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