| Playing piano can be a wonderful experience. If | | | | have learned pieces by heart and have a large |
| you want to start playing piano sheet music you | | | | repertoire of piano solos but they have never |
| need to know a few of the conventions used in | | | | improvised or played by ear. Even these pianists |
| western sheet music notation. Let's make a little | | | | can create great music. |
| journey through the music notation djungle! | | | | I would suggest that you use the best parts of |
| First we might notice that the piano as we are | | | | both these approaches as you learn to play piano. |
| used to play have been around for some time. | | | | Take time to develop your ear and improvise but |
| Around 500 years or more. Playing keyboards is | | | | also to make a conscious effort to learn to play |
| in other words a rather old art. This means that | | | | piano sheet music. |
| the conventions as to how to play keyboard | | | | One way to learn to read sheet music with a |
| instruments and how to notate the music have | | | | concentrated effort is to read a piano solo and |
| had some time to develop. | | | | trying to understand all signs and symbols in the |
| As you might know a piano has 88 keys. This | | | | music. |
| means a full sized piano but you will find | | | | Try to tap the rhythm and as you become more |
| keyboards with a considerably less amount of | | | | skilled you can try to sing or hear the music in |
| keys. however, the order of the white and black | | | | your head. This is a very effective way to really |
| keys are the same. | | | | get into learning sheet music. |
| How can you learn to play piano? | | | | Here are some symbols you will find as you read |
| Well, as you might know little children don't have | | | | a piece of piano sheet music: |
| too much problem with this question. The just | | | | You will find vertical lines in the music that divides |
| hammer on! | | | | the notes in groups. These lines are called barlines |
| At least one thing you can learn from children. To | | | | and the distance between two of these barlines |
| learn to play you have to play. That is an | | | | are called a measure. |
| important beginning! | | | | Sometimes you will find two dots at the end of a |
| Do you need sheet music in order to start playing | | | | section and also a double bar. The two dots are |
| the piano? Well, the before mentioned children | | | | called a repeat sign indicating that you should play |
| have already answered the question with a | | | | the section twice. |
| definite no! | | | | The elaborated G is called the G clef and indicates |
| Some accomplished pianists have never used | | | | the position of the note G in the treble note staff. |
| sheet music at all and play entirely by ear or by | | | | It is also called the treble clef. |
| reading chords in songs. This type of pianists | | | | The left hand notes are mainly situated in the |
| usually learn songs by listening to recordings or | | | | bass clef or the F clef because the two dots |
| just by playing from memory. It works fine and | | | | indicates the note F. |
| many very fine musicians and pianist have used | | | | It will be a great help for you to study the sheet |
| this approach. | | | | music before you play a piece of music, |
| Other pianist have always played sheet music and | | | | rehearsing the names of the notes and preparing |
| would feel very uneasy confronted with a | | | | yourself for a pleasant encounter with the music |
| keyboard without their music sheets. Maybe they | | | | behind the dots. |