In order for anyone to recognize a song, two components need to be in place: the proper rhythm and the proper melody. Without these two, any song will start sounding off. So the first place to start would be these two.

Let’s talk about rhythm first since the piano is essentially a percussive instrument as you “strike” the piano with your fingers/hands as you would a bongo or conga drum. People like to dance to music so I believe rhythm is first and foremost and should be treated with the most respect and priority. Make sure you count and move a part of your body i.e. tap your foot, bob your head so you make sure you’re playing in a steady fashion!

Melody is the next most important thing to focus on, for me it is pretty tied with rhythm. Everyone plays a wrong note every now and then, even the best. Finger slips and “ghost” notes are not what I’m concerned about. Playing the right notes consistently is very much dependent on note reading ability. IF you can’t read notes correctly, your song may end up sounding horrendous! Be sure you know how to read music by strengthening your note reading i.e. knowing your intervals etc. Also make sure you know which key is what on the piano. It doesn’t help if you read an A and play an F thinking it’s an A.

Lastly we have fingering mistakes. Most sheet music will have fingering suggestions notated which act as a guide for fingering. Fingering and technique will not always make or break a song, however if it’s a difficult piece then proper, efficient fingering is crucial if you need to execute a section on a difficult piece. Fingering should always be as efficient as possible while being comfortable at the same time.

So there you have it! Next time you practice the piano, pay attention to the mistakes you’re making and know which ones to give priority to.

Jason is a piano instructor and runs a music school in Orange County offering Orange County piano lessons.

Learning to play guitar is one of the most affordable tasks there is. The instrument itself, is easily attainable. The biggest thing you will be investing is yourself. Once you have signed up for an online course, you are ready to begin. If that was a few years ago and you simply gave up due to poor teaching methods, you will be surprised at what there is on the internet now.

With today’s technology every aspect needed to play this instrument is there. There are online videos that show you the placement of your fingers when learning the scales. Every assignment must be structured so that the beginner has the opportunity to learn when and how certain things should be used. It does little good to have instructions that are full of information but have little in the way of how information is applied.

One drawback of the online instruction can be with the student. If you were taking classes locally and your instructor taught you the C major scale; they would also expect you to practice. A student is told to practice until they can play without error. With online courses there is no instructor that can listen to see how well you did or admonish you for not putting the right amount of practice into exercises.

Class instructors, or one on one teaching methods, are a way of getting specific assignments. You come back the following week and the teacher will expect you to know what you were told to practice until it could be played error free. If you are having difficulty, the progression in classes will stop until you have achieved the goal set for you. This same rule must be applied to online teaching or you will never be adept at playing this beautiful instrument.

It is not easy for a person to look at themselves and pick out the things that they feel they are not good at. If you find that you are lacking in self discipline, taking online lessons may not be the best route for you to take. You may need that instructor who will be sure you are keeping up with weekly assignments.

Only you can judge yourself and make the choice between home classes or an online course. If you feel your character is strong enough to set aside time to listen to each lesson and then practice it, you have come to the right place. Scan through the numerous courses available and find the one that seems to fit what you want.

If you find yourself falling behind, accept the fact that online guitar lessons are not adaptable to your mindset. You are just one of many who needs the student and teacher atmosphere to keep you working toward your goal of being able to play guitar. Choose the form that suits your personality and allow yourself to begin learning a much sought after talent.

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