Everyone has room to improve their piano playing skills, even if they are just starting out or playing the piano professionally.If you want to play more of the pieces you enjoy with less struggle, building the basics will enable you to do that.Learning to sight-read music and mastering the proper technique not only makes it easier for you to pick up new songs, but also ensures you'll be able to enjoy the instrument for many years to come.
Step 1: A consistent practice schedule is needed.
The amount of time you play and the number of practice sessions you build into a week depends on your age, attention span, and seriousness with learning to play the instrument.It's important to be consistent with your practice times so that you develop a habit of playing the piano.For example, if you have weekly lessons with a teacher, you may want to practice for an hour 6 days a week, then schedule a 30-minute practice session before your lesson each week.If you're just learning piano on your own for fun, you might want to practice 30 minutes a day for 3 days a week.Younger children learn best with shorter practice times.You can get more out of shorter practice times if you have problems with focus or attention deficit.If you want to practice more, schedule shorter sessions throughout the day.For example, you might have one 15-minute session in the morning, and then another 15 minute session at night.
Step 2: Each practice session should start with a warm-up piece.
It's a good idea to warm up with basic scales.etudes are classical pieces written for practice.Many of these short pieces are fun to play, and are designed to help warm up your fingers, so you can play more complex pieces.If you've been playing for a while, you might use an easier song to warm up.Playing something familiar will give you a confidence boost going into your practice.
Step 3: Break up pieces into smaller pieces.
If you're working on a shorter, simpler song, you may be able to master it in a single session.If you try to learn them all at once, you may find it difficult.Put the pieces together after starting with manageable bites.Making measurable progress will help you learn more quickly.If a piece is 8 pages, you can set a goal to learn one page each practice session.You should be able to play the entire song after you've learned the last page.You might need to break the piece down further if you run into a troublesome passage.Take a measure at a time, play the whole line, then add the next line and so on.
Step 4: A metronome can be used to control your pace.
When playing a new song, play it at a slower pace.You will be able to get the notes right the first time.Once you've played it through slowly a few times with no errors, gradually increase the pace until you are playing the song at its natural speed.The practice method helps you avoid recurring errors when you try to play a song too many times.If you find that no matter how many times you play a song, you always seem to miss a particular note, it could be that you've been practicing it too fast.When you've corrected the muscle memory that causes that finger to shoot for the wrong note, slow it down and focus on that tricky passage.
Step 5: Distractions should be eliminated during practice time.
If you want to avoid checking notifications on your electronic devices, choose a quiet place where you're not likely to be interrupted.If you need a break, take 5 minutes to stand up and stretch or walk around the room, then continue with your practice.If you share your home with other people, make sure they know when you're going to be practicing and that you won't be disturbed.If you can shut yourself off from the rest of the household, everyone else will be able to carry on with their normal activities.
Step 6: Pick the songs that you enjoy playing.
Staying motivated to practice will be aided by focusing on songs you love.If you have a piano teacher, they will assign pieces for you to learn.You can add pieces to your practice time if you want.Even if there is no piano in the original song, almost any popular song has a piano adaptation.Many of these songs have multiple versions so you can learn them at any level.You can buy sheet music for the movie "Frozen" and learn to play it.If you're playing a song that you love, you may want to run over your practice time so you can keep practicing it.It's better if you don't do it.If you keep your discipline and stop at your scheduled time, you will be excited to get back to work at the next practice session.You can find your favorite style of piano play by listening to different genres and styles of songs.If you're studying classical piano, you might want to try some jazz or pop pieces.
Step 7: The staff and musical alphabet can be learned.
Music is just as much a language as the language you speak.If you want to learn the language of music, start with the musical alphabet and practice it until you know the alphabet of your spoken language.It's a good idea to flashcards on each note.You can either buy them online or make them yourself with construction paper and markers.Make sure you understand the basic rules of the musical staff.There are flashcards that can help you memorize.
Step 8: Pick out common key signatures.
Key signatures can be used to tell you what notes to play.You'll know what sharps and flats are coming your way if you recognize a key signature.The same way as you learned the musical alphabet, you can use flashcards to learn key signatures.Try humming the scale in that key to connect the key signature to the sound.Your fingers will know which notes to play when you practice scales in each key.
