Learn the Piano Keyboard
Learning the piano keyboard takes time. Simply looking at the instrument and memorizing where each key is located is not enough. Playing the piano helps to apply what you have learned and furthers your understanding of the keyboard. Using a good method book is one of the most important beginning steps in this learning process.
Steps
- Use the Internet. Websites such as Go Piano have free online lessons complete with letters indicating the names of keys written on a keyboard. After seeing the online illustration, determining the rest of the notes is easy. They are a continuation of the pattern of notes previously written---G-A-B-C-D-E-F-G, G-A-B-C-D-E-F-G, and so on.
- Purchase a method book that helps with learning the keyboard. John Thompson offers one such method book, and several books are in that series. Other method books include those produced by Hal Leonard, and the Belwin Piano Method by June Weybright.
- Print a copy of the piano keyboard and write the names of the notes on or above the black and white keys. Check your method book to see if there is a keyboard printed in it, and write the names of the notes on that keyboard page.
- Start playing scales, which is a good way to develop a better understanding of the keyboard. Start with a simple scale like C major. Starting at middle C, play two octaves using only your right hand. As you progress, playing more complex scales in keys like A major and G minor will help increase your knowledge.
- Practice arpeggios. Also called "broken chords," arpeggios can be played using the entire keyboard, even if you are a beginning student. By practicing, you become accustomed to playing all the octaves and hear more notes than you would just playing a two- or three-octave scale.
- Practice using both hands to play scales. Start out with only one or two octaves, and then progress to three or more. As you improve, using higher-level method books like the Hanon Virtuoso Pianist series will help you develop better technique and dexterity.
- Gain a deeper understanding of the piano keyboard by playing musical pieces. Start off with simple ones. As you improve, start playing pieces that you like that may not be in your method book. These may be songs on the radio or music heard at a concert.
- Follow a reliable practice schedule. When you begin a new exercise or piece of music, start off playing it slowly using a metronome. After the first two days of slow practicing, begin to gradually speed up the metronome so that you ultimately are able to play the music at tempo by the time you have your next lesson.
- Adjust the technique mentioned in the previous step if you are learning a very difficult piece of music or a challenging exercise. The more slow practicing you do, the better your fingers will remember where to go, even if your playing is a little rushed during a performance because of nervousness.
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