Everyone wishes to be able to play the piano at some point in their life—whether it be fantasizing about playing for your partner while they lie on the (insert word here) or seeing yourself in the shoes of Paul McCartney performing Hey Jude on TV. But learning to play the piano isn’t all fun and games.
But we have Jerred Price to save the day with his 3 tips for learning to play the piano. So, without further ado, let’s get into it.
Start with your Right Hand
I know that sounds presumptuous about your handedness, but hear me out.
Pianos are sympatric in design; they don’t have a handedness. That being said, you’ll play your treble notes (high-pitched notes) with your right hand, and your base notes with your left hand. All pianos have notes that increase in pitch from left to right.
Price says, “as a player, you’ll generally use your right hand a lot more than your left hand.” It’s better to start with your right hand before introducing both hands regardless of your handedness.
Practice Your Favorite Songs
The thought of playing the piano can be pretty exciting, but it takes a lot of dedication to learn to play.
Unlike a guitar or a violin, the piano requires you to produce individual notes with both your hands—as if each of your arms had a brain of its own. This can make learning to play the piano pretty exhausting for you as a beginner. Yet you need practice.
Jerred Price says, “start with your most favorite songs. This will keep you motivated to practice every day.”
Learn Basic Theory
Keyboard instruments such as the piano are the best ones to learn music theory. Conversely, learning the basics of music theory can, in turn, make it easier to learn the piano.
Price says, “In guitar, nothing really makes sense, and most people just memorize chords. But in piano, if you learn basic music theory, you don’t have to memorize anything.”
About Jerred Price
Usually referred to as his stage name, “Almost Elton John,” Price is the lead vocalist and pianist of Almost Elton John & the RocketMen, the most popular Elton John tribute band in the world. He has been playing the piano since he was three and now portrays Sir Elton John on stage. He has met Sir Elton John on several occasions, his Facebook profile (@jerredprice) has a number of pictures with Elton John and Almost Elton John in the same frame.