Step 9: As you listen to the song, try to remember what you heard.
It is possible to become more proficient in the language of music by listening to it by ear.Start with a slow song.Pick songs where the piano is the only instrument being played.Play a few bars, pause the song, and try to write something on a piece of blank staff paper.When you've transcribed a song, you should sit down at the piano and play what you wrote.Go back and listen again if you get wrong notes or passages.You have to keep going until you get it right.
Step 10: To quickly understand other notes, identify guide notes.
Middle C is a guide note that you can pick out from any piece of music.Guide notes can help you identify the other notes based on their relation to the guide notes.If you have a piece of music that spans several octaves, having a few guide notes can be very helpful.Even if you don't have strong sight-reading skills, looking for guide notes will allow you to get a sense of the song before you play it.The other notes will rise or fall around the markers you have laid out.
Step 11: You should be familiar with different time signatures.
Whenever the time signature changes, it is notated at the beginning.The time signature won't change in simple classical songs.You'll find this more often with jazz and pop music.If you see something in 2 or 4 time, remember the rhythm of the different time signatures so you know how the notes flow.On the side of the piano is where you can practice tapping out the rhythm.
Step 12: To test your skills, choose pieces you're not familiar with.
If you have played a song a dozen times, you may think you are sight-reading, but in reality you rely on familiarity and muscle memory.Look for a song you've never heard before and read the sheet music.You should look over the music before you play.As you read, imagine it in your head.If you want to see how close your reading was to the sound, play it on the piano.It can take a while to get to the point where you can read sheet music and a book at the same time.When you were learning to read, take your time and practice a bit each day.
Step 13: Take a look at the position of the piano bench.
It is much more difficult to play the piano if you sit too close or too far away from it.Poor posture can limit your movement and make it difficult to play harder pieces.When your hands are on the keys, move the piano bench forward or backward until your elbow is in front of your shoulders.If you have a curved spine, you may not be able to achieve the same positioning as an able-bodied person without pain.To maximize your ability to play the instrument, Adapt the technique as best as you can.Make sure you extend your wrists straight from your arms.If you bend your wrists, it can cause muscle tension and strain that can lead to injuries.
Step 14: Clarify.
If you memorize a piano piece at the same time you learn it, you won't have to worry about reading sheet music or thinking about the notes.You can focus on your body position and how you play the notes.You can start to feel the music after you memorize a piece.If you don't have sheet music, you can develop an intuitive ability to know when to play loudly or softly, and how to emphasize certain phrases.When you don't have to think about which notes to play, you can work on your rhythm andtempo more easily.
Step 15: Make a list of your technical weaknesses.
The most experienced piano players have weaknesses.Instead of trying to work around them, find ways to challenge them and improve them until they are no longer weaknesses that limit you.If your left hand is slower or weaker than your right, you should strengthen it with dexterity exercises.If you want to strengthen both hands, bring your left hand up to the same level as your right.If you have trouble with a particular movement, practice it over and over until it becomes second nature.If you want to step up, choose pieces that challenge your weaknesses and encourage you to do so, rather than avoiding pieces with a lot of skills you need to work on.These pieces will help you improve your skills.
Step 16: Take a break from the piano to work on your hand shape.
Many beginners play the piano with flat fingers, which can make it difficult to play more complex pieces later on.It can be difficult to get rid of this habit once you've developed it.If you practice curling your fingers on a regular basis, you'll be able to fall into this position naturally.If you want to mimic the shape you should be making when you play the piano, hold a ball in the palm of your hand.It is possible to strengthen your hands and fingers by squeezing a stress ball.Hold your hand in the correct position while you type.This will make it easier for you to make that shape.
Step 17: To build muscle and dexterity, use hand and finger exercises.
You can improve your piano playing skills by exercising the muscles in your hands and forearms.Many piano players start with Hanon exercises.There are 20 different Hanon exercises that you can download for free.Hanon exercises can be great for beginners, but they do have limitations and won't help you acquire many piano techniques that can improve your playing.You can strengthen your hands and forearms by doing exercises away from the piano.You might look for hand and forearm exercises designed for rock climbers.The piano can be used with long fingers and large hands.It does not mean that you can't play the instrument if you have a less-than-ideal hand size.There are a lot of different fingering patterns.