Skip to main content

Step-by-Step on How to Play the Piano & Keyboard

Pianos generally have more resistance in the keys than keyboards.

When learning to play the piano, there are several elements that must be included in any practice routine. To develop skill, the musician should practice daily and pay careful attention to how they approach playing. It is important to go at a slow but steady pace to avoid injury. Practicing too much can create injury while practicing too little will delay development. Most beginning piano players should aim for 30 to 45 minutes of practicing per day. Whether you are playing on a keyboard or a piano, there are basic steps that can be taken to improve your skill.

Finger Independence 


Develop finger independence by practicing exercises. Every practice session should begin with a finger independence drill. One good exercise is to place all five fingers on the keyboard or piano and use each finger to press down on a note. When pressing down, aim to prevent movement with the other fingers. Over time, you will be able to move each finger without involving other fingers.

Interval Training 


Practice playing thirds on the piano with both the left and right hand in octaves. Start at the bottom of the piano and crawl up the piano with both hands. With the right hand, the thumb should come under the hand to play the next note in the series, while the left hand should jump to allow the index finger to play the next note in the series.

Scales


Practice playing scales. Students should purchase a method book that shows the fingering for each major and minor scale. Learning the scales before playing etudes will make it easier to play music correctly.

More Finger Exercises


Practice additional finger exercises. Purchase a book with finger exercises such as Hanon exercises. Start with the first exercise and slowly increase your speed until you can play the exercise at the recommended tempo indicated in the book.

Play Real Music


Play etudes and songs once you have learned your major and minor scales. When you get to this level, add an extra half hour to your training regimen so you can begin to learn to play music. Clementi has a book of progressive piano works that are intended for young pianists to learn.

Tips


Do not attempt to play faster than you are capable of. Slowly increase the tempo of exercises so that you can develop proper form. Concentrate on each movement until the exercises become easier. Speed should come only after the exercise is learned adequately.

Warnings


Do not play too much. You can strain the muscles and tendons in your arms and hands. Start with a light schedule and slowly add more time as your strength increases.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Why Claude Debussy Never Cared About Music Theory

  Claude Debussy was born on August 22, 1862. So, I felt writing a blog post to celebrate would be appropriate. Debussy was a revolutionary composer who challenged the conventions of Western music. He was influenced by the impressionist painters, the exotic sounds of gamelan music, and the symbolist poets. He created a musical language that was expressive, colorful, and atmospheric. One of the most remarkable aspects of Debussy's music is his use of harmony. He did not follow the rules of tonality and functional harmony that dominated the music of his time. Instead, he used modes, scales, chords, and parallel movements that created a sense of ambiguity and fluidity. He also experimented with timbre, texture, rhythm, and form to create musical images that evoked moods and emotions. Debussy's music can inspire us to think outside the box and explore new possibilities in our own compositions. We can learn from his innovative techniques and his artistic vision. We can also apprecia...
Post a Comment
Read more

List of Musical Techniques and Their Meanings

Musical techniques are the building blocks of any basic music training. These techniques allow performers to improve their coordination and develop accuracy through repetitive daily exercises. Musical techniques progressively build upon previously learned techniques. Scales Scales form the basis for other musical techniques. Student may study major and minor scales as well as modern scales, such as the whole-tone and octatonic scales. A scale consists of patterns of half steps and whole steps. These whole steps and half-step arrangements will be different for each scale. Scales are musical techniques that can help a performer to play faster and more accurately, and make learning new pieces easier. Chords Chords require knowledge of major and minor scales. Chords come in several different forms that affect the sound. Triads consist of three notes spaced a third apart and classified as major, minor, augmented and diminished chords. Seventh chords build on triads and have an additional no...
Post a Comment
Read more

Similarities of Classical and Baroque Music

Music has evolved through the centuries and undergone drastic changes. One of the most significant transitions was from the Baroque to the Classical period of music. In this paragraph, I will compare and contrast some of the main features of these two styles, such as ensembles, instrumentation, and counterpoint study. The Baroque and Classical periods of music have many similarities. While the style of music changed drastically, certain key elements remained the same between the two styles. Composers in the Classical period sought to simplify music and create clearly audible musical lines. In contrast, composers from the Baroque period were interested in creating complex and highly ornamented musical lines. The Baroque period occurs from approximately 1600 to 1750, and the Classical period extends from 1750 to 1820. Ensembles Ensembles are groups of musicians that perform together. Both the Baroque and the Classical period had similar types of ensembles, such as operas, orchestras, str...
Post a Comment
Read more