Being Piano Man - Tips for Teaching Yourself to Play Piano Easily

           

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The piano is an exquisite musical instrument that may be a bit intimidating to learn but is worth every sweat, time and money you'll spend. If you want to teach yourself to play piano easily and fast, start now. The earlier you begin, the better you'll be and the earlier you'll be able to play a favorite piece. Here's how you can start:

Decide on your piano playing.

If you want to teach yourself to play piano easily, you need to decide what kind of piano player you want to be. If you want to be a concert pianist playing Mozart or Tchaikovsky, you will have to learn how to read notes and somewhere down the line, probably take formal lessons, if only for the technique. But if you only want to learn the piano so you can accompany a singer or compose your own song, you can start with chords, which is arguably the easier way to start playing.

There are also different styles of piano playing you might want to concentrate on ? classical, jazz, blues, new age, etc. You can learn one or several of these styles in the future once you're familiar with the instrument itself.

Have access to a piano.

To teach yourself to play piano easily you need access to a piano. A piano is a bit expensive, but you don?t have to buy one to be able to teach yourself to play piano easily. There are many sources you can tap for free ? local clubs, schools, churches, even friends and neighbors who might be willing to let you use their piano.

If you're a little shy and want to practice at home, get a portable electronic keyboard to learn to play piano easily. There are some very inexpensive ones that work as well as a Korg or a Roland. These keyboards even allow you to plug a headphone so no one else hears your playing. Just buy one with full-sized keys because the really cheap ones can have smaller-sized keys. If your fingers get used to smaller keys, you might have some trouble adjusting if you begin playing a full-sized piano in the future.

Get your lesson.

A piano lesson is never far away. There are numerous books, CDs and online lessons you can tap to help you to teach yourself to play piano easily. There are some videos and audio instructional sources you can use.

You can get free or paid lessons easily and can even access some of the most popular music to learn. Because we all learn differently, it's important that you find the lesson that you feel most comfortable with to teach yourself to play piano easily.

Have a back up.

There are times when you might get stumped on a lesson simply because you don?t get it or are not using the right technique. If this happens, find a different resource you can use for reference to teach yourself to play piano easily such as a different website, book or video or just simply ask someone if you're playing the piano correctly.

Practice.

Nobody learned to play the piano practicing only when they felt like it. Even the virtuosos played the piano as often as they can. Playing this instrument requires teaching your hand and mind to remember motions and learn to associate notes with the black and white keys on the piano. Practice for at least half an hour everyday or about 4 to 5 days a week is one way to teach yourself to play piano easily.

Learning to play the piano doesn?t mean you have to be born with talent nor do you have to be as young as your niece or grandchild. Anyone who has normal mental and physical abilities can teach himself to learn to play piano easily and succeed. Piano playing is as much a learned skill as it is a talent. If you can teach yourself the skill, you're halfway there.

Do you want to discover the astonishing, step-by-step secrets of how to play the piano with the rhythm, timing and magic of a professional? You're going to save time, money, and aggravation. You'll learn to avoid the mistakes and disastrous situations that you've been vulnerable to. Teach yourself to play piano easily visit Rocket Piano -The Ultimate Piano Learning Kit at Learn To Play Music Instruments

Gerry Restrivera writes informative articles on various subjects including Being Piano Man: Tips for Teaching Yourself to Play Piano Easily. You are allowed to publish this article in its entirety provided that author?s name, bio and website links must remain intact and included with every reproduction.

Play Piano - There is No Substitute for Practice

           

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There is no substitute for practice. By spending a couple of hours with your instrument every day you develop a special relationship with it.

You need to have a regular practice routine that contains certain constant elements (such as warm-up exercises) as well as variable elements that address your current avenue of study. And performing doesn't count as practice. Although playing gigs, performing in Church or for your personal enjoyment is an essential part of your musical development, it won't replace time in the practice room.

There are times, however, when you just can't maintain a regular practice routine. All the other elements of your life crowd in and you find you have to grab a spare hour of practice wherever you can. It seems futile to embark on any long-range practice projects that will require weeks or months of steady work, because you know it won't happen.

