Learning The Piano - Getting Started

(Music Playing)

Learning the piano is a very rewarding thing to do. You must be eager to have a goal. There are three basic steps before you start playing the piano.

Step 1: I always tell my students to wash their hands so fingers do not slip from the keys.

Step 2: Always sit straight and relax your shoulders.

Step 3: We are going to now place our fingers on the keys, but first of all you will notice in the middle of the keyboard you have got two black notes. The white note to the left of this is called middle C. If we put our thumb which we will call our first finger down on middle C, the second will be on the next white note, which is called D, third on the next white note, which is called E, fourth finger on your next white note which is called F and fifth finger on the next white note which is called G.

Now, we will have a go at playing the notes. So you press your thumb down on middle C. To play the next note, do press your second finger down then your thumb will come up. You play your third finger down then the second finger comes up. Your fourth finger down then your third finger will come up. Then, your fifth finger down then your fourth finger will come up. Now, we will play the rest of the notes down towards middle C. So, you play your fourth, third, second and your first.

Now, to play with the left hand, you place your thumb, which is your first finger on middle C then you place your second finger on B, third on A, fourth on G and your fifth finger on F. Now, we will have a go at playing these notes.

So place your thumb down on middle C, then your second finger goes down and your thumb comes up. Your third finger will go down, then the second finger comes up. Your fourth finger will go down, then the third finger comes up and your fifth finger will go down and your fourth finger will come up.

Now, we will play the rest of the notes towards middle C. So you play your fourth, third, second, then your first finger. So, by playing these notes this way makes the sounds smooth.

And if you keep practicing and playing this exercise you will be able to play and get used to the notes quickly and easily. This section is called the musical alphabet. We have been referring to the notes by numbers but here, we will actually be able to name the notes. So, in your right hand, your thumb, which we refer to one, is middle C, your second on D, third on E, fourth on F and your fifth on G. And then your left hand, we put the thumb which is the first finger on middle C, second on B, third on A, fourth on G and your fifth on F.

In the musical alphabet, after G it starts again at A and it keeps repeating up the piano and down the piano.


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