or
songbooks to play from, they will likely have chords to play. There are
hundreds of possible chords in piano music. There are major and minor chords,
diminished chords, inverted chords, augmented chords and more. Just because
there are so many chords to learn, it does not mean you cannot get started on
them right away. The easiest place to begin is with the major chords.
To think about
chords, you can start by thinking of the scales. You have played a C scale,
which has all its notes on white piano keys. You can start with a C major
chord. Remember that the scale went up: beginning note- step-step-half
step-step- step-step-half step. A chord can have more than three notes in it,
but you are going to choose the beginning note, the third note, and the fifth
note. Therefore, you will be playing the beginning note, skip a step, play the
next step, skip a half step, and play the next step – one, three, five. If you
will look back at Figure A, you can use the Home Keys position for a C major
chord. Just put your right thumb on C, your middle finger on 3 which is E, and
your pinkie on 5 which is G. Push down all of the keys together. You have just
played a C major chord!
You
can invert the C major chord for a slightly different sound. All you have to do
is to use the same three notes – C, E, G and play them in different positions.
For example, you can play the E and G in the positions they are on in the home
keys but use the C above middle C with them instead of middle C. Try this and
make up any variation of the C, E, G combination you can. You can make chords
from any scale. Just remember the sequence of the scale and choose the first,
third, and fifth tone in that scale.
There
are two other major chords that can be played all on the white keys. They are
the F major chord and the G major chord. Now try these chords. Use the
one-three-five sequence to make up each chord. If you analyze the D, E, and A
chords, you will see that their simple major chords are not much more
difficult. You just have to put the middle finger on the black key for the
third tone in the scale. Remember that D flat is the same as C sharp, and so
on. This gives you several more chords to choose.
The
next three basic major chords are the opposite of the previous three. The D
flat, E flat and A flat chords are such that you put your fingers on the black
keys for the one and five positions and on a white key for the third position.
When you invert the chord, you will have to remember which keys were originally
one, three and five, just as always. It is easy to remember that the G flat,
also called the F sharp chord occurs all on the black keys.
You
will have to work to memorize the B major chord and the B flat major chord, as
they are a little different. B goes white for one, black for three and five. B
flat is just the opposite, with black for one, and white for three and five.
Therefore, you would have the beginning
note-step-half step-step-step for the first five notes. You can continue to
learn different chords for a long time before you will have mastered them all.
The Big Fake and Improvisation
It
is nice when you are able to set the music aside and play any music that you
like however, it may be difficult to find the sheet music for every song you
enjoy. There are two ways to overcome this predicament. One is to use a Fake
Book, and the other is to learn improvisation techniques. You can get Fake
Books at music stores or by ordering them online. You can also get a version of
the same concept when you come across a simple notation of a song.
A
Fake Book has only two things to guide you. First, you will get a melody line
in the treble clef. This will usually only show one note at a time – no chords –
and it will be a simplified version of the song. The second thing you will get
with this simple music is a letter above the staff. The letter signifies the
chord you are to play in the bass clef and possibly add to the treble clef if
you are skilled enough. There will be a letter above the staff each time the
chord changes.
By
learning the chords, you are preparing yourself nicely to be able to use a Fake
Book with ease. You can use the straight chords or invert them or you can play
them as running chords where you play each note separately in succession. You
can come up with any rhythm you choose for the bass clef. Using a Fake Book is
a somewhat creative endeavor. You have to use what you know to fill in the
blanks that are left by an incomplete score. In that regard you are in charge
of inventing the music.
You can find Fake
Books that are fairly current, with music you have heard recently on the radio.
If you want to really come up with your own original song or instrumental
piece, you can do it better by learning to improvise. You can learn very
complex theory about improvisation but you can begin with the information you
already have, you just need to know mainly about scales and chords.
Choose a scale to work from; a C
scale may be the easiest for you since it is all on the white keys. Next,
choose some chords within that scale. For the C major scale, common chords to
use are F major and G major. This is because they do not have any sharps or
flats in them.
Make
up a chord progression - it can be C-F-G-C and practice playing these chords
with your left hand. The base chords are usually played below middle C, but
that is not a rule by any means – you can play them wherever you see fit. Play
them as simple triads or invert them or play them in any sequence. Do this
until it comes naturally.
Sight-Reading Written Music
Sight-reading
written music is when you play music as you see it for the first time. When you
first get a piece of sheet music or a new songbook, all the music will be
unfamiliar to you. You can get overwhelmed if you try to play perfectly from
the very first glance so here are a few tricks you can learn to make it easier:
1.
