Is There An Easy Way To Learn The Piano?

Posted by writer on September 7th, 2009 at 10:34pm

It is a fact that at some point in all of our lives we strongly consider learning to play the piano. Do you have an idol that you admire because of their piano-playing talent? Do you have a passion for listening to well-played piano music?

Before you actually begin, you need to be aware that there are two real ways to learn the piano. You are not alone – many of us have considered playing the piano in the past, but never really taken that urge up. It may well be that all you need is a bit of a push in the right direction.

1)    Chords
2)    Note reading

Before you rush headlong into either of these methods, you need first of all to understand what you want to achieve. If you are quite content to read other people’s music, then all you really need to learn is how to read the notes. On the other hand, if you are feeling more creative and want to go down the route of composing your own music, then you will also need to have a good understanding of the chords.

Another dependant is the time-frame you are looking for. If you want to learn more quickly, then you should seriously look at the chord-based approach to learning the piano. Note reading can always come at a later stage, should you wish. Once you have mastered the chords, you will have a much better understanding of the sounds that they make (both individually and when played together).

Finding a qualified and experienced piano teacher is a relatively easy task, and there are a lot of benefits, like learning either at your own home or the instructor’s studio. There are number of ways to learn properly, and all people starting out to learn the piano should consider the pros and cons of getting a good piano teacher.

Remember the two approaches to learning – before you begin looking for an instructor, then it’s a good idea to have a goal in mind. If you want to play for a bit of fun (and it is good fun!), then you should be looking for a piano teacher who will teach you the note side of things. Conversely, if you are looking to expose your more creative side and want to compose yourself, then a chord-based teacher is going to be more productive.

It is vital to get this right, as otherwise you will find that you are wasting quite a bit of money on something that will not give you the benefits of achieving your goals. Piano teachers are often not too expensive, but if you are only learning something that you could learn from a book, it is still an unnecessary expense.

There are a lot of benefits of learning online – not least of which is that you can learn at your own pace – you might want to consider one of the many online programs that are available. There are a lot of benefits of learning online – not least of which is that you can learn at your own pace – there is no-one standing over you and breathing down your neck as you practice!

If you do indeed learn at your own pace, sometimes NOT having that person behind you can mean you get a drop in motivation – If it seems like learning online is the only way to go, then consider that there are also a few drawbacks to this method. If you are only doing it for yourself then the desire to continue can dwindle. Also consider his: if you learning to play the piano online, then there is no-one there to ask for help if you come across something you don’t understand.

The end of the lesson is quite simple: the piano should be something you enjoy playing, and enjoy learning to play. When you get frustrated and fed up with it, then you need to look at the approach you are taking to it. That’s not what playing the piano is all about!!

Copyright 2009 Lauren Paltrow (Stage Pianist)

Tags: beginner piano lesson, beginner piano lessons, how to learn the piano, how to learn to play piano, how to learn to play the piano, learn how to play the piano, learning how to play piano, learning to play piano, learning to play the piano, piano lessons for beginn

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