Introduction to Piano
Overview
This online module is designed to appeal to learners of all ages that want an introduction to the skills necessary to play piano. This course will cover basic finger patterns, scales, and how to start reading music through the amalgamation of multiple online resources intended to appeal to the different learning styles of all students. By the end of this module, the learner should be able to perform the C scale, name the individual notes, and be able to demonstrate simple finger techniques. Please note that having a physical piano while completing this lesson will facilitate a much higher comprehension of the material.
Course Outline
Introduction (10 min)
- Hand Placement
- Find Middle C
Lesson 1 - Learning the Notes (20 min)
- Learn the Names of the Notes
- What is a Sharp and a Flat?
- Where to find these notes on sheet music
- Practice
Lesson 2 - Learn to Play Your First Scale (20 min)
- What is a scale, and why are they important?
- How to finger tuck on the right and left hand
- Demonstration of scale
- Practice
Assessment (10 min)
Conclusion (5 min)
Introduction
Middle C
The first thing that is important to know when starting to play the piano is where and how to place your hands. The best beginner placement is starting with Middle "C". This is because "C" is generally the middle note on the piano, and one of the easiest to locate. To start, watch this video below about where to find "C" and place your thumb on it.
Hand Placement
Congratulations! You have taken the first step into understanding how to play piano. If you notice the image below, there are numbers on the screen. This is because each finger has a number, with your thumb at 1, all the way to your pinky at number 5. Notice how the left hand has the "five" on the left, and the right hand has the "five"on the right. Starting at Middle "C", you should be able to count where to rest of your fingers should be.
Lesson 1
Learning the Notes
Fortunately for many learners, the notes on a musical instrument use the same letters in the alphabet. There are only a few different basic notes, and they appear as below:
- A B C D E F G
Notice how the notes restart once you get to "G"? This continues throughout the whole piano for the white keys.
Now for the harder part. Those black keys you see are called "Sharps and Flats", but technically any key can be a sharp and flat. There will be more on this later. Sharps on music notes are represented by # and flats are represented by ♭. If you start at middle "C", the black key in front of it is known as C sharp, which is a half note adjustment towards "D". This means that the note is slightly higher than "C" but slightly lower than "D". The interesting part is that C# and D♭ are technically the same note, just a different way of writing them. Look below at all the keys with the sharps and flats added.
While a black key may be called two different notes, there is usually a more common approach that musicians take when writing these down. For example, it is more common the call the black key in front of "A" the B♭ rather than A#, but it really depends what you are writing.
Sheet Music
These notes can also be represented on sheet music common to all instruments. Watch the video below to explain where you can find these notes, and for tips and tricks to read music.
Practice finding these notes on the piano. Can you find middle "C" again? What about any F#? If you can find these notes, we can work towards making a scale in no time!
Lesson 2
Playing Your First Scale
Every different note on the piano between "A" and "G" has an individual scale that you can play for both the left and the right hand, although the notes are the same. The first scale most piano players learn is the "C" scale, because this is generally considered the easiest scale as it consists of no sharps and flats.
In order to begin, place your hands as shown above with your right thumb starting on middle "C". Your goal is to play every note in a row from middle "C" to the next highest "C". The first challenge is that this scale consists of eight notes, but as a pianist you only have five fingers! What you are going to do is play notes 1, 2, 3 (look back to see which notes these are in the introduction). Once you get here, you are going to tuck your thumb under your middle finger, and resume from the beginning to completion of all five fingers. The process should look as below:
C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C
1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Or in other language
C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C,
Thumb, Index, Middle (tuck), Thumb, Index, Middle, Ring, Pinky.
Going down in quite similar to going up. Reverse the process starting at the higher "C" note, until you reach middle "C". The process should start at your pinky finger and reach your thumb. Once you reach your thumb, you are going to do a reverse tuck, reaching your middle finger over your thumb to resume the last three notes. Watch the below video to see which notes corresponde to which finger number, but remember to only start with the right hand for now.
What do you think? What did you find most challenging? Remember to practice the exact parts you find most challenging for the most improvement.
Assessment
Now its time to practice what you have learned! Like a beginners piano test,
What notes are the follow:
After you are finished, please draw in a B♭ on this platform.
Please demonstrate the "C" scale with the correct finger patters and placement.