Look at the key signature. This
could possibly be the most important piece of preliminary information you can
have. Think very hard about which sharps or flats are listed in the key
signature. You will want to remember to use those notes whenever they occur
throughout the piece.
2.
Look at the time signature. The
measures will not make much sense to you if you do not know how many beats
there are in each one of them. If you do not know what kind of note makes up a
beat, you will be lost.
3.
Look over the piece for any changes
in key signature and time signature. You may be playing along and come across a
change out of the blue. If you are not prepared for it, you might end up
playing the song incorrectly from that point on.
4.
Notice what note you will start on
and what note or chord you will end on as it helps to know the starting point
and the ending point of any song before you start to play it. This will guide
you towards the finish of the song.
5.
Glance at the type of rhythm that is
used in the left hand. The left hand is usually the rhythm hand, though not
always. If you count out the notes of the left hand before you begin, you will
have a better idea of how the song is going to go.
6.
Do a one-handed once-over of the
melody. Just play the melody line by itself to get the sound of it into your
mind. Once you know that sound, you have unlocked the uniqueness of the song.
When you begin to play the song all together, the melody will stand out in your
mind as a significant thread.
7.
Look at any other markings that are
on the piece. Some of these markings will be covered in Music Terminology. They
include the loudness or softness of a piece, how short or long you hold the
notes, and the overall speed of the music.
8.
Take a deep breath, focus and begin
to play. You should try to play the song all the way through when you sight
read it for the first time. There will be time later to break it down into
measures and work on each one if that is what you want to do. For the time
being however, just do your best and keep going.
Music Terminology for Beginners
There is so much
music terminology for piano players that even experienced players come across
new terms on piano music. Some of the words used are more common and a few of
these are listed for you below:
Accelerando – getting
faster as the section of the piece marked goes on. Adagio – played very
slowly
Allegro – played at
a fast tempo and with a cheerful mood Andante – played moderately slowly
A tempo – go back to the original tempo
Beat – the basic
unit of time in music, it is a regular tap of the foot, for example Chord –
when you play three or more notes together all at once
Coda – an ending
that is different that previous verses in the musical piece Crescendo –
getting louder and louder through a marked passage Diminuendo – getting
softer and softer through a marked passage
Dolce – sweetly
Ensemble – a musical
group, it could be anything from a band to a classical group Forte –
means to play the piece loudly, forcefully
Fortissimo – play the piece very loudly
Genre – the
category of music (or any other artwork), rock and blues are examples
Glissando – playing down the keyboard rapidly, usually by sliding thumb
down the keys Interval – the distance between two musical tones
Largo – very slow and broad
Mezzo forte – play the
piece somewhat loudly Mezzo piano – play the piece somewhat softly
Phrase – a unit of
music, denoted by a curved line under or over notes phrased together
Pianissimo – play the piece very softly
Piano – play the
piece softly Presto – play extremely fast Semitone – also known
as a half step
Staccato – play notes quickly, crisply, and
detached from each other
Tempo
– the rate of speed of the musical piece; it can vary during
songs when marked Variations – when you play a basic tune and then play
different versions of it that retain the same basic melody.
These
are the most common music words used by pianists, along with the words that
have already been used in these lessons, such as keys, key signatures, time
signatures, notes, whole notes, quarter notes and so on, improvisation, etc.
There are always more words to add to your musical vocabulary. Some of the
words above are written out above or between the staffs. Some are noted by
using a mark of some sort.
When you learn all of this musical terminology, do not sit back and ignore the rest of the words and markings you find, keep learning and you will never get bored. There is always more to know.
Finding and Choosing Music to Play
You can learn and
enjoy playing music you make up and write or make up and improvise on the spot.
Sooner or later, you will want to find some sheet music or songbooks for more
music. You can get music in music stores or online easily, but it may not be
the music you want to try and play. You need to find music that suits your
level of play and the best way to do this is to just look at the music.
If
you are buying in a store, you can examine the books or sheet music thoroughly
before you buy. One thing you can look at is how many sharps or flats the songs
in the songbook tend to have. A song that uses too many of the black keys is
harder to play when you are first starting out. Also, for some reason, many
people find the sharp key signatures more difficult to manage than the flat key
signatures. Look, too, at the difficulty of the chords. If the chords are
clusters of many notes, you will know that the chords will not be as easy as
simple triads. Take note of whether there are chords of four or five notes
together on both left and right hands. You can learn these if you want to, but
be prepared to work a little bit. Look for difficult rhythms. You might see a
lot of dotted notes or notes with different values mixed together to make up a
measure. Again, you can take your time and learn these songs, clapping out the
rhythms until you have them down before you play. However, if you are looking
for some quick success, look for more even and simple note values.
