Learning song on piano is one of the most intimidating tasks that piano beginners face. You will know how to play a few basic notes but certainly not the complete song. When it comes to learning your favourite music, it’s like you are a kid again and sit down in front of the Christmas tree opening all those gifts while the presents underneath pile up at your feet. That’s how I used to feel every time I open my piano and stumble upon the same old pieces that I have been practicing for quite some time now. But no matter what level you’re on, it’s easier if you know these 3 tips for learning any song on piano.
1. It all begins with a great choice of song
The best motivation you can have when learning piano is a great song. You obviously need to know several fundamentals before you begin playing. For instance, how to hold your hand and find the keys. However, you shouldn’t spend more than just a few days on preparations. Select a song and then get started.
You might be surprised to learn that it is harder than it seems to choose the right song. It makes all the difference. You are likely to get bored if it is too easy, and you will probably get frustrated if it is too difficult. Find classical pieces of music or a transcription of a song you love that’s not too challenging.
All songs on flowkey, which are ideal for beginners will be marked with a green corner. If you are a complete beginner, you need to first check out the First Steps Section. You will find songs there to introduce you to playing piano step-by-step. That way, you can always be sure to find a song that’s a match for your skills.
If you are beginner, try finding songs that:
- Have no chords with over 3 notes
- Only have a handful of notes in the left hand (F Clef)
- Don’t involve many hand jumps or incredibly quick finger movements
It is advisable not only to listen to your preferred song, but also to watch how it should be played on a piano. You will need to see the score too. If you have these 3 things, then you are ready to go. Search Roland keyboards to find the perfect keyboard to practice your chosen song.
2. Slice It Up
After finding your song, you need to break it down into small sections of about 4 to 10 seconds. Why? Your brain is seriously working while you practice the piano. It needs to memorize complex and new hand movements, and it is limited in terms of how much it can store. According to studies, periods of 4 to 10 seconds are just the ideal length for the brain to focus on.
So, rather than attempting to learn the whole song at once, you should focus on learning a section a day. You can use the loop function to practice short sessions. Simply mark the section you wish to practice before hitting Play to work through it on repeat.
The ideal learning routine looks something like this:
- Monday: Learn section one
- Tuesday: Learn section two and play both of the sections together
- Wednesday: learn section three and play all of the 3 sections together
- Thursday: Learn section four and play all the 4 sections together and so on.
If you use this approach, you will be more likely to master songs quicker. You will also have little breakthroughs each day, which are great for motivation.
3. Take a Detour
Before ever attempting to play using both hands, ensure that you are capable of playing each hand separately. It is important since, as you just learned, the human brain can only learn so much in one go. When trying to learn a new piece, it can be overwhelming for the brain to play both hands. Chances are you will have a hard time keeping everything coordinated.
Realize what the brain must do when learning to play the piano:
- Learn and memorize what the left hand needs to do
- Learn and memorize what the right hand needs to do
- Coordinate both hands at the same time.
The trick is working on each aspect of the piece individually. This actually applies to both right hand and left hand parts. If you click the hand symbols in the flowkey player, you can choose to practice your left hand, right hand, or both hands together after you become more confident.
So, let us define your learning routine a bit:
- Monday: Learn section 1. Spend 5 minutes on the left hand, 5 minutes on the right hand, and 5 minutes on both hands.
- Tuesday: Learn section 2. Spend 5 minutes on the left hand, 5 minutes on the right hand, and 5 minutes on both hands. Next, spend a further 5 minutes playing both section 1 and 2 together.
- Wednesday: Learn section 3. Spend 5 minutes on the left hand, 5 minutes on the right hand, and 5 minutes on both hands. Next, spend an additional 5 minutes playing sections 1, 2, and 3 together.
If you do the maths, you will see that 20 minutes of practice a day is recommended
