So, here you are beginning to play the piano. Not to scare you, but playing the piano is a pretty tough job. You will have to devote a lot of time and focus to even begin playing it. With so many keys, millions of compositions can be played and honestly not even one of them is easy to do.
A lot of people who adore this instrument want to play it and they pay for a handful of piano lessons, but they find themselves unsatisfied because learning is a slow process and some people do not have that patience. If you think it is tough to sit in a class and learn among so many students, you have come to the right place, the internet, and this beginner’s tutorial.
I am not going to list some hard compositions here, but rather some tips to get you started. Like any beginner, you probably want to start playing the piano immediately, but it is important to learn some concepts and basic tips first. Here is some basic knowledge for you first.
Identify the Octaves
To begin, try breaking the piano keyboard into some easily manageable pieces. How do you do that? First, look closer. See how the keys are laid out in a pattern. Identify that pattern. If you have, you already know what an octave is. In simple terms, an octave is a set of twelve keys (including both black and white ones). When you looked closer, did you notice that twelve keys repeat themselves seven times? That sequence of twelve keys, which are actually the different notes, is termed as an octave.
Find the Middle C
After you have learned to differentiate the octaves, now you need to know the notes on the keyboard. To start, the most important note is the Middle C. How do you find it? Notice the black keys on the piano and the pattern they repeat. They are repeating themselves as alternative groups of three and two keys. Now, to find the C note, take those groups of two black keys and hit the white key just below the lower black one.
Each of those white keys below the lowest black one (on the left side) are your C notes. So, placing the C note within a group of two black keys is easy. Now, the middle C is the fourth C note when you start from the left of the piano. This key is the most important one and you will need it the most while playing this instrument.
Name the Notes
The middle C or the C notes are important, but they are not the only ones in an octave, so we will move on to the other notes. They are D, E, F, G, A and B. The letters remain the same for the black ones, but they get added up a little. If you start with the middle C and consider the white keys only, the order is D, E, F, G, A and B and it repeats itself with the next C note. So, now you know more of them. Similarly, continue on with the ones on the left.
Number Your Fingers
After you know the keys, the next step would be to number those fingers. Number your fingers from one to five, with one for the thumb and five for the little finger. It is the same for both hands.
Play the Scales
Now that you have done most of the theory part, you can begin playing the scales. How? After you have named the fingers and you know the notes, you have enough knowledge to play the first scale, the C major scale. It is easy for an expert, but for you as a beginner, it might be quite challenging, so take your time and practice well.
The C major scales have eight notes that you will need to play, starting from a C and ending with a C. Now, you need to practice playing eight notes with five fingers, and as mentioned earlier, it will be challenging at first. For this scale, the fingering pattern on your right hand will be 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Note how there is a reset between the third and fourth notes. This order is followed by learning a technique called ‘thumbtack’, which involves curling your thumb below your hand in order to play a repeat to continue playing a phrase. Once you know this technique, it will seem simpler, but it is still one of the most important tricks for the most popular pianists out there. Just keep this technique in mind at each of your piano practices.
Also, the rules remain the same when playing with your other hand, but with the left hand, the numbering pattern differs. Now, it will be, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 3, 2, 1. A similar bending motion will take place here, but this time it will be your middle finger rolling between the fifth and the sixth note. This is the most important step for a beginner, as well as for an expert, because the scales are what give music to the piano. As such, practicing scales is the most important thing to emerging as a pianist and playing good music. The trick is in the techniques and how you understand the fingering.
Some Extra Knowledge
Now that you are practicing keys and scales, here is some basic but important knowledge when you will move ahead of major C. The black keys are known to play the sharp and the flat notes while the white ones are known to be the natural keys as they play the natural tones.
What are different notes called as per the counts in them:
- A Whole Note: a whole note is basically the one with four counts. It has four beats that go: 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and.
- A Half Note: a half note has two counts. The two beats go: 1 and 2 and.
- A Quarter Note: a quarter note is the shortest with one note. It has one beat: 1 and.
These were the classification of the notes as per the number of counts or beats they have. Each of them just shows how many counts it will relieve. So, to play the piano, you must know how to classify the notes.
Conclusion
Here we have provided you with all the knowledge that will get you started with the keys on the piano. You now know how to play scales and how to adjust playing with your fingers. Many people give up the idea of playing the piano when imagining the amount of time they will have to devote to it. But when you play it and practice well, it is worth the effort. So, have a good time playing it.
