Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Getting The Most From Your Piano Lessons

By Ina Hunt


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.

Investing in formal lessons from a teacher has several advantages. Naturally one of these is that you'll learn the correct techniques for playing. In addition, you will be taught how to read and understand musical notation and theory. This is a skill that you can take with you even when you take up a different instrument later on.

At first your classes will be a test of patience. Everyone wants to be able to sit down and play a beautiful sonata but first you need to master the basics. This means that the pieces you'll play initially will be so simple that they may not even sound like proper melodies. However, be patient and remember that they are the foundation on which to build.

Practice is very important. Try to set aside at least an hour every day for this. Your playing skills and technique won't just magically appear and you need to put in some effort. Remember that the sooner you master a particular technique, the sooner you can move on to the next step.

Many aspiring pianists find that the most boring aspect of learning is having to practice scales and arpeggios. However, these shouldn't be neglected. They help you understand the different keys but they're also excellent as exercises for your fingers. If you can play scales well, you'll be able to play the more difficult parts of pieces by composers such as Mozart with ease.

Musical theory is part of learning the piano, as it is with every other instrument. Your teacher will give you theory homework to do after most lessons. Do these tasks and you'll not only learn the correct terminology but you'll also pick up the knowledge you'll need to one day compose your own pieces.

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.




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