So should you give up?

Must you put off the idea of improving your musicianship until you have more time (and are you sure that time will come)? Here's an alternative - I call it "target bombing."

You have an hour to practice. Find something to practice that is not currently in your arsenal. It could be a lick, a scale, a set of chord voicings, a section of a tune, a transcribed solo, anything. But this is important: it must be small. Don't set a general goal (e.g., mastering the McCoy Tyner style of pentatonic scale improvisation). Instead, select a little piece of business (such as a particular pentatonic lick to be learned in 12 keys). Assume that this is the only opportunity you'll have to learn this particular item. Tomorrow you'll move on to something else.

Approach the hour's practice with this attitude: "What can I do within the next hour to permanently improve my musicianship in one very small but measurable way?"

More specifically, "What can I do to master this one item so that it will be self-reinforcing, so that it will immediately begin to show up in my actual performances?"

Your plan is to devour this one small thing so completely that it can't slip away.

If it's a lick, make it a short one and learn it in several keys. Work out the fingering.

Play it over random ii-V progressions.

Solo over a few tunes and work that lick in wherever you can.

If it's a chord voicing, practice it in 12 keys, work it into tunes, and make sure you can make smooth transitions to and from other voicings.

If you don't get it by the end of the hour, you lose it forever. But if you ingest it fully enough, then it will immediately begin to show up in your performances. It will become a small element of your style and you'll never lose it.

This is target bombing. It's intense, focused, and can be tremendously effective and satisfying. Although at first it may be a method that you use because you can't find time for the more traditional, routine-oriented practice, you may find it so successful and fun that you make it your primary approach.

After all, you climb a mountain with thousands of small steps. Take each step so well that you never have to take it again.

I've seen this approach work wonders for many students, and I use it all the time myself. I've also seen it fail miserably for others. It requires a type of tunnel vision, a willingness to gnaw on one thing for one hour without letting other concerns intrude.

You might feel as if you are playing when you should be working or that focusing on a tiny area is not productive when there are so many major areas to be covered. But once you successfully target bomb a few small items, you'll realize the needlessness of your concerns.

Anyway, try this method on - see if it fits your style
 

Learn To Play Piano Chords: Learn To Play II-V-I Progressions

           

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II-V-I progressions are common in most types of popular music and mainstream jazz and more. If you can play II-V-I progressions you are in a lucky position. What then is a II-V-I progression? Well, come and see!

A C-major scale consists of seven notes: C D E F G A B

A C-major chord consists of the first, third and fifth notes in the C-major scale. This is called a triad.

A chord built from the first step of the scale can also be called I from the roman number one.

If I start on the second note of the C-major scale and construct a triad chord consisting of D F A, I have a chord built upon the second step of the scale.

This will be a D-minor chord and I can indicate that I have built a chord from the second note of the C-major scale by giving it the number II with roman numbers.

If I decide to build a triad chord from the fifth note of the C-major scale I have to add more notes in the C-major scale: C D E F G A B C D

If I start building a triad from G it will consist of the notes G B D. This is a G-major chord and to show that it is a triad built from the fifth step of the C-major scale we can call it V which is the roman number for five.

The smart thing with the roman numbers is that they don't indicate an absolute chord but rather the position of a chord in the key you are playing on your guitar, piano or other instrument.

In the key of C the roman numbers I stands for the chord C, II indicates the chord D-minor and V the chord G. Simplified we can say that when I say I will play a II-V-I chord progression in the key of C I will play the chords D-minor, G and C.

Actually this is just the beginning of the art of playing II-V-I progressions. You can spice the chords in different ways and play the chords in major or minor.

And of course a chord on a piano can be played in many different ways. A C-major chord must have the notes C, E and G but how many or where to play them is a matter of choice.

Here are a few easy examples of II-V-I progressions in C-major that can be transposed to other keys:

1. Dm, G7, C 2. Dm7, G7, C 3. D7, G7, C

When you practice these progressions on your piano you can choose to play them with both hands, with the left hand, giving room for right hand improvisation or your right hand, giving room for left hand bass playing or improvisation.

