Maybe you’d like to play piano like Mozart, Keith Jarrett, and Ray Charles.
Or maybe you just want to play for your own enjoyment. Whatever the case, this post will show you how to learn piano, even if you’ve never touched a piano in your life.
Both reading sheet music and learning to play by ear have their own unique benefits when it comes to playing the piano.
Ultimately, a well-rounded Pianist can benefit from both reading sheet music and learning to play by ear. Combining these skills gives you a comprehensive understanding of music, enhances your versatility, and helps you enjoy a wide range of music.
But here are the advantages of each…
Sheet music provides precise and detailed musical notation, like pitch, rhythm, dynamics, and other musical elements. By reading sheet music, you can make sure you play the part exactly right.
Learning to read sheet music opens up a vast world of music. You can explore and play music from different genres, time periods, and Composers. The library of song you can learn is basically endless.
Reading sheet music enhances your sight-reading abilities. Sight-reading is the ability to play music fluently at first sight. It helps you quickly learn new pieces, collaborate with other musicians, and perform music accurately without prior familiarity.
When you learn to play by ear, you develop a strong sense of improvisation and creativity. By relying on your ears, you can create your own musical interpretations, variations, and embellishments, adding a personal touch to your playing.
Playing by ear improves your overall ear training. You become more attuned to pitch, intervals, melodies, chord progressions, and harmonies. This skill helps you recognize and reproduce musical patterns without needing sheet music.
Playing by ear may help you develop a deeper connection with the music. You rely on your intuition, musical instinct, and emotional interpretation to bring out the desired sound. It allows for greater freedom and flexibility in your performance.
Before you decide on a method for how to learn piano, you have to figure out what kind of pianist you want to be. Below are some possible goals you could pursue with piano…
Can I teach myself piano?
There are many self-taught musicians, so the answer to this question is most definitely YES. There are many excellent books, videos, blogs, and apps to learn from. If self-learning is your goal, do the research to find out which materials and methods will work best for you. People all learn differently, so what works for one person doesn’t always work for another. If you wish to teach yourself, it’s totally up to you to find the materials and the best way for you to make steady progress with your playing.
There are indeed some wonderfully accomplished musicians who learned all on their own, but it’s comparatively rare. The reason is, even the self-taught players get to a point where they can’t go further on their own and start to stagnate. That’s when they make the decision to finally seek out a Teacher. Even if it’s just for a few lessons, getting some instruction can get you out of a “slump” or plateau, which happens to everyone. You might also decide you’d like to learn other aspects of music, like music theory, composition, or arranging, for which a teacher could be helpful.
It also depends on the style of music. If you want to learn Classical music, you will need a teacher to guide you. If you are playing popular songs, getting together with other musicians to play might be useful to your self-learning. There’s a lot you can achieve on your own as a self-taught musician, but most people decide at some point to seek the guidance of a gifted teacher, of which there are many.
Here’s a beginner lesson on learning to play the songs that you love:
When it comes to classical music, you may want to start with learning to read sheet music. Classical pieces are completely laid out in sheet music, and they would be very hard to figure out by ear. It’s a good idea to start with simplified versions of classical pieces instead of the original composition with every single little part.
Like learning classical music, learning jazz piano should start with reading sheet music. Jazz compositions show you how to play both hands, and they are also very hard to figure out by ear alone. Piano instructors often recommended beginners start with the song “Autumn Leaves” because it’s a good intro to playing jazz piano.
If you want to learn how to play famous songs on the piano, you don’t necessarily need to read sheet music. Once you learn how to form piano chords, you can Google the chords of your favorite pop song and play it! It may take some practice to get the right rhythm and switch chords fast enough, but you’ll get there if you stick with it.
How can I learn piano by myself?
The best way to start is to learn how to play other artists’ and songwriters’ songs. First, choose a song you love. Then Google “[SONG TITLE]” + “chords” and you’ll get websites that will show you all the chords. If you need to learn how to play the chords, check out this guide.
This is the most basic level of playing piano, but one of the more honorable ones. Take the same approach as you would to play pop songs (see previous subheading). Songs that kids typically enjoy usually have simple chords and rhythms, so you should be able to pick it up in no time.
If you want to compose your own music, it could really help you to learn how to read sheet music as well as learn to play by ear. If you’re a singer-songwriter/artist, you can write music just using the chords you know and may not require sheet music. But if you’re looking to become a composer of pieces that other people (like orchestras) will play, you will need to learn how to read and notate sheet music.
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Short answer: it varies based on your dedication, consistency of practice, previous musical experience, natural aptitude, the complexity of the music you aim to play, and your specific goals.
Longer answer, there are three general stages you’ll probably go through…
How long does it take to learn piano?
The answer to this question depends on a number of factors, such as how much time you can commit, whether or not you have a teacher, if you play other instruments already, and your natural aptitude for music and for learning. Age may also be a factor, since young people have the benefit of more neuroplasticity (the ability of the brain to form new neural pathways which is the physical basis of learning) and can often learn new skills more quickly. The bottom line is that everyone should be able to learn at their own pace.