Conclusion
How do you think you did? What was the most challenging part? You have taken the first necessary steps towards learning the piano. If you are still interested in learning, it is recommended that you learn the left hand equivalent of the "C" scale, and perhaps to even play them at the same time!. Playing the piano can be intimidating at first, but atone to learning a language, regular practice in short bursts has proven to have incredible results Once you learn how to corrdinate your notes into songs, the pleasure from playing piano itself may begin to be a driving force for learning more complicated information. Learning the piano is also considered a starting instrument that can be highly applicable to other instruments. Since the notes are the same on any instrument,you have taken the first steps to being able to pick up another instrument with less barriers than if you had not learned anything about piano. Musical experience is a wonderful aspect of life, and playing it can be even more rewarding. Remember not to practice so much you become disenfranchised with learning, and enjoy the increased understanding you will have for all music with every musical learning experience.
References and Attribution
"Learning to Play" by "ms.akr" is licensed under CC BY 2.0
https://flickr.com/photos/msakr/6694030093/in/photolist-bcwDVX-6KYgEJ-dNzjbB-5B812o-o8eLzE-4D3eL1-6KevP-dneeaz-dNETZu-53EJAk-9hh4hU-fkGAPL-6bkc6C-4AXSQr-dURoqZ-ayZSEo-9ERqeG-8kKTAk-7TTJrx-9LegSM-7VT1ga-4exn6L-eYh1H8-9faU8S-b6i6wM-5Da7QQ-8RrHYi-iVxQR6-wbg1xx-K2hvRX-H8TEC3-6aEcZc-o1DZYh-PYcogj-5rJm8J-5wnr3L-QSERL3-8vLvYU-9vZFLq-o5nki-9hXHqf-dZrp1A-8xyqaq-r7s7ro-7EcDWP-cCmJFm-7w9KGF-bn2vZ7-9HDMRX-aqXsoH
"Learning to Play" by "ms.akr" is licensed under CC BY 2.0 [Remix]
https://flickr.com/photos/msakr/6694030093/in/photolist-bcwDVX-6KYgEJ-dNzjbB-5B812o-o8eLzE-4D3eL1-6KevP-dneeaz-dNETZu-53EJAk-9hh4hU-fkGAPL-6bkc6C-4AXSQr-dURoqZ-ayZSEo-9ERqeG-8kKTAk-7TTJrx-9LegSM-7VT1ga-4exn6L-eYh1H8-9faU8S-b6i6wM-5Da7QQ-8RrHYi-iVxQR6-wbg1xx-K2hvRX-H8TEC3-6aEcZc-o1DZYh-PYcogj-5rJm8J-5wnr3L-QSERL3-8vLvYU-9vZFLq-o5nki-9hXHqf-dZrp1A-8xyqaq-r7s7ro-7EcDWP-cCmJFm-7w9KGF-bn2vZ7-9HDMRX-aqXsoH
"Piano" by "Ben Askins" is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
https://flickr.com/photos/teamaskins/2942641647/in/photolist-5u2NQP-2wEf9-fhhZ3x-8v932F-BWt8ip-4cRur8-5Ljy14-7QRZCL-53EJAk-4Suzxw-8fdyRP-dLahEr-6n9vaF-4VHg81-eTxdSk-2Fn9Jk-qaxQEs-FZWoJ-h2NTUQ-4dGke3-6w8oiU-5MqK8Z-jCvrX7-4YLPsV-5MqMKi-k9316-buYF8z-37Jry6-ePuyrq-2FmMjD-s2B52T-6s3mKD-6x6J8v-5xYqMi-dneeaz-4Gram8-boTRmc-7AYErE-du8C5-iQSHed-5Mv1XW-54WZuy-aWsKjX-bz83iU-ajxUi5-8g41rg-iamn9j-6HUohC-7eExby-fQidV4
Pianote. (2019, March 19). How to Read Notes (Beginner Piano Lesson).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEI7uYOCQXo
Pianotels. Hand Position on Piano [Photo]: Where and How to do it Correctly.
https://pianotels.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/IMG_20200623_154306-1.jpg
Piano Song Download. (2016, July 22). C Major Scale Piano Lesson Tutorial.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6p4mjohZ3YM
Learn Piano Online. (2008, Dec 18), Piano Lessons: Finding Middle C
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6p4mjohZ3YM