How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice! Whether your goal is to perform in a packed concert hall or to entertain your friends at a party, the only way to reach your piano goals is through concentrated practice.
What comes after getting your practice schedule in place, though? How do you get the most out of your practice time? Read on for five ways to make your piano playing better.
Contents
1. Learn From the Best
You can become a great self-taught pianist, but you’ll build better skills much faster by taking piano lessons with a teacher. Piano playing classes don’t have to be long or expensive to be effective. Thirty minutes a week with an instructor is enough to build your skills at a rapid pace.
A teacher can also keep you motivated. Many people find themselves working harder when an authority figure offers encouragement or enforces deadlines.
2. Master the Chords
Most popular songs develop from a simple chord progression. If you can master them, you’ll find it a breeze to pick up your favorite tunes. If you’re ready to play your first chord, you can learn here.
Learning the chords will help you develop your ear as a piano player as well. The more you practice playing the piano, the better you’ll be at recognizing intervals and building your perfect pitch.
3. Study Music Theory
Textbooks may not be able to teach you how to play piano, but they can make it easier to read and understand music. You can learn pieces faster when you know how they work.
With music theory in your mind, you will start to recognize patterns and phrasing. You’ll also find it’s easier to master scales and chords when you know the structure behind them. Instead of staying glued to your sheet music, you can focus on your musicality.
4. Challenge Yourself
Set realistic goals, but remember to reach beyond your current capabilities. If you get too comfortable with your practice pieces, your growth will stagnate.
A challenge doesn’t have to be a piece that is levels above your comfort level. Practicing a song with a single new technique or even one difficult measure will keep you moving in the right direction. When you finally master it, you’ll be excited to find the next challenge.
5. Keep It Slow
Fast piano playing is impressive, but only if it’s accurate. If you play too fast too soon, you’ll start to miss notes or your playing will sound sloppy. Don’t be afraid to slow down to begin and speed up as your skills improve.
Use a metronome to keep yourself at the right tempo. A metronome will also help you count and stay in rhythm. Even if you hit the right notes, you’re not playing the song until you hold them for the right length of time.
Improve Your Piano Playing Today
Next stop, Carnegie Hall! Start using these effective practice tips today to take your piano playing to the next level.
Did you learn something from this article? There’s more to learn about playing the piano and beyond! Check out our other articles to find more helpful tips like these.
