Learn to Play Piano: Lessons, Techniques and Resources

Learn to Play Piano (for beginners and intermediate levels): Here’s the how-to, various methods, techniques, & helpful resources.

There are many, who wish to learn to play the piano but never actually manage to get started, for various reasons. Some think that they are too old, some have no time, some think its difficult, some are busy thinking of shortcuts to learn this instrument.

However, learning to play the piano is similar to learning any other art, and with regular practice, it can be learned. It requires time and commitment, but the benefit it offers makes it well worth the time and effort.

While mastering a craft can take years, it’s a lot easier to get started, learn the basics and play simple songs (for beginners), if you’re willing to practice half an hour daily for a few months.

How Long Does It Take to Learn to Play the Piano?

It depends on the person, your teaching methods, and the time you spend on practicing. Here are some guidelines.

Within 6 months you should be able to play most of the nursery rhymes and simple tunes.
In a year’s time, maybe some of your favorite songs.
In 2 years, probably all your favorite songs.
In 5 years time you should be able to play in various musical styles, should be able to recognize and play most of the chords, and should be able to improvise.
10 years and more, you can become a professional.

What is the Right Age to Start?

Whenever you’re ready! That’s about it actually!

If you are very old, as long as you still have a sharp memory and can hit the pedal, you can learn piano.
If you are a kid, and have developed fingers, you can start learning piano.

Learning piano at a young age though has several advantages as the young ones are fast-learners and they have that enthusiasm to learn new things.

Children can start taking lessons when they are about 6 years old. Kids with some sort of musical background in their family may be able to pick up things a couple of years earlier as well.

Why is Piano Important to Music Studies

The piano is considered very important to music studies, and here are the reasons.

Best Visual Tool

First of all, the piano is the best visual tool out there. Its layout is the most logical of all instruments. There are a lot of teachers who don’t really play the piano (its not their primary instrument) but they use the piano keyboard to teach several aspects of music theory.

If you start with the basic understanding that every adjacent key is musically one semitone (or 1/2 tone mathematically speaking) apart, it’s very easy to see how scales and chords are constructed.

Versatile Instrument

The piano is melodic, harmonic, percussive, staccato and legato. You can do a solo act, band or classical orchestra. It can be used to play music and compose music in various genres of music.

Even musicians whose primary instrument is different find the piano inspiring to write music as it gives a wide range to hear and play harmony and melody simultaneously.

You Acquire Several Transferrable Skills

Secondly, learning the piano provides a student with so many transferrable skills that if one decides to play a different instrument, it won’t take much longer. One would most certainly have a good grasp on theory, reading rhythms and well developed fingers. So it does make the transition much easier.

Various Piano Learning Methods to Get Started

There are various piano learning methods available to students.

Music Lessons from Tutors

Find a good teacher and learn directly from the tutor. This is how many have learned to play the piano in the past, and is still an effective method to learn.

In this method learning is faster; you won’t pick up any bad playing habits, you will be monitored and motivated. You can gain a lot from the personal experiences of your teacher, which can be handy for the intermediate level players.

The downside is that you need to spare more time, assuming you have to travel to the teacher. One lesson in a week may not be sufficient for many. More lessons increases the costs. While most teachers will be able to teach absolute beginners, intermediate-level students may find it difficult to find teachers with the right competencies.

Group Music Lessons

Enrolling in a music school for group music lessons can be a fun way to learn and also make friends with other students, some of whom may be learning to play other musical instruments as well. If you spend a few years learning there, you might even form a band with the friends that you make there.

The downside is that it is difficult to find a good school in the vicinity. Also, though friends are good, it also means that you might unnecessarily spend time on non-music related things.

Piano Courses / Method Books

In case you want to learn on your own, without the help of a teacher, get a piano course or method books. Most of the method books have a selection of books ranging from the primer to the advanced levels.

Software / Apps (Video Lessons)

More people are learning to play the piano using Software and Apps that make use of video lessons. These can be quite comprehensive with several lessons, exercises and play-along songs for practice. What makes them really enjoyable is that these are available as video lessons, so you can actually see what notes are to be played and how it is supposed to sound.

Pros: You can learn right at home, the cost is less compared to private music lessons, you save on travel time.

Cons: You need to be self-motivated, you may pick up bad playing habits or interpret something wrongly.

Keyboard Lessons vs Piano Lessons

A piano has fully weighted keys whereas an electronic keyboard has plastic keys.

So, is it possible to learn to play the piano on an electronic Keyboard? It depends on what you want to learn to play!

Now, if you don’t have any preferences in terms of the genres/styles of music you like, are learning for fun, then its perfectly alright to start on a keyboard.

The notes would still remain the same, the scales and the chords will have to be played exactly the way you play on a piano.

Besides, all the features, effects, voices and styles are fun to use on a keyboard. Most beginners actually love to play on a keyboard. Its only later on, as they become more knowledgeable, that many are drawn towards the piano.

