Learn How to Play Piano
By Brandy Kraemer, About.com Guide to Piano
So you want to learn piano, but you're not sure where to start. These beginner lessons are organized so that you get all the information you need, without missing a beat.
- Keyboard Layout
- Notes of the Piano
- How to Read Piano Music
- Where to Put Your Fingers
- Musical Terms & Symbols
Keyboard Layout
To learn piano, the first thing to do is make sense of the keys. There are a lot of them, but the keys’ simple layout makes the piano very easy to navigate. Get a feel for the piano keyboard with these lessons:
Notes of the Piano
Whether you have an 88-key piano, or a keyboard with just sixty-one, there are only seven notes you need to memorize. Learn how to name every note on the piano, and get helpful tips on how to identify them quickly.
How to Read Piano Music
In order to read piano music, you need to develop a visual relationship between the keys and the staff notes. This takes practice (for everybody); learn how to memorize the notes of the piano staff, then exercise your eyes with some easy beginner scales.
Where to Put Your Fingers
A common predicament for new pianists is wondering which fingers play which keys. Not knowing what to do with your hands can make you choose comfort over efficiency, and that can ultimately harm your playing. Learn how “fingered” scales can help you develop a natural sense of finger placement on the piano, and practice finger techniques for both white and black piano keys.
Musical Terms & Symbols
You’re bound to run into a few unfamiliar musical terms and symbols in your piano music. The following resources will help you understand the most common words, phrases, and symbols found in sheet music:
