Learn to Play the Piano the Easy Way
Here are some pointers to help you on your journey in learning
to play the piano:
1. Take some lessons with a good classical teacher.
2. Use the Hanon exercises (especially the scales and arpeggios)
to gain finger dexterity and to know the correct piano fingering
of the scales and arpeggios. Always use a metronome when you're
doing these exercises to develop your sense of timing. If you
don't have a metronome try putting an accent on the "one" count
of every sixteenth note (e.g. ONE,two,three,four;
ONE,two,three,four...etc...).
3. After learning the basics/rudiments of playing the
instrument, find another teacher who can teach you how to play
the chords (a good jazz piano improvisation teacher will do!)
and how to improvise.
4. Master the five qualities of chords (major seventh, dominant
seventh, minor seventh, half-diminished, and the diminished
seventh) their inversions, arpeggios and scales.
5. Try to apply what you are learning to your favorite songs
especially jazz standard songs even to some classical music
pieces. You can use songbooks, fake books, real books and music
sheets, which are readily available at your local music stores
or online.
6. Listen to all types of music and try to transcribe
phrases/passages/riffs/licks or songs that interests you. Listen
to piano players - the way they play, improvise and learn from
them. Try to read their biography to learn how they study,
practice, who influenced them and their achievements. I believe
these can help to make you a well-rounded piano player.
7. Play with other musicians or join a band in your school or in
your neighborhood.
8. Try to sing the melody of the song you are playing (you might
have a hidden talent in singing) or if you are improvising, sing
(scat) what you are playing.
9. Buy some piano lesson books, magazines, piano lesson videos,
piano lesson software or CD-ROM.
10. Practice, practice and practice!