Practicing playing II-V-I progressions on your piano will help you see the relationship between chords and being able to play these progressions in different key will give you a tool that will help you recognize chord progressions in songs you hear which will help you trancribe songs by ear.

Peter Edvinsson is a musician, composer and music teacher. Visit his site Capotasto Music and download your free sheet music and learn to play piano resources at http://www.capotastomusic.com

Learning To Play Piano Chords

           

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If you are playing several notes at the same time, then you are playing piano chords. Simply put, when multiple notes are played together, piano chords are achieved. The chords then come together to form a melody. Every song that you hear has a melody and it is through each melody that music is achieved. Sound complicated? Well, that?s ok because it really isn?t as difficult as it sounds.

As a musician, whether it be professional or hobbyist, you will need to learn the various types of piano chords. The more that you understand about piano chords, the more variety you will have when playing. If you want to write your own music, you not only need an ear for tunes, but also the understanding of how to make them come together. A good instructor will introduce you to piano chords during lessons.

If you already have some experience, but simply want a better understanding of advanced piano chords, discuss these options with a private tutor or music teacher. By gaining an understanding of what sounds good and what doesn?t, you will have the undeniable edge over other budding musicians.

Every piano has 88 keys and while it may seem intimidating to learn piano chords, it actually comes down to memory. When typing on the computer, you know which keys to press in order to make a lowercase letters change to uppercase, right? By studying piano chords, you will begin to understand which keys to press at the same time in order to play a chord. During your introduction to learning piano, an instructor will cover some of the basic chords and you will come to know their sound when you hear them. After enough practice, you will be able to immediately identify piano chords by ear.

There are several other ways to help in your learning of piano chords, including instructional books, tutorials and videos. In the beginning, it may even help to label the keys until you have a better understanding of each of their unique sounds. As you progress in your learning, you can remove the identification labels and play using any arrangement of sheet music. Learning to identify notes will play a large part in your understanding of piano chords. As you move through your studies, you will learn all of the terminology associated with piano playing and the definition of each.

Learning piano chords is a very important part of the process, but it does require a certain degree of patience. Always remember that time will lessen the difficulty and, before you know it, you will be playing and identifying piano chords by ear. While it may seem intimidating at first, you will soon begin to notice the ease of playing piano chords will come naturally. Happy tunes!

Ian Williamson is the owner of The top learn to play piano site.

An Innovative Piano Instruction Video Game - Excellent Way to Learn to Play Piano

           

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People that play the piano beautifully fascinate me. It is interesting the different paths some of them take to become good at it. There are so many options now days for children and adults interested in becoming concert pianists, or just become comfortable with this instrument and play it whenever they feel like it, carry a tune for their enjoyment or to please others like myself.

Many excellent piano players started their education at a young age, because they were given the opportunity by their parents, relatives or friends, and with time they found a way to express themselves, increasing their self confidence opening doors of inspiration and self satisfaction to become better at their new enterprise.

In this technological age of computers and video games, these have become an excellent way to transmit information at an early age to children. The challenge remains in figuring out which video games should we buy and keep.

As far as piano learning is concerned, recently I have been shown and become interested in the PianoWizard video game package from Allegro Multimedia. piano instruction game computer software provides a fun attention grabber display setting to users, teaching them to play music first by being involved with game activities on the screen that they can interact with a fun color coded keyboard. This makes children start enjoying music without them even realizing they are stepping into the piano-playing world. This computer instruction game teaches music notation while children get more into the game, making the learning curve transparent, pressure free, fun and enjoyable.

The system works with MIDI files that one can download to a computer, in fact, the company's main site has links to many sites that have a large amount of MIDI files and information.

I find that the price for the keyboard and PianoWizard video game package is very affordable for all the capabilities included in the piano instruction software. I really do like the fact that one can up-load any type of song in MIDI format into the game and start playing it along in minutes. I believe your time will be well spent while visiting their site http://www.pianowizard.com/piano-instruction/ and learn about their excellent piano instruction game purchasing offer.


