How To Get Started With The Piano

The piano is one of the most popular instruments in the world, and it’s no wonder why: it’s a great way to learn the rudiments of music - and fun to boot. So, what do you need to get started learning the piano? In this article we’ll cover three sections: where to find your piano, how to read the keys, and how to play your first simple chords.

Where To Get Your Piano

The best answer is always to ask friends and family if they have a piano you can try out or - even better - borrow. A Facebook or Twitter update might net you a free piano or keyboard. If that doesn’t work, your local shop may be the best answer. It’s a good idea to take a few trips into your nearest music store to see if they have any pianos you can try out, and talking to store employees is a great way to learn about potential deals, the strengths and weaknesses of specific brands, and make friends with similar interests.

Because a piano is such a large - and heavy - instrument, shipping is not going to be cheap. That means the benefit of shopping for a piano online, which will usually provide you with the best price, may not be as powerful as with a smaller instrument. It’s a good idea to look into both before making your purchase, however.

How To Read The Keys

First, let’s keep it simple. There are two kinds of keys on the piano: black and white. These keys alternate in a consistent pattern. There are sets of two black keys and sets of three (known as accidentals), and the rest of the keys are white (the naturals).

The white keys follow a consistent pattern from A through G. D is always located between a set of two black, or accidental, keys, so you always know where you if you can locate D. In total, the standard piano has 88 keys, 52 naturals and 36 accidentals, which are the sharps and flats. Here’s a little game you can play to get started learning the notes on the piano.

How To Play Your First Chords

If you truly want to learn, you’ll need a great teacher. Our online piano teachers at LessonFace.com have incredible resumes and even offer free 15-minute trials. But, before you book a lesson, you can get started on your first simple chords.

For now, we’ll use the right hand. Place your pointer finger on the closest D (remember, it’s the white key between the two black ones above it). Now, slide it over two white keys to the F. Next, put your middle finger two white keys over, on the A, and your ring finger over on the C that’s another two keys away. If you keep this simple formation you can move up and down the keys to play various chords.

Above is an example of the F major chord.