One of the best things you can do for yourself is to learn how to play a musical instrument. It helps to combat ageing and keeps your brain fit. It also helps to relieve stress and allows you to find a constructive way of relaxing. Moreover, playing music can become a way for you to earn money if you're good enough at it. Of course you have to start somewhere and one of the best stepping stones is to take piano lessons.
Learning in a structured, formal way has many advantages. You learn the different playing techniques that you might need, as well as the correct way to position your hands, use your fingers and moving your body. You also learn how to read music and about music theory. This will come in handy even when you decide to switch to a different instrument such as the guitar or the flute later on.
One of the most important things to remember is that becoming a skilled pianist takes time. At first you'll learn very simple, basic pieces and this may be frustrating. However, these pieces will lay the groundwork for the more difficult ones you'll be playing later on. Like with everything else in life, you need to start small and be patient. A tennis player can't expect to win Wimbledon the first time round and in the same way, you can't expect to play a full piano concerto after only a couple of weeks.
While patience is important, so are discipline and lots of practice. Just like an athlete has to work out every day, you need to practice your playing techniques. When you manage to perfect a technique or a piece of music, you can move on to something a little more advanced; and the sooner you master something, the sooner you can start making progress. This is why you need to make time every day to practice playing.
When you practice, don't only focus on the pieces you're learning. Set aside time for practicing scales too. These may be incredibly boring but they lay the groundwork for understanding the different musical keys, such as C major or A minor. In addition, they're a great way to loosen up your fingers and make the muscles in your hands strong and fit.
It's not only scales that will help you gain understanding into the structure of music. An important part of music education is musical theory, which involves learning about the different symbols and terms as well as how a piece of music is put together. A good teacher will include theory tasks in your classes and will even give you homework assignments to do.
It's incredibly important to choose the right teacher. He or she shouldn't only be a skilled and accomplished musician. Your teacher needs to be able to support and encourage you and help you understand every aspect of playing.
An absolutely essential trait to have when you learn the piano is the ability to persevere. There will be times when you become frustrated and want to throw in the towel. There will also be times when you just can't seem to make any progress. However, these times will pass, so just learn how to get through them without giving up and you'll be on your way to becoming a great pianist.
Learning in a structured, formal way has many advantages. You learn the different playing techniques that you might need, as well as the correct way to position your hands, use your fingers and moving your body. You also learn how to read music and about music theory. This will come in handy even when you decide to switch to a different instrument such as the guitar or the flute later on.
One of the most important things to remember is that becoming a skilled pianist takes time. At first you'll learn very simple, basic pieces and this may be frustrating. However, these pieces will lay the groundwork for the more difficult ones you'll be playing later on. Like with everything else in life, you need to start small and be patient. A tennis player can't expect to win Wimbledon the first time round and in the same way, you can't expect to play a full piano concerto after only a couple of weeks.
While patience is important, so are discipline and lots of practice. Just like an athlete has to work out every day, you need to practice your playing techniques. When you manage to perfect a technique or a piece of music, you can move on to something a little more advanced; and the sooner you master something, the sooner you can start making progress. This is why you need to make time every day to practice playing.
When you practice, don't only focus on the pieces you're learning. Set aside time for practicing scales too. These may be incredibly boring but they lay the groundwork for understanding the different musical keys, such as C major or A minor. In addition, they're a great way to loosen up your fingers and make the muscles in your hands strong and fit.
It's not only scales that will help you gain understanding into the structure of music. An important part of music education is musical theory, which involves learning about the different symbols and terms as well as how a piece of music is put together. A good teacher will include theory tasks in your classes and will even give you homework assignments to do.
It's incredibly important to choose the right teacher. He or she shouldn't only be a skilled and accomplished musician. Your teacher needs to be able to support and encourage you and help you understand every aspect of playing.
An absolutely essential trait to have when you learn the piano is the ability to persevere. There will be times when you become frustrated and want to throw in the towel. There will also be times when you just can't seem to make any progress. However, these times will pass, so just learn how to get through them without giving up and you'll be on your way to becoming a great pianist.
