Committing to learning a musical step is a big decision. Many people falter after merely acquiring a musical instrument. The main reason for this abandonment can be credited to a lack of proper guidance and techniques.
In today's digital realm, knowledge is just one click away; all you need to do is have the eagerness to achieve it. From musical theories to sheet music, there are infinite resources that can help you learn a musical instrument, for instance, a piano.
However, the surplus of knowledge can cloud your judgment about opting for a linear path to music. Therefore, this comprehensive guide is going to explore seven basic piano techniques that every beginner should learn.
Practice Proper Posture
The most important aspect of learning how to play piano for beginners depends on proper posture. So, before you start replicating the classical symphonies, learn to sit properly with the correct form.
It's crucial to take precautions to avoid being hurt when learning to play the piano. A lot of inexperienced pianists end up playing the piano in a way that might cause harm to their shoulders or back. Thus, ensure that your posture is correct.
When you sit, picture yourself making a 90-degree angle with your feet comfortably resting on the floor and your back to your legs. Additionally, your elbows should be at a 90-degree angle.
Your wrists are held high like a bubble hovering just over the keyboard rather than resting on the piano. If seated upright, place your fists slightly past the back of the keyboard by sitting far enough away from it.
Learn The Keyboard
Glance at the keys on the piano. Learning the names of the seven musical notes—do (C), re (D), mi (E), fa (F), sol (G), la (A), and ti (B)—should be your priority. Observe that every note on this list is on a white key.
The same seven notes will be played on the instrument's other keys. The sole distinction is that this seven-piece group will repeat itself, moving from the highest-pitched to the lowest-pitched notes in various octaves.
Familiarize Yourself With Musical Theories
As you advance, knowing the foundations of music theory will make playing the piano much more enjoyable, even if it might first appear dull. As your talents advance, this underlying understanding will enable you to perform a larger variety of repertoire with greater freedom.
Discover the fundamentals of theory, including the grand staff, chords, pauses, key signatures, and note values. Make sure you can distinguish between a major chord and a minor chord, a G and a D on the grand staff and piano, and a quarter note and an eighth note by giving yourself regular tests.
For self-directed learning, you can purchase a basic book on music theory or enroll in private classes for a more practical approach.
Practice What You Learn
To advance, you have to practice. Your practice will benefit most from daily piano practice. It is far better to practice for ten minutes each day for a week than for seventy minutes in one sitting. Take it slow and keep practicing. Never give up on yourself; everyone needs to learn new things, and the more you practice, the simpler it will get.
Make a practice schedule and follow it each day. Establish the time and amount of effort you will devote to your practice, then follow through on the plan. While playing the piano requires some expertise, what matters most is how much work you put in. Practice and skill will directly relate to each other.
When you practice, aim to perform it as flawlessly as possible on your first attempt. When you listen to your music for the first time, your brain stores it in a special location that is more active than previous times. For this reason, you should ensure that you perform a passage as accurately as possible.
Build Coordination Between Right and Left Hand
The study of hand-eye coordination is also essential for anyone who wants to learn how to play the piano. People often only use one hand to demonstrate their motor abilities (left or right). However, learning to play the piano requires mastery of both hands.
It is common to have to use your right hand to play a melody while using your left hand to play distinct notes or chords. There may occasionally even be differences in the beat produced by each hand!
Play Sections Separately
It might be challenging for a novice to follow a musical piece's variations in chord structure; consider breaking the song up into several pieces. Practice your piano skills, for example, by starting with quarter notes and working your way up to eighths and sixteenths.
When you perform a segment, try to keep the flow cohesive by incorporating the final notes from the preceding section into the current one.
Keep Playing
You will get more proficient at it and more at ease with it as you practice more. There is no other way to polish your works than by performing them. It forces you to practice even more since it gives you a deadline and demands that you finish it before then.
Conclusion
Learning how to play the piano can be daunting for many people. However, following these simple techniques can streamline and ease your learning process. Achieving a proper posture is not only going to reduce physical strain but also help you advance to complicated symphonies with ease.
Learning the key placement, chords, signature, and notes helps you understand musical composition, enabling you to replicate them without hiccups.
