T3 - UK (2020-06)

(Antfer) #1
JUNE 2020 T3 41

Learning piano


he unprecedented
situation of life under
lockdown has led many
of us to search for new
ways to pass the time and learn new
skills; learning a musical instrument
could be just the antidote you need
to these strange and uncertain
times. In fact, many of us have
always wanted to learn a new (or
additional instrument) so now
there’s really no excuse.
Whether it be drums, piano,
keyboard, guitar or anything else
you have always wanted to be able to
play, there are lots of great resources
out there to help, in the form of
pre-recorded lessons or one to one
tuition from professionals (on Zoom
or Skype). Even famous musicians
are now allowing you into their
previously hidden worlds to pass on
their secret recipes for becoming a
great instrumentalist.
I’ve been playing piano since the
age of five – so almost 40 years now!



  • and that one decision by my folks
    to start me off with piano lessons
    (despite my initial resistance!) was
    literally life changing and has


defined my entire musical career.
I meet many people who say to me
“I wish I could play like you” or “I
used to play a bit and wish I hadn’t
stopped” and I have to admit my
heart sinks when I hear this.
Having the ability to play any
instrument is such a huge game
changer for anyone’s mental health,
cognitive abilities and general
happiness at any age and it can help
you through tough times, provide
joy too and connect you to people
and the world in ways you never
thought possible. Along with all the
people you meet through your
connection with music and your
instrument, whether that be other
musicians in bands, or educators,
dancers, artists and other creatives,
there is no time like the present to
start on – or rejoin – the path to
learning an instrument.

WHY PICK PIANO?
But why go for a piano or keyboard
and not another instrument? Well,
firstly, the piano is a relatively easy
instrument to learn with a pretty
shallow learning curve – though of

course, like anything, to be really
great you need to really put in the
hours. There’s also a ton of great
learning resources out there for
people of all ages/abilities, including
books, apps and videos. Compared
to string instruments where you
have to contort your hands into all
sorts of unnatural feeling positions
(at first) and where you have to
physically make contact with the
string with your hands to create the
sound, the piano keyboard does a lot
of the ‘heavy lifting’ work for you. In
the most basic way, all you have to
you is press a lever (the key), which
then triggers a hammer (real or
virtual in software) that hits a
string and hey presto you’re off.
Essentially, the way a piano or
keyboard works means that anyone
from a toddler to a pensioner can
make a decent sound by simply
pressing a key and listening to the
beautiful note that rings out.
Piano keys are also comfy and
nicely spaced for our human hands
(again unlike the guitar) and so as a
starter instrument it’s ideal. The
piano keyboard is a thing of absolute

T


Words: Daniel Goldman

With many of us locked down at home, now seems like a good


time to start learning piano. But where’s best to start and what


kind of keyboard or digital piano is best?


Learning


piano


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