Hammond Music

It is a fact that at some point in all of our lives we strongly consider learning to play the piano. Do you have an idol that you admire because of their piano-playing talent? Do you have a passion for listening to well-played piano music?

You should know that you are not alone – so many of us have had that very same urge, but never taken it up. Do you think you need a little push in the right direction? Before you begin, think about the two ways of learning the piano:

1)    Chords
2)    Note reading

Before you rush headlong into either of these methods, you need first of all to understand what you want to achieve. If you are quite content to read other people’s music, then all you really need to learn is how to read the notes. On the other hand, if you are feeling more creative and want to go down the route of composing your own music, then you will also need to have a good understanding of the chords.

What is also dependent here is the time-frame you are currently looking at. The note reading can always come a little later. The mastering of the chords will give you a much better understanding of the sounds that they make, both when played alone and together. For the player who wants to learn more quickly, then the chord-based approach is probably best-suited to you.

There really are a lot of ways to learn to play the piano properly – and if you are just starting out then you should be considering the pros and cons of getting a good piano teacher. It’s quite easy to find an experienced teacher, and there are also a lot of benefits that come with this – for example you can often learn either at their studio or at your own home.

Before you begin looking for an instructor, then it’s a good idea to have a goal in mind. Remember the two approaches to learning – if you want to play for a bit of fun (and it is good fun!), then you should be looking for a piano teacher who will teach you the note side of things. Conversely, if you are looking to expose your more creative side and want to compose yourself, then a chord-based teacher is going to be more productive.

It is vital to get this right, as otherwise you will find that you are wasting quite a bit of money on something that will not give you the benefits of achieving your goals. Piano teachers are often not too expensive, but if you are only learning something that you could learn from a book, it is still an unnecessary expense.

You might also want to take a look at some of the online programs that are currently available. Many of them are far cheaper than one-on-one piano lessons, and they can be just as good. There are many benefits to learning online – you can learn at your own pace, and no-one stands behind you with a big stick as you practice!

It may seem like learning online is the only real option in these circumstances, but you must also bear in mind that by learning online and at your own pace, there is no-one breathing down your neck as you practice!! Also, if you are learning online, and there is something that you don’t understand, there is no-one there to ask for help. Quite often, this can lead to a drop in your motivation levels – if you are only doing it for yourself then sometimes it can be difficult to continue!

The end of the lesson is quite simple: the piano should be something you enjoy playing, and enjoy learning to play. When you get frustrated and fed up with it, then you need to look at the approach you are taking to it. That’s not what playing the piano is all about!!

Copyright 2009 Lauren Paltrow (Stage Pianist)

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