Besides
looking at sheet music and songbooks that are already printed, there is another
way to buy music in a music store now. Many stores have a special computer set
aside for making copies of music. You choose the song you want from a list and
if you only know a few words, you may still be able to find the song if the
search tools are good enough. After you have selected your song, you get the
opportunity to look at the music. You can look at the music from beginning to
end, but you cannot copy it until you agree to buy it. The artists are
protected in this way because the store pays the royalties from your payment
when you buy the copies. You should expect the copies to be high quality and on
good paper. You can also get sheet music online but you usually do not get as
good of a look at the music you are about to buy. You are more likely to get a
small sample to give you an idea of what the music is like. The online
companies do not like to show too much because it is too easy for people to
steal work that is printed on the internet. They will send you your choices by
mail or by download as soon as you pay.
Practicing on Your Own
If
you are playing the piano as an adult self-learner, you will do best if you
work in some practice time most days. You might like to establish a routine of
how you will go about your practice. You can do things in a certain order, or
you can mix things up differently every day. One thing you should always do
when you practice is to play scales.
You
do not have to play every scale every day - you might want to focus on the flat
scales one day and the sharp scales the next. You do not even have to take it
that far – just be sure that you practice scales of some kind for awhile before
you begin to play. Next, play some chords. Build on the scales you have played
and make up as many chords as you can manage in the time you have allotted to
spend on the exercise. The more you play your scales and chords, the better you
will be when it comes to improvising. You will even play written music better
because it will make more sense.
It
is a good idea to have a set musical piece to play every time you practice
before you start playing other songs. It can be any song that you can play
fairly easily and something that gives you a feeling of satisfaction is always
a good choice. Make sure you do not pick a song that is new or tricky for this
- you want to start out with a positive experience. You can work on the hard
music later in the practice session.
After
you have played your starting piece, go on to play songs you have been working
on. Go over the rough spots carefully and try to play them from beginning to
end without stopping. At this point it is a good time to sight-read any new
music you have on hand and want to try. Then, take a little break. Get a drink
of water, have something to eat, or make a phone call, then go back to the
piano and finish your practice. Many people believe that you have to sit down
and play until you are exhausted but this is not true - they never consider
that taking a break can breathe new life into your playing.
Once
you have had a break, you can use the rest of the time to improvise, making up
music based on the chords and scales you played earlier. If you prefer, you can
go in a completely new direction. Let this be your time for enjoyment and pure
pleasure and, with the right attitude, improvisation does not seem like work at
all but rather more like complete freedom.
The Small Spotlight: Playing for
Friends and Family
Once you have learned to play
some songs very well, your friends and family will be anxious to hear you play
and this is no time to disappoint them. Play your heart out and give them a
show to remember. There are however a few things to consider when you are in
this position.
First
of all, your friends and family can be your kindest audience or your harshest
critics. Most of your loved ones will want you to do well and they might be so
careful of your feelings that they tell you how great you played even if you
know you made a lot of mistakes. There is nothing like the loving kindness of a
friend or relative. You can become more confident if you know you are going to
get praise when you play. However, if the admiration is not sincere, you will
feel cheated. You might eventually stop playing for them because it does not
seem to matter what you do – you always get the same reaction.
When friends or
family members try to help you polish your act, they can be troublesome as
well. They might or might not know something about playing the piano. If they
know nothing about it, their advice will be nothing more than an irritation and
an annoyance and it will not help you in the least when it comes to correcting
any mistakes. If there are other piano players in your intimate circle, they
can be demanding. If you play better than they do, they might be jealous and
may say things to demean you.
If you are not as
advanced as another piano player in the room, you may be up for some pretty
harsh criticism. Friends and family members often feel as if they have the
right and even the responsibility to set you straight every time you miss the
mark. In the end, you have to play what you enjoy playing and hope that
everyone else enjoys it as well. You cannot please everyone, nor should you try
to. It is far better to play without fear of what others might say than to
worry about every little note. Remember that your loved ones generally want
what is best for you, they just have a strange way of showing it sometimes.
Choose
times to play for your friends and family when music seems a natural part of
the occasion. If there is a birthday, ask if the host would like you to go to
the piano and play ‘Happy Birthday’. For Christmas parties, you can volunteer
to play carols for the group to sing. For a casual evening, you might see if
people want to hear current songs. It is important to bring the others into the
event and let them be a part of it.
When
you are playing for a small, casual group such as this, it is good to start a
conversation with the others about what they would like to hear. If you know
how to play it, or can improvise it, perform it for them right away. If it is
something you are unfamiliar with, suggest that one of you looks for the sheet
music for a later song fest.
