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