“Where do I start” asked me my brand-new 8-year old student the other day. “On middle C”, I replied, and showed her the central note of many first songs and exercises. The piano makes it easy to learn music, because of its simple, yet sophisticated, organization and structure. The piano also offers a great start to all musical studies and lays the foundation for other instruments.

The piano makes it more simple than most other instruments to be able to produce well-sounding music quickly, because when you press down on a single piano key, the note will sound good, regardless if you are a total beginner or a seasoned pro. It  will take months, if not years, in comparison, to play a well-sounding melody on the violin. On the piano, a note or chord progression will be found in the same place when it is played higher or lower. Many string and wind instruments will need the student to remember and learn different hand and finger positions for the same notes at different pitches.

On the piano, the music-maker is also self-sufficient and can play melody and accompaniment at the same time after a brief period, compared to most other instruments, which offer this opportunity only to intermediate and expert players. And lastly, no other instrument makes it easier to learn the basics of music theory – all the notes are clearly laid out in front of you and make changes in keys, chords, modes etc. easy to explain.

Learn To Play The Piano

As a result, the piano is a great instrument to start with for many students of music, especially the very young, which are not yet able to press down guitar strings or blow steadily with force into a wind instrument. In my private piano lessons I will help the student to learn the proper finger techniques and also how to use the wrist to produce well-sounding notes. In the first lessons, we will learn some basic scales, like the C major scale (all white keys), play some basic chords and learn simple songs. These piano playing basics will pave the way for more involved and elaborate tunes in the future.

Finding the right piano in Los Angeles is made easier by the fact, that many specialized piano stores and good music shops are to be found in virtually all areas of this City. Good used pianos are also a great option to start with and can sound beautiful after they have been tuned by a professional piano tuner. Electric pianos offer an alternative to buying a real piano – they need less space, can be transported more easily and also do not need to be tuned. Having said that, I would really encourage the purchase of an electric piano with a weighted keyboard – it will feel more like a real piano and will make it easier for the student once she/he plays on an acoustic piano.

Private Piano Lessons

Piano lesson instructors can help the student to learn more efficiently by streamlining the lessons to suit the students needs and desires. Many students do enjoy to choose their study material and like having a say in what is being learned. Who would not spend more time with more joy learning a song they love rather than going through the motions of a rigid program? Innovative, personable and insightful private piano teachers will offer the best route to learning how to play the piano.