The Best Piano Playing Advice That Beginners Need to Know

Playing the piano can be one of the most wonderful, yet intimidating activities you ever try out. On the one hand, this instrument opens you up to a whole new world of musical possibilities. At the same time, there is a certain level of skill and experience involved before you sound the way you would like to. As such, it is natural to feel like you don’t know where to start or even feel as you will never be good enough. Well, to put your mind at ease, here are the top pieces of advice you should follow to get on the right track:

Learn Your Music Theory

There is a lot of hype around “playing by ear”. It is seen as a mark of musical genius, so naturally, everyone wants to be able to play this way. Well, actually, if you want to be a great pianist, this isn’t the way to go about it. Rather, you need to sit down and learn the music theory behind the piano. True, this doesn’t sound like the most glamorous way to learn how to play this instrument. Nevertheless, it is incredibly important to focus on the fundamentals. By doing so, you will be teaching yourself how to make your way around a piano and develop an ear for listening and playing. Best of all, music theory makes it easier to compose and create your own music.

Don’t Wait for Lessons

Pianos are large and expensive. So, there is a good chance that you only have access to one when you visit your music teacher who has a fully-stocked music room. As such, you may only practice on these occasions.This, however, isn’t going to help you improve as it cuts down on how much practice time you have.

A good alternative would be to invest in a keyboard. These are cheaper and portable, making them a more viable option. There are a few things to keep in mind when selecting one, though. For instance, to ensure that you are choosing a comparable model – go for a weighted one with 88 keys. These keyboards are the closest thing to a real piano.

Practice with a Purpose

Everyone knows that practice makes perfect and this is no different when it comes to piano playing. At the same time, you need to be more aware of how you are practicing. This is because not every form of rehearsal will give you the results you want. To be more specific, when practicing, make sure to rehearse in a deliberate manner.

This entails setting a certain goal for yourself during your practice time. It could be something like – “learn this part of the song”. Then, you will need to focus all your attention on doing precisely this. Practicing in such a manner will help you pick up the necessary playing skills a lot faster.

Incorporate a Metronome into Your Rehearsal

A metronome sounds like a rather old-fashioned device to rely on when learning how to play the piano. Nevertheless, there is a reason why even professionals continue to rely on it, in the technological age.  A metronome will teach you how to keep time, focus on your rhythm, and in general, help you become a better pianist. It is also a great tactic for simplifying more complicated pieces of music as well.

So there you have it, the guidelines to follow if you want to become a better pianist.As long as you stick to these, you will notice that your playing improves by leaps and bounds.