Learning is a lifelong process that helps you develop and grow. A musician can never cease learning. And a pianist always aims at improving through learning. Whether you are a beginner or have been practicing for five years, there is always some room for improvement. Beginners learn to play simple pieces while intermediate learners play more complicated tunes. Devotion is the fuel that helps the learning process run faster. Unless you devote yourself to learning to play better, you will lack speed and won’t notice prominent progress any time soon.
How do I learn to play better? This is a simple yet complicated question. But no need to worry because the following tips and tricks will help answer this question and help you play better.
Start With a Single Hand
If you are starting to learn to play the piano then, start with only the right hand. When you are a beginner, it can be difficult and exhausting to coordinate both your hands while learning this new skill. If you start with one hand, and after adequate practice, introduce the second, then proper coordination and better playing is ensured. Give your hands and brain enough time to adapt to the keys and the new routine and soon you’ll be playing some melodious tunes.
Learn Piano Theory
When a person is well informed about the technicalities, they tend to show more progress within less time. Piano theory introduces various concepts and technicalities that will help you play better. Your theoretical knowledge will help you to perform better in the practical. You will be able to understand the chords, keys, and notes efficiently, and as such, will be able to play well. If you know your piano well, then you will play your piano better. You don’t have to dive into the complicated concepts, just learn about the basics, and you’ll be well prepared to play better.
Learn to Listen
Ear training is a crucial part of improving your piano-playing skills. You will be able to progress when you are able to think musically. Don’t just listen to a music piece – concentrate, and think about the chords, notes, scales, progression, and keys. Try to learn music by listening and listening better. Once you are able to understand music just by listening to it, your playing skills will show significant progress. Train your ear and mind to help your fingers play better. Listen, concentrate, understand, and then play.
Take Your Time
If you hurry in playing, then you will miss the notes. You have to choose between accuracy and speed. In order to play better, the tip is to focus on accuracy. If you listen to a music piece and want to start playing with the same tempo, then you will compromise many essential notes. Give yourself adequate time to learn and adopt. Start by playing slowly and by trying to understand the music. Once you can play the piece slowly, within no time, you will be able to play it faster.
Practice Daily
Regular practice is the mantra for improving your skills. No need to sit for long hours playing your piano even after you are tired. This practice fatigue won’t contribute to your development. Just sit for 10–15 minutes a day and play. Play wholeheartedly with zeal, and learn to improve. A daily session with your piano will ensure the piano’s well-being and your progress. Set your routine and remember to play every day. If you assume that playing once a week for 2–3 hours is going to hone your skills, then you are wrong. Regular short-term practices are more beneficial than occasional long-hour sessions. For speedy progress, practice regularly.
Analyze Your Progress
If you desire to hone your skills, you should know where you stand. You should be aware of your mistakes and achievements. You should be able to recognize your strengths and weaknesses. Analyzing your progress will allow you to provide yourself feedback and improve. You can record your music piece, then listen as a critique and comment. Listening to your work will allow you to appreciate the chords and work on the missed notes. Note your strengths and weaknesses, and work on your mistakes in order to add more to your list of achievements. Remember to be encouraged by your criticism. Improving implies outdoing your past self, and a well-designed progress chart will help you improve quickly.
First Small Sections, Then the Whole Piece
Playing the piano is an art and no art is mastered overnight. To make your music piece sound mesmerizing,, start by playing in sections. Break down the music piece into numerous sections and practice each one by one. Remember to include the ending of the current section at the start of the next. This will smooth the transitions and beautifully bring out the final piece. It can be overwhelming to learn a whole piece together, and have to restart every time you hit the wrong note. Learning sections will help you understand the piece better and play better. Once you have practiced all the sections, start combining them, and eventually, you will be able to play the whole piece delightfully.
Enjoy Playing
It is easy to hone your skills when you enjoy playing. Don’t treat playing the piano as a burden or work. Treat it as the exhilarating experience that it is. Enjoy your practice sessions, appreciate every right note, and take criticism well. Enjoyment leads to improvement. Progress is powered by your zeal and enthusiasm. Stop playing when you are tired and start playing when you’re ready to enjoy it. The pleasure in playing is the secret of playing better. When you gently press the keys and feel satisfaction when the melodious vibration hits your eardrum, then you move a step closer to perfection.
Use Sheet Music
Practice using sheet music so that you know which note to play and which key to press. Sheet music will help you quickly befriend a music piece and better understand its structure. Practice sessions with sheet music will catalyze your progress and help you play better.
Start with a single tip, then include the rest and improve your performance for the best. All the above-mentioned tricks and tips are beneficial for your journey of improvement. Care for your piano, devote yourself to your practice sessions, know your piano better, start slowly, aim for accuracy, and don’t hurry. The question of how to learn to play better has been answered theoretically, and now it is your turn to perform the practical and hone your skills quickly.
