Methods

There are several methods of learning piano. Some people claim that one is better than the other, but in my personal opinion, no matter which way you learn, you can be guaranteed to learn faster if you expose yourself to more than just one dimension of the piano. We've talked about this before, but I really want to emphasize the importance of learing piano from as many angles as possible. The deeper you dive, the better the swim!

Let's talk about some of these methods before we actually get into one. Up until now, we have been focusing on the chord aspect of music. I belive this to be a good way to get into the music, as you can go out and look for music that you like, find the chords in a book or on the internet, and learn it. This is a great way to start, as you are drawn in through your own motivations and interests.

There is a method that you may be familiar with called the Suzuki method. This method was created by a Japanese pianist by the name of Dr. Shin'ichi Suzuki. His method was based off the observation of how quickly children can pick up language when they are young. He reasoned that, if children could master a mother tongue, they could also master the language of music. There are some key elements that were used for this style of learning.

1.) Music was absorbed in a natural, musical environment. Attending concerts, avoiding musical "auditions" or exams, and just exposing yourself to music for natural saturation was one of the big elements in this style.

2.) Learning to hear music and play by ear was taught before reading from a staff or any sort of musical notation. This was based on the principle of how children learn to speak before they read. A strong emphasis was placed on memorization of the music being played.

3.) Group playing was also encouraged, as opposed to solo practice.

4.) Public performances were also a strong element, as Dr. Suzuki believed that retention and review of songs, both new and old, was extremely important.

For more information on the Suzuki method, feel free to check Wikipedia's entry here.

Up until now, our method has been closely related to the Suzuki method. However, this is where I will introduce the staff reading portion of our lessons. I believe holding a balance between staff notation and Suzuki is important, just as it is important to balance your exposure to music in many different dimensions, not just one.

In the following lessons, we will be studying musical notation. Don't panic! This is nothing you can't do. If you keep practicing your scale, and you're able to close your eyes with your hand in a scale position, and play an E or a G without looking down at your fingers, this will be a breeze!

If not, don't sweat it! These following sections will only help reinforce this. If you find yourself frustrated or having difficulties in learning, take a break, work on your scale, listen to some music, or look up the chords to another song and play. You can practice the piano in many ways! Just stick to it, and you'll get the hang of it!