There comes a point in every pianist’s career when they want to learn how to improve their piano and keyboard skills. Whether you’re a beginner or just looking for new ways to improve your current skill set: You’ve come to the right place. We put together a list of tips and tricks you can try out to help you improve your playing skills and take your love for this instrument to the next level.
Here are our go-to tips and tricks for improving:
Always make time for practice
Practice makes perfect. When you make the time for practice: you’re prioritizing your passions. Every time you sit down at your piano to play, you’re one step closer to becoming a better pianist.
If you feel like you’re constantly putting practice on the back burner or not making enough time, consider creating a practicing routine.
For example, choose three days a week where you can practice for 30 minutes to an hour. Stick to the time, commit to the practice, and always look for new ways to improve. If you have downtime outside of those three days, consider adding an extra 30 minutes or an hour to your practice routine. Every moment you dedicate to practicing will push you closer to your goals and help you hone your skill set.
Try to practice sight-reading
If you’re someone who likes to sit down with the same piece of music and play it until you master it: It’s time to mix it up. While this may seem like an efficient way to learn to play the piano, it’s easier to make mistakes. When you get in the groove of playing the same song, you aren’t able to see your mistakes. This makes it more challenging to correct your behavior.
With sight reading, you have an opportunity to challenge yourself and push yourself out of your comfort zone. However, sight-reading takes time. Consider incorporating sight-reading into a few of your practices. This will help you find places to improve, tackle your mistakes, and will help you enjoy the learning process more.
Incorporate classics into your practice routine
They’re classics for a reason. Classical pieces help you fine-tune your performance and learn hands-on techniques. Consider practicing with a few complex classical pieces at least once a week. You’ll challenge your technical abilities and find new easy to improve your current skills to take on other songs. With classical songs, you can also build a solid foundation as a pianist that will help you in the future.
Here are a few classic pieces to help you get started:
- J.S. Bach – The Well-Tempered Clavier
- Beethoven – ‘Moonlight’ Sonata
- Gershwin – Rhapsody in Blue
- Brahms’ Lullaby – Johannes Brahms
Take it slow
When you finally master a song you’ve been practicing for weeks or months, you may feel a natural progression to try to play it faster. However, faster doesn’t always mean better. When you play too fast, you may skip notes. Instead, consider trying to slow down and pause the metronome. While practicing at a slow and controlled pace, you’ll find the kinks in your approach and grow a closer connection with the music.
Consider enrolling in an in-person or online course
If you’re passionate about the piano and want to take it on professionally, an in-person or online course is the next step you need to take. These classes are designed to help you find your footing professionally and give you the skills you need to progress.
The unique curriculum at MI combines traditional keyboard performance with cutting-edge keyboard-based technology. With this hands-on experience with an instructor, you’ll improve your playing skills quickly.
Always be open to learning
When learning how to play an instrument, it’s important to stay open-minded and think outside the box when learning and practicing. Don’t be afraid to take on new songs, try out different techniques, and take different approaches to your practice.
Every small change you make can have a big impact on your skills over time. If you feel like you’re just practicing the same song continuously, and aren’t progressing, it’s time to start doing more. Try a new song, take a new approach, and rethink your form. Be open to new possibilities and always push yourself forward.
Take your passions to the next level with MI
The instructors at MI are passionate about helping pianists improve their keyboard skills. If you’re ready to take the next step in your pianist career, we’re here to help.