My best wishes to you and your children in this musical and uplifting venture.
Ivan Alegre is a Technology Market Analyst and apiano instruction game enthusiast.

 

Piano Lessons Outside the Box: A New Approach to Learning Piano

           

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Usually, piano lessons consist of a teacher assigning a method book to students in an attempt to teach them how to play the music of the "masters."

The hopeful student learns to read music (in a year or two) and begins to play his first pieces.

For most, this is satisfactory. All they really want to to do is play classical music and entertain themselves and others. Nothing wrong with it at all.

But what if there was a way to play the piano that allowed you to express yourself creatively - just like painters do? There is a way. And it all has to do with a chord-based approach!

You see, chords are to the pianist as what colors are to the visual artist. The artist uses color, form, and technique to create with. The improvising and composing musician uses melody, rhythm, and harmony to create music with.

Yet the sad truth of the matter is music students rarely learn this art. If they do, it's after they've mastered note reading and piano technique. The truly creative stuff doesn't appear until well after in most cases.

Now, I don't know why this is. But one thing is for sure? it doesn't have to be that way!

For example, by using a few chords and a way to play these chords, you can create your own music. Be it improvised or composed. Take my free lesson "Reflections in Water" for example.

Here we have 4 chords in the Key of C Major. The chords are modern sounding seventh chords and are all played in open position. By using the materials of music (chords) we can quickly begin creating music - much like visual artists do.

You don't have to be Beethoven or Mozart to do this. On the contrary, the less you know, the better you will be able to improvise because you haven't learned what you "should" be doing.

I believe piano lessons can be taught much like an art lesson. You first have the title of the piece you'll be creating. You then use a step by step method that shows you how the piece was made. I've been using this method to teach with for years now and my students love it.

In short, don't think going the classical route is the only way. It's not. If you want to create your own unique music, you can!

Edward Weiss is a pianist/composer and webmaster of Quiescence Music's online piano lessons. He has been helping students learn how to play piano in the New Age style for over 14 years and works with students in private, in groups, and now over the internet. Stop by now at http://www.quiescencemusic.com/piano_lessons.html for a FREE piano lesson!

Five Great Practice Ideas I Learned From My Piano Students

           

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Sometimes the teacher learns more from the student than the student does from the teacher. Hopefully, not too often, but today I would like to share with you some great practicing ideas that have come from my piano students over the years:

1. A Colonel in Virginia that I taught for several years got up at 4AM every weekday morning and practiced on an electronic keyboard with headphones so he wouldn't disturb anyone at that time of the morning. "I love the early morning", he said, "because it's so quiet and peaceful and I'm fresh and raring to go. No phones are ringing, no people walking into the room, no disturbances at all. I practice for a half-hour, have breakfast, and then hit it for another half-hour -- all before I have to show up for work. When I get home in the evening, if I'm too tired to practice, I don't feel guilty because I've already got my licks in for the day. And if I'm up to practicing some more -- well, it's a bonus!"

2. An elementary school teacher in Indiana told me she took each piece I assigned her and transposed it into all 12 keys -- not written out, but at the piano -- in her head. She said "It doesn't always sound so hot, but I find that if I keep at it day after day, I can at least get by in the most difficult keys, and it makes the easier keys seem real simple. And it gives me a perspective that I just wouldn't get it I just played it in one key -- the key it is written in. I've learned that each key has it's own "feel", and some keys are bright (like "D") and some keys are mellow (like "Db").

3. Another piano student with a similar idea, who was the Minister of Music in a Catholic church, said he took one whole month of the year and devoted it to mastering just one key. Since there are 12 months in the year and 12 Major keys, that works out perfectly. So in January he played everything he could find in the key of C, and transposed anything that wasn't in C into C. In February he went up 1/2 step to the key of C# (also known as Db enharmonically) and played everything in Db and searched for pieces written in the key of Db, and so on. By the time the year was up, he had a pretty fair grasp on the 12 Major keys. I suggested that he devote the next year to the 12 minor keys, and the next year to the modes, and the next year to polytonality, etc., etc. -- but as I recall he decided to just recycle through the 12 major keys, since he used them so much more than the ones I suggested.

