This article covers some of the basic materials you will need in order to learn to play piano. Before we start, however, you may find it useful to review for yourself why you want to learn to play, and how you imagine yourself playing the piano. Your understanding of your expectations can help you set [...]
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So you have decided to learn piano. As do many adult learners, you may be considering some way to teach yourself piano instead of taking private lessons. Self-study is a truly viable option today. Various methods and materials designed for motivated learner are becoming more and more available through online and other resources, and they [...]
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One of the more popular online piano courses available to adult students is Rocket Piano, which you can find at http://rocketpiano.com. In addition to the lesson material, students that sign up for this course have access to a collection of downloadable software. The different software applications are a series of music games designed to help the student [...]
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Rocket Piano (http://rocketpiano.com) is one of the more popular online piano courses. A quick internet search for piano lessons with various terms reveal that they always show up high in the page ranks. It is no wonder. Their site boasts over 85,000 customers. Their program is suitable for a wide range of adult self-learners: absolute beginners, [...]
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In this article I will give a brief overview of playing in a rock piano style. Playing rock and other popular styles is a rewarding way to develop your understanding of the piano, and music as a whole. The written music available for popular styles like rock piano comes in a range of different forms, [...]
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To the new piano player, there seems to be an endless list of different piano techniques, articulations, and styles. Your foundation, however, will be based on your mastering two essential techniques: playing in a legato style, and playing staccato. Legato means smooth and connected. It is our default playing style, the first in our list of piano techniques to [...]
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“How many hours a week do I need to practice?” New piano students, especially adult learners, often wonder how long they should be practicing between their lessons, and how they should organize their practice material during this time. These are valid questions. How we schedule and organize our piano practice time can determine the rate [...]
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At one time or another, most parents consider music lessons for their children. For young children piano lessons are probably the most popular choice, with violin lessons running a close second. Older children may become more interested in other instruments, especially guitar, or band instruments like the saxophone, and flute. Children can start piano lessons [...]
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The piano is a great instrument for playing solo arrangements in any style. There is no shortage of sheet music and collections of piano hits from rock, jazz, folk and other popular styles. Player’s favorite songs include Hey Jude, Candle in the Wind, Bohemian Rhapsody, among others. But what about pieces from the classical repertoire? You may be [...]
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If you have studied piano for any length of time, you may be starting to integrate some piano exercises into your daily practice. Some exercises may be short repetitive patterns, while some may be part of a larger progressive collection like the famous Hanon exercises. Perhaps scales and triads are your focus right now. What are all [...]
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