Playing for Public Events
If you practice and play long enough, you might get enough
experience to play outside your most intimate social circle. You might be asked
to play piano for a church service or as a member of a rock band. You might be
given the opportunity to play the piano as a paid soloist for a wedding,
engagement party or funeral.
There
are many chances to play the piano in public if you are someone with reasonable
talent and experience. If you are playing from sheet music, you can make your
life easier by preparing your sheet music or songbooks ahead of time. Get some
plastic sleeves that you can put a page of music into and place each sheet in a
sleeve.
If
you own a book, you can cut the pages from the book and insert the ones you
need into the sleeves then clip the sleeves in order into a ringed binder.
Using a binder makes it easier to turn pages without dropping your sheet music
or fumbling with a bulky book. The music is all right there, and you will not
damage the corners by trying to turn the pages too quickly. Another advantage
of using the binder is that you can put all the written music for the entire
performance in one binder, then you do not have to keep going from one sheet or
book to the next over and over.
You
might get some butterflies in your stomach when you play for a crowd and this
is perfectly natural. The main thing to remember is to relax, tighten up your
muscles and then let them go. You will feel a sense of calm after you do this.
If the situation is right, you can calm your nerves by talking softly to other
musicians while you are waiting for the event to begin or the curtain to go up.
Always remember however, never to talk if you will disturb the audience.
The
most important thing to do when you get nervous is to think about the music by
letting your mind drift away from the audience and the circumstances of your
playing. If you have chosen your song well, concentrating on the music will
carry you through the nervous times and you will not have to do much thinking
about the event you are covering because the song will speak for itself.
When
you are playing with others, do not hog the limelight all the time unless you
are the featured player. In most cases, you will be just one member of the
ensemble, doing your own individual part to make up a balanced act. Remember to
let others have their turn to shine. If you accompany a chorus, you can lead
them to a certain extent and you can set the pace according to the lead of the
choral director. On the other hand, if you accompany a solo singer, your job is
to provide just a framework for the singer. At the same time, you need to be
flexible enough to mold your playing to the variations the singer makes in his
or her performance.
Tips for Beginner Piano Players
To get a jump start on learning to play the piano, you can
use a few extra tips. Some of them are obvious, but they need to be said
anyway, others you might not have thought of at all. Keep this list in mind as
you start to learn.
1.
If you are really not interested in
the piano, do yourself and everyone else a favor, do not try. Maybe you reason
that it would be advantageous to play the piano but your heart is not in it. In
that case, you could listen to lots of piano music and see if you develop an
interest. Do not start trying to play until you are happy at the thought of
learning.
2.
Play what you like. In the old days,
and often even today, piano teachers spent months with their students before
they were allowed to play anything they enjoyed playing. You will get more
gratification if you find ways to play at least simple or improvised versions
of songs you know and like. That will keep you going.
3.
Dive right in. Do not wait for the
sun to turn purple or even to learn all the scales. Start playing music as soon
as you can. The more you play, the more you will learn. The more you learn, the
more you will play. It creates an upward spiral that will increase your
abilities.
4.
Try to play on the best piano
available to you. Of course, you can learn quite a bit with even a small
electronic keyboard. If you have a Clavinova it is better because this
instrument has all 88 keys. Some would say that an upright piano is better
still. Undoubtedly, if you have access to a good grand piano, play it.
5.
Do your best not to disturb others
in the household as they will almost certainly hear you play. In most houses,
there is no getting around that. You should be considerate of the times when
other members of the household need quiet time to study or do work that is
intellectually challenging. Maybe they have had a hard day and just need a
little peace. If you ignore their feelings, friction between you will make your
practice unpleasant.
6.
Set up your own reasonable
discipline but do not be harsh with yourself. If you will not allow yourself to
stop a practice no matter what exciting thing is happening in the household,
you will come to resent the piano. Allow yourself a little leeway. At the same
time, keep up the practice as much as you reasonably can. It is with practice
that you will develop your ears, your eyes, your hands and your mind.
Lessons and Piano Teachers
When
you are beginning to learn the piano, you might feel that you need all the help
that you can get. You might look for lessons online or through the mail and
getting a piano teacher may be a priority for you. These are possibilities you
can consider. There are many different people and companies offering piano
lessons online. Some of the lessons are very expensive and some cost less. It
may be difficult to find out the price of the lessons without committing to
them, but you can do it if you are careful.
You
should definitely make sure that you are going to be getting lessons from a
reputable teacher and do not be afraid to ask for qualifications and
accomplishments. Some websites offer several free lessons to get you started
and give you an idea of what is to come. One website offers over 100 short free
lessons before you buy.