If you have the benefit of a good teacher, and can commit to regular practice of about 30 to 45 minutes daily, you should be able to play some simple pieces in a few months. To really understand keyboard theory and the mechanics of playing music at the piano, you could progress from beginner to intermediate level in a year, and expect to be fairly competent as a pianist in about three years. It takes as long as 5 to 10 years for most people to become truly proficient, and to play at a professional level in a variety of styles takes most people about 10-15 years.
Here’s one self-taught person’s journey of learning piano on their own:
Depending on what kind of pianist you want to become (see previous section), you can do just fine learning piano on your own. Here’s how…
Are pianos easy to learn?
As with any instrument, the beginning of learning how to play piano can be awkward. But it’s easy in that you don’t have to build up calluses on your fingers like you do with stringed instruments. Your hands may be sore in the beginning because you’ll be stretching them more than you’re used to, but that stage should last long.
In the beginning, you can start playing simple songs with basic techniques after a few weeks of regular practice. With consistent daily practice (around 30 minutes to an hour), you can expect to develop a basic level of proficiency within a year or two.
Progressing to an intermediate level, where you can play more complex pieces, usually takes several years of dedicated practice. This stage involves refining your technique, expanding your repertoire, and developing musical interpretation skills. It can take anywhere from 3 to 5 years or more to reach this level, depending on your commitment and the time you invest in practice.
Is it easy to learn the piano?
Hey, if it was easy, everyone would be doing it, right? To do anything really well takes years of commitment and diligent practice. Perhaps a better way to approach this question would be to think about your goals. Why do you want to learn to play? What style or genre of music do you want to play? Some styles are harder to learn than others. Learning to play the four chords in a Pop, Rock, or Blues piece might be fairly easy to accomplish in relatively short order, but learning to play Jazz or Classical music is much more challenging and will undoubtedly take more of a sustained effort.
So, the short answer is that it is NOT easy to learn to do well. But, to get some basics covered might not be too hard. And of course, it will depend on the individual, and their capacity to learn, musical background, style of music, and more. Most accomplished musicians know how to play some piano, and just about anyone can learn. To really know the answer to this question for yourself, you should make a concerted effort to find out. You might find it’s easier than you thought, but you won’t know until you actually go for it and give it a try.
Reaching an advanced level of piano playing typically requires many years of consistent practice, disciplined study, and a deep understanding of music theory and technique. This stage involves tackling a more demanding repertoire, refining your musical expression, and honing your performance skills. It’s not uncommon for dedicated self-learners to spend a decade or more to reach an advanced level.
What is the fastest way to learn piano?
Everyone operates differently, so a self-taught pianist could learn faster than a piano student, and vice versa. It’s all about knowing yourself and how you learn best. Then it comes down to dedication and practice.
Choosing the right keyboard (or piano) depends on many things, like your budget, available space, and your specific needs.
Here are some tips to help you make an informed decision:
Developing proper piano technique is essential for playing well, and it will make your life a lot easier. Here are some of the most important aspects of good piano technique…
Keep your hands relaxed and natural. Your fingers should be slightly curved, and your wrists should be level with your hands, not too high or too low.
Assign each finger a number (1-5, starting from the thumb). Use the correct fingers for each key, and avoid unnecessary movement. Practice playing scales and exercises to strengthen each finger.
Develop finger independence by practicing exercises that involve playing different notes with each finger simultaneously. This helps improve coordination and control.
Play with the entire finger, from the fingertip to the base. Avoid collapsing your joints or playing with only the fingertips.
Practice hand coordination by playing hands separately and then gradually combining them. Start slowly and increase the tempo as you become more comfortable.
Sit up straight with both feet flat on the floor. Maintain a relaxed but attentive posture. Avoid slouching, as it can affect your playing and lead to discomfort.
Keep your muscles relaxed while playing. Tension in your hands, wrists, or shoulders can hinder your ability to play smoothly. Take breaks and shake out any tension if you start to feel strained.
Learn how to use the sustain pedal (if your piano has one) effectively. Practice pedaling techniques to create a seamless and connected sound, but be mindful not to overuse it.
This is one of the most helpful ways to learn any instrument. Find a song you love, Google the chords, make sure you know those chords on piano, and then start practicing the song. Once you’re good enough, it may help to play along with the song.
YouTube is an ocean of education and knowledge, and lots of people have uploaded piano tutorials. These range from teaching you how to play a specific song to how to form piano chords to basic theory.
If you’ve got a smartphone, you can learn to play piano. According to user reviews, some of the best piano learning apps include…
Sometimes you may need a little kick in the pants – someone to keep you accountable. That’s where piano lessons can be helpful.
The cost of piano lessons can vary depending on many things, like the location, the experience level of the teacher, the length of each lesson, and the format (in-person or online).
But generally, you can expect to pay $30-100 per hour for in-person lessons and $20-60 per hour for online video lessons.
To put that in perspective, piano lessons are usually 30 minutes to 1 hour long (shorter lessons for younger students). And lessons are often weekly but should be at least every other week.
Keep in mind, you may also have to buy sheet music and spend money on traveling to the instructor’s teaching location.
Here are some common places you can contact to find reputable piano instructors…
There are plenty of companies that will connect students with piano teachers for online lessons. Some of those websites include:
