Piano Learning - 10 Steps To Piano Learning

Music is considered to be a sublime art form, which enthralls the listener. The gift of playing on a musical instrument is something that only a few people possess. Learning to play on a piano can be a wonderful experience. Piano learning is a step by step process and through different steps, one learns to play piano.

Step 1: Sourcing a Suitable Teacher

A good teacher can bring out the genius in you and so finding a right one, is a challenging task. A talented teacher can make the difficult task of piano learning, a simple task. A teacher can teach a pupil an apt method of learning, which is convenient for them.

Step 2: Ought to Have A Piano

Many people are under the assumption that they can learn piano, by listening to piano music and by reading books on it. While learning piano, one has to get access to a synthesizer or a piano. Playing a real piano can be a different experience compared to learning to play piano, from a book!

Step 3: Learning Naturally

Piano learning has to be done, according to your skill and aptitude. You have to patiently learn every aspect of playing piano. After learning a composition correctly, you can proceed to the next. Take one step at a time and learn at your own pace!

Step 4: Practice, Thy Substitute Is None

Practicing Piano consistently helps one to perfect the craft of piano playing. The nuances of playing piano, that is learnt during the piano learning sessions are reinforced, while practicing. To be an adept piano player, you have to practice daily and find time for it. You have to practice in an uninterrupted manner.

Step 5: Fine Details

The dexterity of fingers and hands are essential to create music on the piano keys. You have to pay extra attention on the exercises that strengthen the fingers and hands. This allows one to play piano in a fast paced manner, while dealing with complicated movements, in compositions.

Step 6: Expert Advice

Getting the advice of the experts on the delicate nuances of playing piano can be good. An expert can teach a beginner the vital areas that he has to concentrate, while piano learning. He/she can also recommend a different approach towards learning and the things to be noted, while playing piano. Piano learning can become easier, if we seek the help of an expert.

Step 7: Unwind!

Playing music in a relaxed manner, without any tension makes you enjoy music. Enjoying the music that you play on a piano makes you love the entire experience of playing piano. Once, you play piano pressure-free, it becomes fun!

Step 8: Play Cool

Patience is very essential for learning to play on any musical instrument. Piano learning can be frustrating, when things do not go right for you. You have to keep your patience intact, at each progressing stage.

Step 9: Sight Reading Skills
Developing and improving sight reading skill is imperative, while playing piano. When you read an unfamiliar piece of material each day, you gradually improve the skill of sight reading. If you do not get it right instantly, you have to put in more effort and dedication to polish the skill.

Step 10: Milestones

Setting goals and targets can always be good, while learning. The goals prompt the pupils to concentrate more and learn a piece in a concentrated manner. A complicated piece can be broken into smaller pieces and you can devote a few hours everyday to practice it, to perfection.

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Printable Sheet Music

Over the years I have composed and arranged many piano music. They come in a variety of styles and genres. My favorites are ballad style, latin rhythm, blues, gospel and many others. The exposure to different piano styles helps me to "diversify" my own piano playing. The mixing of different genres makes my piano playing more rhythmic and interesting.

The main difference in different piano styles is influenced by the rhythm. Traditional music has solid rhythm where as many swing styles (latin, blues, or jazz) use heavy syncopation and lively rhythm.

Here are some printable sheet music:

1. Celtic Dance Printable Sheet Music, listen to midi file. This piece is composed in celtic rhythm. Uses 6/8 meter.

2. The Arabian Night Printable Sheet Music, listen to midi file

3. The Dream of Sakura Piano Sheet Music , listen to midi file

4. One Step Blue Improvisation 1 Printable Sheet Music, listen to midi file. You can hear the syncopated rhythm in this piece.

Outbreak of piano fever in China

This article is refreshing and encouraging. While the western world has generally lost the interests for classical music and piano playing - the rising China population has grown to love this instrument.

Many parents in USA and other western world rather sign up for soccer or baseball lessons for their kids, our friends in China has grown to love the piano lessons. The piano manufacturing industry in China has grown so much in the past few years, it has taken over many leaders in Western world.

When I was a private piano instructor I know for a fact that many parents would not enforce the piano practice session at home. Yet, they do not mind to drive hours with the kids to attend soccer or baseball camp. It is a shame.

Some parents undoubtedly hope that their children will become the next Lang Lang or Li Yundi: the starry pianists who are the current darlings of the music industry and whose posters cover many a teenager's bedroom wall.

But most are practical, seeing learning the piano as a route to a good high school or university place.

In a piano shop, I meet a man who works as an engineer at a power station. He tells me he hopes learning the piano will make his 10-year-old daughter grow up a well rounded individual.

"The discipline will be good," his wife adds, "It will make her concentrate."

A professor at one of China's music conservatoires puts the current love affair between the piano and China's children even more succinctly:

"Kids who are studying piano don't go wrong."