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3 Skills You Need BEFORE You Can Play Piano

4/13/2020

6 Comments

 
Many times, students believe that learning the piano starts right when they sit down at the keyboard and learn what the names of the notes and keys are and start to play.

Actually, there are several things that you can and need to learn before you even start trying to play the piano.
Think of when a baby first starts to talk. She doesn’t start with sentences and long paragraphs…she starts with just one word, and then two, and adds on as she learns by listening to her parents.

Before we can play sitting at the piano, we too need to learn the “words” before we can start putting them together. Let’s translate this into piano playing and see exactly what these things are that we need before we get to the piano.

First
– we need to learn the musical alphabet. As in language, we need to learn what the letters are before we can put them together to make words.
  • The musical alphabet is – A, B, C, D, E, F, & G. Seven letters…that’s it! Isn’t it amazing that all music comes from just seven notes? Now, there are variations of each note, several ones, so we end up with a larger range of notes, but they still all come from these seven notes.
  • Once you get to G, you don’t keep going like you do in the regular alphabet, you simply go back to A, and keep repeating.
Second – is the layout of the keyboard. There’s a neat pattern to the keyboard in terms of the keys. You’ll notice that there are black keys and white keys.
  • The black keys follow a pattern of 2 black keys, then 3 black keys – all the way up the keyboard. This is extremely helpful when you learn what notes you have in a piece and then identify them on the keyboard according to the key patterns. (I’ll show you how to do this in the video at the end).
  • If you sit down on your piano bench in the very middle of your keyboard, identify the 2 black keys right in front of you. Then, from the black key on the left move down to the white key right next to it. This is middle C.
  • Move up to the next 2 black keys and move down again from the one on the left and you’ll find C again, only it is the C above middle C. This pattern follows all the way up and down the keyboard. See how it helps in identifying your notes on the whole keyboard? (I’ll show you more notes using this same pattern identification method in the video at the end).
Third – we need to learn our finger numbers. In piano playing we will find fingerings over notes in our music that are telling us what finger to use to play that note or chord. We need to know how to “count” our fingers in musical language.
  • Each of our hands has 5 fingers so starting with our thumbs, we count that as 1, the index finger is 2, the middle finger is 3, the ring finger is 4, and the pinky is 5. The only numbers we use in finger counting are 1-5.
  • When a piece tells you to put your 1st finger on middle C, you put your thumb down on the key of middle C.
  • This finger pattern follows in each hand…think of them as a mirror to each other. The first finger will always be your thumb, as well as all the other fingerings listed above.

​The following video gives you visual examples of each of these as well as a practice session with me in finding middle C, different fingers on different notes on the keyboard, and other things to help make sure you really grasp all of these things before you start practicing on them on your own. 
If you like my tips and lessons, you will love the courses over on my website. Whether you are a beginner looking to get a solid foundation to build on or you are looking to take your existing skills to that next level, the online music courses on my website https://www.pianolessonsontheweb.com will help you do just that.
6 Comments
Kadhja Bonet link
11/29/2020 08:44:42 pm

Hello
Interesting post! I appreciate your efforts in writing an article about "piano bench" You really explained all points very well. Thank you for sharing such useful information.

Reply
Sarah link
5/21/2023 01:21:08 am


Instead of limiting myself to copyright-free songs, I took a leap and enrolled in an inspiring online course. The best part was that it was accessible on all devices, allowing me to practice whenever inspiration struck.

Through interactive lessons and step-by-step guidance, I discovered the joy of playing original compositions. Within days, I noticed a remarkable improvement in my skills. The piano became an extension of my soul, and the melodies I created ignited my creativity.

If you're seeking a thrilling musical journey, explore reputable online platforms suche as such as https://issueresolver.online/learn-to-play-piano/ offering courses on original compositions. Unleash your musical prowess and immerse yourself in a captivating adventure that will leave you amazed by the beauty you can create.

Reply
Leeanne Innes link
4/7/2021 10:44:14 pm

A really good point that we need to learn away from the piano before we can start making music.

Reply
M4M Arkansas link
2/9/2023 06:30:28 pm

Grateful for sharing this post

Reply
Sam Andrews link
2/15/2023 08:43:22 pm

Oh, hello. I have a niece who wishes to play some Christmas carols using a piano during her high school assembly next week. Before she performs, I think it's better if she refers to reliable reading material to help her prepare. At the same time, I have to thank you for showing us that familiarizing ourselves with the configuration of a piano keyboard would make it easier for us to play it.

Reply
Emily link
5/21/2023 01:20:20 am

Instead of solely relying on copyright-free songs, I made a decision to explore a comprehensive course that taught students how to play original compositions. One crucial aspect for me was that the course was accessible on all devices, allowing me to practice wherever and whenever I wanted.

I discovered an incredible online platform that provided step-by-step guidance and resources, empowering me to develop my skills at my own pace. Within just a few days of following their lessons, I started hearing a noticeable improvement in my playing. It was truly exhilarating to witness myself sounding better and better.

If you're interested in embarking on a similar musical journey, I encourage you to seek reputable online platforms that offer courses on original compositions, ensuring they are compatible with all devices.

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