Have you been taking piano lessons but are finding it difficult to improve? 
Perhaps you have some experience in playing the piano and you want to improve your skills? Are you still wondering if this is the right time to learn how to play piano? Well, you should not wonder anymore, because NOW is the time to take piano or keyboard lessons.
In this blog post, I will show you how to improve your skills – whether you have been learning to play by ear, by using instructional materials (books, DVDS, etc.), or by taking lessons from a professional piano teacher. If you feel that certain steps have already been achieved, you can go ahead and skip to the next one!
Manage Learning and Practice Time
Learning how to play the piano takes time and patience, as well as a lot of practice. Therefore, you should set aside a time to practice your piano lessons and make sure that you are committed to it. Try not to let anything discourage you from sticking to the practice time. Always keep in mind that your commitment to practice regularly is essential in order to improve your dexterity.
If you find it difficult to stick to your practice time, the following tips might be useful:
– If your day is very full, create a timetable and put it up on your fridge or somewhere that you can see it on a daily basis.
– Utilize reminders on your phone or tablet to remind you about your practices.
Practice Future Lessons
When you are learning new piano lessons, it is vital to know what needs to be learned in the next two or three lessons. This allows you to measure your development and to keep track of your skills improvement and knowledge. Bear in mind that it is not a way to disappoint you if there is no progress, but to encourage you to practice more. If you feel that a certain concept or lesson takes a very long time to master, do not ever give up, because you will eventually master it!
Enhance Musical Notation Reading Skills
Many of the tips and steps you need to follow will greatly benefit from, or depend on your proficiency to read music sheets (musical notations). Consider the following tips:
– If you have not done it already, learn to read piano lessons (notations) thoroughly. Ensure that you comprehend most of the musical notation concepts. If you want to improve your overall piano playing experience, you will need to learn more about advanced music sheets or notations, for instance, key and time signatures, tempo, clefs, dynamics, and many more. Trust me, knowing how to read only the notes and intervals would not be sufficient.
– You should learn to sight-read piano notes as well, because this will enhance your aptitude to interpret what you see and comprehend the musical notation into satisfactory piano tunes.
Improve Finger Placement and Speed
Whether you are a beginner or an advanced player, you should always improve your finger placement and speed on the piano. Conduct a few finger-stretching exercises before you begin your piano lessons. If you have not mastered piano finger placement, this is the time to do so.
In order to do this, place your fingers correctly on the keys – if you are learning to play piano on your own, there are videos that you can search for online, which teach more about finger placement. Once you mastered the finger placement and speed, you can develop advanced skills.
Learn, Memorize and Practice Musical Scales
It is vital to learn all the significant musical scales, such as the harmonic minor, chromatic scales, major, and melodic minor. Master these scales and practice them regularly. If you learn a specific music genre, for example jazz or blues, you should learn the genre’s scales meticulously.
What do you like best about your piano lessons?