4. Still another piano student took an idea from me and twisted it a bit. I suggested that she play along with pieces she liked on tapes and CD's, so she would get a feel for the motion of the song. (I used to do that by the hour when I was a teen-ager, and it paid off big time for me!). She took the idea and tried it and liked it so much that she started getting videos of people playing the piano. She arranged her TV and video player so that she could be at her piano while the video was playing, and she would play along with the pianist on the screen, following her/his hand motions and arm motions and finger position and thereby getting a feeling for the flow of the music. (Patterning). Her creativity is paying off for her -- she is advancing rapidly. (And by the way, don't think she is "copying" the person she is watching -- not at all. It's the same principle as watching Michael Jordan moving toward the basket, or watching Sammy Sosa swing a bat -- it just gets you in the right groove before you apply your own style to it.)

5. A doctor I have taught for years makes a idea file of things he has learned about piano playing over the years. He notes where in a given book or tape or video I discuss such and such a topic, and files that alphabetically. Then later when he needs to refer to that idea, he simply looks up the idea in his file, locates the video or cassette or book, and presto -- he can review that idea or concept almost instantly. It's like a card catalog in the library -- makes finding things so much faster than flipping through endless books trying to find that idea you saw long ago.

With the advent of the computer a person could store and categorize ideas such as this very quickly.

Hope this gives you some ideas of your own!

Duane Shinn is the author of the popular free 101-week online e-mail newsletter titled "Amazing Secrets Of Exciting Piano Chords & Sizzling Chord Progressions- Intelligent Piano Lessons For Adults Only! " with over 84,400 current subscribers.

Piano Lesson: Do You Know What You Learn When You Play Piano?

           

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I guess you are learning to play piano in order to become a better pianist. Do you know that there are many secret learning processes in action as you practice on your piano. Let's find out the truth!

I presume that you practice on the piano with the hope of becoming a better instrumentalist, pianist and musician and and in order to experience the joy and satisfaction that follows.

The learning processes in action as you try to learn to play the piano can lead you forward towards you goals. However, some things you learn can limit your progress and I think it is important to be aware of these factors.

Let's take a look at what you don't want to learn as you play piano! Let me mention three things!

1. At times when you practice on your piano you might experience stress and other uncomfortable feelings due to a deadline in the form of a upcoming piano lesson you don't feel prepared for or other disturbing thoughts.

The feelings you experience as you practice a specific piece of music have a tendency to be evoked when you play the same piece at another occasion.

2. Can tensions stick to your sheet music? Your actual muscle tension level when you play a piano composition tends to be present when you play the same piece of music in public.

In other words, it will be more difficult to perform and play a piano composition in a relaxed manner when you have practiced it with a high tension level.

3. Can you learn not to play a piece of music? I guess you practice on your piano and take piano lessons in order to become a better player.

However, if you don't concentrate on your piano playing and if you play new passages too fast you will probably make a lot of mistakes.

These mistakes tend to slow down the learning process and in fact they will be a part of the learning process. The more mistakes you make playing a particular piano sheet music passage the harder it will be to play it right.

Why is it so? All your earlier mistakes will accumulate and disturb you as you try to play a passage right. To play a passage wrong will become easier and easier the more times you make mistakes.

Is this depressing news? Well if these news will help you change your way of practicing piano playing it will be good news!

You can use these piano practicing news to your advantage! Read on!

1. Try to make your piano practicing sessions to peaceful and joyful occasions by never procrastinating your piano lesson homework and by having the right attitude as you start playing.

2. Always practice a new piano piece slowly and with concentration and with correct posture. If you don't make mistakes as you practice you will progress much faster!

3. Remember to relax as you play piano. Your piano practicing session can also be a relaxation exercise and if you play piano in this manner it will be beneficial both for your physical and mental health!

Peter Edvinsson is a musician, composer and music teacher. Visit his site Capotasto Music and download your free sheet music and learn to play piano resources at http://www.capotastomusic.com