Where do I start? Top 6 piano practice tips for beginners
You have signed up for piano lessons… Now what?
We all know that we need to practice to improve in any skill. Learning piano is no exception. The beginning of the journey is the most crucial time to set up for success because it is easier to build a new habit when motivation is high.
Let me be perfectly frank about something: You are not always going to feel like practicing. But it is the consistent showing up that builds the skills, and the more progress you are making, the more motivated you will be to continue doing what produces progress.
These are my tried-and-true tips to support piano practice for beginners. These will help you get started and set yourself up for an enjoyable piano learning experience.
Tip 1: Get a quality instrument to practice on.
It may seem like it makes sense to start off on a cheap keyboard rather than investing in something of better quality to see if your child will stick with it. But here's the truth: If your child is practicing on a keyboard with poor sound quality, no touch sensitivity (being able to play at different volumes without changing the dial), and non-weighted keys, they are not truly experiencing what it is like to actually play piano.
Acoustic pianos are always what I recommend, if it can work for your space and budget, because the resonance of the strings vibrating when you play the keys, the touch and the tone, all make a monumental difference in how enjoyable it is to play.
They don't have to cost an arm and a leg either – there are options. Check in your area for used piano stores or look for a new piano with low interest financing options. When you make this investment, your child will be much more likely to want to keep learning beyond the initial novelty of the first few months of piano lessons.
If an acoustic piano isn't in the cards for your family, that's okay, but make sure you go with a good quality full-size digital piano (88 keys) that has weighted keys, graded hammers, and good speakers. Sweetwater and Kraft Music both offer special 0% interest financing at various points in the year.
Tip 2: Create a desirable environment for piano practice.
Having a pleasant practice space is essential because you want the space to feel warm and inviting, encouraging the desire to practice. Adults, you may enjoy having a nice smelling candle by your piano and a cute basket to keep your music books in. Kids may enjoy having a favorite stuffed animal that lives on top of the piano and is their "practice buddy".
Know what you/your child like and have fun making the space fit your personality and goals. If you want to have a lifetime of musical enjoyment, don't skip this step – take the time to create a welcoming place to make music.
Tip 3: Give yourself an easy cue to remind you that it is time to practice piano.
Habit stacking is one way you can achieve this. Think of a habit that you do every day. This could be brushing your teeth, mealtime, getting home from school or work, etc. Then, make the decision to sit down at the piano right after that habit each day. You don't have to make it a lengthy practice session. The habit is really just to sit down at the piano every day. That's easy enough, right?
Another thing that can be really helpful for building this habit, especially if your piano isn't in a common space like the living room, is to have a visual cue, like this free printable sign, posted in the place where you do the habit you are trying to follow with practice. That visual reminder can give you that extra nudge you need to follow through.
Tip 4: Aim for short daily practice sessions that you can consistently show up for.
You do not have to sit down at the piano for an hour every day to see progress and cultivate a daily practice habit. As a matter of fact, you are going to have a much easier time establishing the habit if you simply begin with 5 minutes or one song at the piano every day. Just showing up is half the battle.
Over time, you can build on to this habit little by little, adding in things like technique, sight reading, and more songs. Doing this gradually over time is far more achievable than trying to start off with a lengthy, complex piano practice routine.
Tip 5: Make the decision to BE a person who plays the piano.
Is playing piano something you do or is it part of who you are? You are not just taking piano lessons. You are a person who plays the piano.
Do you think about whether you will brush your teeth or not every day? Probably not. You just do it, right? Growing in the skill of playing piano is like brushing your teeth – doing it daily keeps everything polished up.
What do you think would happen if you only brushed your teeth once a week? Let’s just say the results would not be stellar. The same applies to learning the piano. When you aren’t playing piano most days, your skills don’t grow much and progress is super slow. That is the number one killer of motivation to keep learning.
Muscles get stronger when we exercise our bodies several times a week. Fingers get faster when we exercise them several times a week too.
Tip 6: Start with the hardest assignment and end with the most enjoyable one.
It may be tempting to start off with your favorite thing to play, and while that is a good strategy in the very beginning of your piano journey, it can hinder your progress when you are trying to conquer bigger challenges down the road. It’s kind of like eating your dessert before you have touched your veggies.
Try choosing a small section of your newest piece to work on at the beginning of your practice session. Make a specific goal that is measurable so you can see your progress. An example would be “play this section of my piece without pausing” and then practice it until you have achieved that goal.
At the end of your practice session, play something you already know well or improvise just for the joy of it. This will leave you feeling accomplished after your practice and remind you that playing piano is fun, making it easier to sit down at the piano again tomorrow!
BONUS: Practice resources you may enjoy
Thanks for reading these tips on piano practice for beginners – I hope the advice given in this post is helpful to you!
Do you have other tips to share? Drop a comment below. :)
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