How to Play the Piano
You Can Play Your Very First Song with Popular 8 Note Songs Music Patterns from Upado Unlimited!
|
You can play a song, even if you cannot read music! If you have a keyboard, a Popular 8 Note Songs music pattern song book and the ability to match colors or letters, you are all set to go!
To use the Up-a-do Unlimited Song Patterns with a keyboard, you need either an electronic piano or a full-size piano. Many new musicians start with the song Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. |
|
PLACING THE COLOR CHART
Carefully remove the piano fingering chart from the back of your Popular 8 Note Songs music book and place it on the piano between the white (and black) keys and the back board.
Notice that the piano has a long row of white keys backed by sets of two or three black keys. Find the pair of black keys closest to the middle of the piano. The white key to the left of the first black key in the pair is the piano’s middle C, and it is the low C on your fingering chart. Place the fingering chart on the key board so that the lines between the colors line up with the gaps between the notes.
Carefully remove the piano fingering chart from the back of your Popular 8 Note Songs music book and place it on the piano between the white (and black) keys and the back board.
Notice that the piano has a long row of white keys backed by sets of two or three black keys. Find the pair of black keys closest to the middle of the piano. The white key to the left of the first black key in the pair is the piano’s middle C, and it is the low C on your fingering chart. Place the fingering chart on the key board so that the lines between the colors line up with the gaps between the notes.
|
THE KEY OF C
The white notes on a keyboard are named A B C D E F G. This pattern of notes repeats all the way up the piano. Most of the songs in the Popular 8 Note Songs Music Book are played in the Key of C which means you will be playing just the white keys on your keyboard. The key of C includes the notes: C D E F G A B C. |
POSITION
When playing the songs, sit so that you are a comfortable distance from the piano with your bench high enough so that your hands reach the keyboard when your elbows are bent at a 90 degree angle. Cup your right hand like you are holding a tennis ball. This will allow you to play on the more sensitive tips of your fingers, and it causes the fingers to work at about the same length. Your thumb will remain straight.
When playing the songs, sit so that you are a comfortable distance from the piano with your bench high enough so that your hands reach the keyboard when your elbows are bent at a 90 degree angle. Cup your right hand like you are holding a tennis ball. This will allow you to play on the more sensitive tips of your fingers, and it causes the fingers to work at about the same length. Your thumb will remain straight.
|
PLAYING A C SCALE
Place your right thumb on the C note and then play D with your first finger, E with your second finger, F with your thumb (by crossing it below your hand), and G with your first finger, A with your second finger, B with your third finger and High C with your fourth finger. Play C D E F G A B C again. You are playing a scale! |
|
BEAT AND RHYTHM
It is important to learn to keep a steady beat so that your song is musical and so that you can play along with other people. Practice beat (the steady thumping) and rhythm (the varied time spacings) by clapping along or even dancing about with recordings of songs you enjoy. When you are practicing songs, you can play along with a metronome. There are several free options online.
When reading the music patterns, you can tell how long to hold each note by looking at the length of each colored block. The longer the block, the more time you spend holding that note.
It is important to learn to keep a steady beat so that your song is musical and so that you can play along with other people. Practice beat (the steady thumping) and rhythm (the varied time spacings) by clapping along or even dancing about with recordings of songs you enjoy. When you are practicing songs, you can play along with a metronome. There are several free options online.
When reading the music patterns, you can tell how long to hold each note by looking at the length of each colored block. The longer the block, the more time you spend holding that note.
|
PLAYING A SONG
When you are ready to play your first song, compare the colors on the music patterns to the colors on your fingering chart. Notice that, if you prefer, you can match the letters of the notes on the music patterns to the letters on the fingering chart instead. Choose your method of matching and place your right hand over the keyboard with your thumb above the low C. Play each note in the order it appears. |
For all the songs in the Up-a-do Unlimited Popular 8 Note Songs music book, there are free online audio tracks so you can listen and learn that way too.
There is a great feeling of success and satisfaction when you play a song for the very first time. As you work your way through the songs in the book, you will find duets and rounds so you can make music with family and friends.
There is a great feeling of success and satisfaction when you play a song for the very first time. As you work your way through the songs in the book, you will find duets and rounds so you can make music with family and friends.
|
After your success with Popular 8 Note Songs, you may decide to take piano lessons, learn to read music and continue your musical adventure.
But every journey begins with a first step. No matter what your age, you can start your musical adventure with Popular 8 Note Songs! |
|