Anyone can start to learn learning piano anytime. You can never be too young or too old to get started. However, the secret to keeping you going is to stay motivated, as this helps you to master how you can play popular songs within a short time. As a beginner, these tips should help you play piano and be a pro within a short time frame.
Step 1: Piano Posture
Those who enjoy the piano will find themselves playing for hours. This means that if you don’t have the right posture, you will suffer back pain. Moreover, you will have to be mindful of the positioning of your hand because this affects your performance and dexterity.
1. Sitting at the piano
The basic rule is that you don’t slouch, but instead sit straight. Sit right in front of the bench, in the middle section of the piano, and with your feet touching the floor. Ensure that your back is straight, while your arms are in a relaxed state, and hanging from the arms. You shouldn’t forget to adjust the height of the bench so that your elbows are at a higher position than the keys so that you may have full control of the sound’s volume.
2. Hand position
Relaxation comes before the rest. Make sure that you fully rest your shoulders, wrists, and hands. Keep your fingers curled and wrists as flexible as possible, and you will be able to achieve expressive sound.
Step 2: Piano Basics
Understand the layout of the piano keyboard, the keys that are horizontally positioned which you use while playing the music. Also, you have to give prominence to the pedals that are at the bottom of the piano because they help you sound like a pro.
1. Keyboard
Most of the keyboards that are available out there have 88 keys, with 52 being white, while 36 are black. However, there are some brands of keyboards that have fewer keys. The layout repeats itself, with two black keys being followed by three black keys, positioned between white keys. The keyboard keys are arranged from the lowest to the highest. The distance that exists between two black keys is known as half step. You start with the left and move rightwards until you reach the last key of the keyboard.
2. Pedals
Two or three pedals may be located at the bottom section of your piano, and you will have to play them using your foot. When beginning to learn piano, you will only be using the right one.
Step 3: Piano Notes
For beginners who are not familiar with the piano, the groups of black keys help you to locate any key that you want. The middle C is the best place where you can start, as it’s the reference point in any piano. There will be more than one C, and all the white notes, also known as natural notes take the first 7 letters of the alphabet. The white notes are also known as occidental notes and are normally arranged in groups of two and three.
Where do you start?
Although there are many online and offline resources that you can use to learn piano, you can achieve a bigger milestone if you train under a reputable piano teacher online. If wondering how to find a piano teacher, remember that you should check online for trainers who have the best reputation, experience and who offer flexibility.