Time is fleeting and it’s no good looking back at the past with regret. So you couldn’t pursue your musical dream, big deal. You can always start now. It is never too late to learn.
It doesn’t matter if you’re five or sixty-five, all you need is practice and willpower to master the piano. Mentioned below are some useful tips that would come in handy in your piano lessons.
Learn to Listen
Watching your favorite musician performing up close and personal at live concerts is a once in a lifetime opportunity for budding pianists who’re still learning. Appreciating good music is the first step to learning the piano.
You can learn much more by observing a professional play than by mugging up the theory. You can never really master the piano unless and until you learn to listen.
By listening to the classic pieces played by established pianists you get a chance to analyze their technique, hand movement, posture, and style, and of course, the opportunity of incorporating the same into your performance.
Don’t Overcomplicate Stuff
Unlike the cello or the violin, pianos are not overly complicated; hit the right keys and you’re set. A very practical approach for newbies to perfect the piano is by understanding the harmony and trying to find a pattern in the piece.
Try getting the basics right before you rush into the more serious stuff. Don’t try too many things at the same time, you’ll just overcomplicate it. Use a chronologically organized process and tackle things one at a time.
Understand Your Music
Music is the perfect blend of art and science like it uses logical sequences and patterns to express abstract concepts. It is a language that needs to be felt and understood. Mechanically hitting the right keys might produce the desired sound effect but not actual music.
You need to understand the crux of the piece, the theme, in order to beautifully reproduce it in front of an audience. Enjoy what you’re playing and focus on the little details and intricacies to create your own masterpiece.
Be Patient, Things Take Time
The biggest mistake any budding artist can commit is dropping out of his lessons just because he cannot see any progress. Your progress depends on your potential and hard work. Others might get the piece right in the first attempt while you might take hours to perfect it.
The golden rule is to keep on trying. Also, some newbies have unrealistically high expectations about piano lessons that are shattered in the first few months after joining the class. Piano classes are pretty expensive, so quitting is never an option.
Know Your Weakness and Work on It
The best way to improve is by understanding your flaws and working on it. Your music teacher is your bet mentor, he knows what you’re capable of and what weakness you have to work on, carefully note down his suggestions and work on them.
Also a good mentor never just sticks to the rules, he will encourage you to experiment and delve deeper into the world of music. Talk to your tutor, improvise on the pieces and create wonderful music.
Practice makes Perfect
It is understandable that you have other commitments apart from your music classes. But you cannot just abandon your dream. It is tough to take out some time for practice with the every growing work pressure and jam-packed schedules, but not impossible.
Also, you cannot expect your tutor to spoon feed you every time and do all the work! Make a systematic routine and follow it religiously devote at least an hour every day for your practice sessions. The more you practice the more confident you’ll be in your performances.
Focus on the Big Picture
The difference between a professional and amateur pianist is that the later just focuses on perfecting particular chords and pieces ignoring the total picture. As a musician, you even have to consider how your piece sounds on the whole.
All the notes and chords must connect systematically, seamlessly blending in to form an organic whole. There might be some problem areas and complex pieces that need your attention but that do not mean you avoid the rest of your piece. Find your silver lining and stick to it.
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