The keyboard a great instrument to get an overall understanding of music, how its created and even recorded.

So its a great learning experience!

However, if you’re keen to play classical piano, then the keyboard will have limitations. It has 61 keys, which is not sufficient for most classical pieces. The keys are not weighted as on a piano, which makes it difficult to play certain pieces (with certain dynamics & expressions).

While the basics may remain the same, keyboard and piano require different playing techniques.

While playing keyboards, you play songs on top of the accompaniment, so your focus is to play the right melody notes and maintain the time. You use the left hand to play blocks chords to keep the accompaniment section moving.

But once you’re past the beginner’s stage, you must learn more accompaniment techniques so that you can accompany even when the backing track is off.

Students who learn to play the piano will use their left hand quite a lot, right from the beginning, in order to provide the accompaniment. You will also learn a lot of classical as part of your pedagogy.

A full sized piano will let you play pieces by master composers such as Bach, Scarlatti, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin – including quite a few of the etudes.

So assuming you already have a 61-key keyboard, or don’t have the budget to buy a piano right now, you can use the keyboard to learn piano for few months.

Learn the basis of sight reading
Learn to coordinate both the hands
Learn to play simple classical pieces
Get a full size piano with fully weighted keys (if you really want to play the piano)

Most learners get more clarity about what they like and dislike after a few months (some take even a couple of years) of lessons.

Those who graduate from the music keyboard to the piano have a head start because they already understand the “keyboard layout”, can sight read (to some extent), and have better coordination between the hands.

Tips to Get Better at Playing

Practice daily

Make sure you stick to some fixed time of the day, even if it is for half an hour. That way it becomes a habit (Oh…and do it for at least 21 days if you want to make it a habit).

Move Up Gradually

Don’t try too hard if you are not able to play some of your favorite songs. Stick to the easier songs, practice regularly and then try it again in a couple of month’s time.

Break It Down

Everything seems a bit difficult initially. So if you find a piece of music daunting, break it down. Learn those smaller parts and finally play them all together.

Slow down your tempo

Most beginners try to play things faster; they also easily get impressed by someone who is playing much faster. It is important to play slowly with expressions, rather than play fast in a mechanical manner.

Related: Piano fingering basics

Learn Smartly

You need to learn smartly.

By learning just few chords you can play hundreds of songs?
There are only 12 major keys you can play in, but you only really have to master 2-3 keys to play most popular songs?
Beethoven’s Fur Elise and the blues song “Summertime” uses the exact same chords for the theme of the song?
You can use the same chords to play boogie, blues, new age, gospel, pop, rock, jazz, country – anything except classical music? (And even some classics!)

There are just 3 primary chords in any key. Get to know those 3 and you’ve got it. Once you understand a thing called the “Circle of 4ths / circle of fifths)” it’s a piece of cake; you will know that the G chord should come after the D7 chord. Apply different rhythms to the same chords, and you have many styles of music; with the very same chords you can play boogie, jazz, rock, pop, gospel, new age, ragtime.

How to Play Piano / Keyboard and Sing at the Same Time

Here are some reasons to acquire this skill – playing the piano or keyboard and singing.

It’s fun to sing and you become a complete musician.
It increases your demand as a performer.

Sing and Play Separately at First

Remember those days when you were struggling to use both your hands together? You do the same here as well – learn them separately.

Start by singing a cappella (without any instruments) and then work your way to singing along with a pre-recorded piano track. You can then play few simple chords while you focus on your singing technique.

Now, switch the focus to your piano playing, while singing quietly. Once you’re confident with the keys, gradually start combining the two.

Start Early

If you have recently started taking piano lessons, then a good habit to develop is to sing along whatever you play on the piano. You may choose to hum or sing the actual words of the song, but just do it. You never know, you may have a hidden skill which you might uncover.

Sight Reading Piano

Being able to sight-read written music is an important skill. Although not really a method to learn, if you’re able to read music, you can refer to many more books, which will further improve you as a piano player.

If you’re particularly interested in the classical genre of music, you will need to refer to a lot of sheet music in order to increase your repertoire of classical songs. for that, you will need to become good at reading music.

Piano Movies & Games

Here’s a collection of some great movies made around the Piano (on great pianists & their performances). Watch them to get some inspiration for your music learning, watch it to learn more about some of the greatest music composers, or just watch it because they are well-made movies.

The best piano movies and videos

Learn through Games: You can also learn the basics and improve your sense of rhythm and timing by using games (such as Guitar Hero, Rockband). This method makes use of a controller and software and is a fun way to learn.

Playing by Ear

There are many who learn to play the piano by ear. There are many musicians who can play the piano without knowing much of music theory.

A bit of caution here! You really don’t have to take it literally.

It is most likely that those musicians did not have access to proper learning resources and hence they figured out on their own how to play the instrument. With so much information available today, you at least need to know the basics of music theory before you decide to take the play be ear route to learning.