Piano for Beginners 6th ED - 2016 UK

Getting started

D

eciding to take the first step towards

discovering your musical talents is worthwhile

at any age. Learning to play an instrument

is a rewarding journey and the piano really is

a great one to start with. Although you’ll need plenty

of time, practice and patience, the piano is a relatively

easy instrument to master, which is why it’s a popular

one to try to learn first. Many musicians find that after

conquering it, the idea of learning other instruments isn’t

as daunting.

The piano has come a long way since it was invented,

and alongside the traditional acoustic varieties, there are

now digital pianos and portable keyboards. Learning

to play the piano is the same on all three, but you’ll find

some may offer more or fewer features than others,

although this won’t have a dramatic effect on how you

play while you’re still developing your skills. Regardless of

which instrument you’re using, you can still pick up the

basics in this beginner’s guide.

So whether you want to be able to play the odd tune,

learn a particular song or compose your own musical

masterpiece, you’re in the right place. Join us and discover

what the piano has to offer. In the following pages we’ll

introduce you to the different types of pianos that are out

there and help you get started in front of the keys. You’ll

also discover how to read music and play with

The ultimate guide

to the piano

Unleash your musical talents and learn how to play scales,

songs and masterpieces on the piano

Throughout this book, you will see top-down images of a keyboard with the keys highlighted.

The darker highlights show the keys played in the image, while the lighter highlights show the

keys that need to be played in the step. The star shows where Middle C is.

Notes and keys

Darker highlights Middle C Lighter highlights