and little finger – G. Your left hand will need
to be positioned an octave lower with your fingers
positioned as follows: little finger – C, ring finger – D,
middle finger – E, index finger – F and thumb on G.
You’ll notice that there are two white keys between
your left and right thumb, which are A and B. Don’t
worry if you’re struggling with the key names – we
have in-depth tutorials on them later in the book.
If you’re a complete beginner, you can add
removable stickers to the white keys. You’ll find it
will help you locate the notes much easier while
practising as most beginner-level sheet music uses
these keys specifically. Simply use them as a guide
while learning, then once you’ve got to grips with
reading music and the correct hand positions you
can remove them.Different ways to play
The piano is a versatile instrument. With an
extensive number of keys, 88 to be exact, there
are endless sound possibilities. Using the right
technique, and with plenty of practice, it’s possible
to play any genre or style of music.
Traditionally used for classical music, the piano
can produce soft, soothing tones but is also
capable of much louder and harder notes that are
great for adding drama to a rock song or movie
score. The piano is also widely associated with jazz
genre where it’s often played as a solo instrument
alongside the singer.
At beginner level you’re likely to focus on playing
scales and simple melodies but once you’re more
confident in front of the keys, you can explore the
music genres and begin learning songs that suit
your musical style and taste. Fortunately there are
some fantastic beginner-level music books out
there that feature classic and more current sheet
music. A lot have been simplified too, so you can
learn the basic melody of a song without having to
move too far up and down the keys. It’s a great idea
to listen to the music that you’re learning to play
too, as you’ll get a much better idea about how the
song should flow and the timings you need.Reading music
You can play 12 notes on the piano overall, seven
of which belong to the white keys – C, D, E, F, G, A,
B, and five to the black – C sharp/D flat, D sharp/E
flat, F sharp/G flat, G sharp/A flat and A sharp/B flat.
These notes repeat up and down the keyboard. If
you have a full-size keyboard the first note on the
left-hand side will be A. On the right-hand side of
the keyboard the notes will sound higher in tone
and on the left they’ll sound lower. Familiarise
yourself with the keys and learn which notes they
represent by playing simple scales. Practise scales
regularly and eventually they will become a easy
warm-up exercise before you play.
Being able to read sheet music and really
understand it is an important part of learning to play
the piano, or any instrument for that matter. ThisIs digital right for you?
Pros Cons
Possible to record music you play Sound quality is not as impressive as an acoustic
Low maintenance & doesn’t need regular tuning Requires space
Has weighted keys Is not cheap
Speakers
Unlike an acoustic piano that utilises strings
and a sound board to produce music,
a digital piano uses sound chips and
speakers. When you press a key the sound
chip determines the note, which is then
played out through the speakersPedals
Despite their usually cheaper price,
digital pianos will still come with a full
array of pedal. However, even if yours
doesn’t, there will still be space to
connect an external sustainMaintenance
As its inner workings are
electrical, your digital piano
is less likely to break. This
also means it’s much easier
to maintain, and you won’t
need to open it up©Thinkstock