Online
piano lessons might be helpful to you but the problem is that they are very
generic and do not accommodate your own personal learning curve as they are not
designed with you in particular in mind. On the other hand, a piano teacher
might be more helpful providing she is a good one. You must expect a lot from a
piano teacher - look for someone who will change her teaching style when her
original methods are not helping and try to find a teacher who works with
scales, chords, and improvisation.
More
piano teachers are training their students on these subjects more now than ever
before so make sure you find one of them and not someone who sticks to written
music alone. Get a music teacher who plays well herself. Regardless of what has
been said about, “those who cannot do, teach,” your teacher might be a very
able piano player. It is to your advantage if you can find someone who knows
the tricks of the trade from experience.
Interview
piano teachers to find out which one you might get along with the best.
Personalities are important. You will want someone who will inspire you, but
not someone who will be unkindly critical; you will want someone you can talk
to on an equal level when the subject is not piano playing. After all, you
should be given the respect that is due any adult learner.
When
you believe you have found a piano teacher who can help you, you can begin your
lessons as soon as she can work you into her schedule. But do not leave it at
that - always be aware that you can change piano teachers at any time. If your
piano teacher does not seem to know much about the kind of music you want to
play, do not do the easy thing and stay in her lessons. In time you will
completely lose interest in playing the piano and quit. Keep searching until
you find that special teacher that can help you learn all you want to know. It
might take awhile to find the right piano teacher. In the meantime, you can
keep your interest alive by studying the piano on your own.
Conclusion: Enjoyment That Lasts a
Lifetime
Playing
the piano is not something you can fully master in a few practice sessions or
lessons, yet it is enjoyable all along the way if you find ways to keep up the
excitement. From the time you begin playing, you never have to quit as long as
you can sit up, move your hands and your mind is still functioning. If you go a
while without playing piano for some reason, you can easily take it up again at
a later date. You might be a little rusty, but you will not be starting over at
square one - you will have a vast store of knowledge in your mind to guide you
as you refresh your playing skills.
During
hectic days, you will find that playing the piano gives your life balance. What
is more, you will have a center of peacefulness to your days. Your family will
come to understand that you need your time with your piano to concentrate on
something completely different than everyday problems. When your children go
off to college, if they have not gone already, you will find yourself spending
more time at the piano and you will suddenly have more time to focus on your
practice sessions. Your friends and family will notice the improvement and
might ask you to play for them frequently.
As
your golden years approach, you can revisit songs of your youth by playing them
on the piano. It is often easier to find piano music for old songs than to find
the recordings. On the other hand, you might want to keep up with the kids and
learn all the new songs. The choice is yours and you can spend your time
playing whatever you want to play. There are few other really interesting and
enjoyable hobbies or pastimes you can be involved in during your advancing
years. Too many times, older people are given boring tasks or busy work to try
to make their days go faster. How much better it is when the elderly can manage
their own time with some well-played piano music. It makes them happy, as well
as those around them.
No matter how you
look at it, the piano learning you begin now is only a prelude to the happiness
this pastime will give you in the future. If you keep playing, you will find
all sorts of occasions where you can play for fun or profit. Even if you only
play in the privacy of your own home, you will get a peace and contentment that
is unique to people who find fulfillment in their music. Therefore, learn all
you can and keep your interest alive but do not feel that the benefits are
short-term. Plan to make playing the piano a part of your everyday routine for
the rest of your life. You will be pleased that you took the time to find a
pastime that offers you so much.
Resources
There
are many sources of information on piano playing. For more on the subject,
contact the following sources:
American Pianists Association
General
Information
Indianapolis,
IN 46208 mailto:APAInfo@ AmericanPianists .org
If
you develop your talent to a professional degree, you might want to contact
this organization. It is dedicated to promoting the careers of concert-level
classical and jazz pianists around the nation, between the ages of 18 and 30.
MTNA
Music
Teachers National Association
Website
http://www.mtna.org
This association is
for certified music teachers and teachers who wish to become certified. If you
are looking for a certified piano teacher in your area, the association has a
teacher finder that you can use to search their database.
Piano Manufacturers Association International
4020
MC Ewen Suite 105
Dallas,
TX 75244-5035
Phone
(972) 233-9107
This organization is a powerful
force in regulating the manufacture and sale of pianos. If you have a complaint
about a deceptive manufacturer or faulty instruments, you might contact this
association. Otherwise, watch magazines for news of their industry regulation.
Piano Technicians Guild
4444
Forest Avenue Kansas City, KS 66106 Phone (913) 432-9986 Website http://www.ptg.org
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