How many times have you felt clueless in front of your piano, not knowing where to start? Well, don’t worry because as a beginner, you are not the only one.
Practicing is the most important aspect of learning to play piano efficiently. In this article, we will share some practical tips that you can supplement with your Piano Classes in Kolkata to reach your highest potential.
Define your goals
If you sit down to play the piano without any goal in your head, you are likely to get bored pretty soon and may not learn a lot. However, defining a goal such as learning how to play your favorite song will help you stay focused and work towards it until you achieve that milestone.
At the same time, you also have to set reasonable goals that motivate you and not frustrate you. If you only have an hour to practice every day, then avoid playing anything that requires intense practice. In fact, start with something simple and gradually build your way up.
Don’t forget to warm-up
Warm ups can be boring. However, without warm-up sessions, you will put yourself at the risk of tendinitis and carpal tunnel. Instead of brushing it of an unnecessary exercise, remember to include at least 10 minutes of warming over and above your practice time. This is one of the most crucial things you need to consider when practicing piano. Warming up will prepare your wrists for a long session of practice and give you the momentum to achieve flow.
Set some time aside for practicing the basics
Make sure you have set at least 15 minutes aside from your practice session to go over your piano lessons. You should also revise scales, accuracy, timing, etc. Remember that you will only get better at technical skills by repetition. Just gradually integrate an extra 15 minutes into your practice time to rehearse technical parts of your lesson.
Take it slow
You must have heard the expression “learn to walk before you run,” it holds true for piano lessons too. While you may be eager to start playing your favorite song. But you need to slow down and get comfortable with playing first. Once you have gained finger memory, then you would be able to achieve speed easily.
Use a metronome to practice the speed
Once you have learned how to play the song, now is the right time to practice the speed. A metronome is a handy device that will help you set speed as per beats per minute (BPM), a regular impulse that helps you play at a certain speed. If you like a song that plays at 500 bpm, it doesn’t mean you need to achieve that number already. Start small with 50 bpm, then increase it to 60, so on and so forth. This gradual pace will help you play correctly at the correct pace.
Listen to your favorite pianists
Write the name of your favorite pianists and build a list. You should have at least 10 on that list and you need to listen to them regularly. Acquainting yourself with quality music will help you incorporate best practices into your learning your style. If you don’t have any favorites just yet, use an internet search to give you the list of top pianists. Listen to as many as possible and find the ones that resonate with you the most!
First imitate
Did you know that imitation is the greatest form of flattery? Don’t feel like you are cheating yourself by imitating piano solos you love. Just practice the solos and then try to make it better. The first step in learning is to imitate and then you can innovate to add your own flavor. This is your opportunity to be unique and make an impact!
Take some time off
When you have already warmed up, gone over the fundamentals, learnt how to play a song or two, then spent at least 15-20 minutes listening to your favorite pianists, now what you should do? Well, now you need to stop and breathe for sometime. Don’t burn yourself out by practicing for hours. Just take a short breather and then get back into your practice again.
Keep it fun
The most important tip to help you learn piano faster is to make it fun. When you practice regularly, you will soon be playing something you love and that can be very encouraging. This does not only keep you motivated but also focused. It cannot be stressed enough that you need to love the process of learning. So make sure you keep it fun!
The tips in this article will help you structure your practice sessions and ensure that you are getting the most out of it.
