You may have a passion for listening to well-played piano music, or you may have an idol that you admire because of his/her piano playing talent. At some point in most of our lives, we strongly consider learning to play the piano.

Do you think you need a little push in the right direction? You should know that you are not alone – so many of us have had that very same urge, but never taken it up. ? Before you begin, think about the two ways of learning the piano:

1)    Chords
2)    Note reading

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

Another dependant is the time-frame you are looking for. Note reading can always come at a later stage, should you wish. If you want to learn more quickly, then you should seriously look at the chord-based approach to learning the piano. 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.

Before you begin the task of looking for an instructor, then having a goal in mind is crucial. Remember that there are two approaches to learning – if you are looking to play only for fun then a piano teacher who will teach you the notes is going to be best for you. If, on the other hand, you are looking for a more creative touch, then a chord-based teacher is going to be better for you.

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.

You also might want to consider one of the many online programs that are available. It’s a lot cheaper than piano lessons, and can often be just as effective. 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!

It may seem like learning online is the only real option in these circumstances, but you must also bear in mind that by learning online and at your own pace, there is no-one breathing down your neck as you practice!! Also, if you are learning online, and there is something that you don’t understand, there is no-one there to ask for help. Quite often, this can lead to a drop in your motivation levels – if you are only doing it for yourself then sometimes it can be difficult to continue!

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!! The end of the lesson is quite simple: the piano should be something you enjoy playing, and enjoy learning to play.

Copyright 2009 Lauren Paltrow (Stage Pianist)

 

 

3 Different Ways to Learn To Play Piano – Which Way Is Best?

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