Important piano concepts to know

[palou]

monocle_layton said:

Hi everyone,

 

I started piano in july, and it's been fucking awful. Just kidding - well, slightly.

 

Piano's pretty damn fun, but learning is difficult. I never had any sort of musical knowledge, and my taste in music stops at anything that isn't classical. Saying that, I've been learning to not only play piano, but study music theory and sheet reading.

 

However, I don't think I'm learning at an acceptable rate. I started in July, and yet I'm still on pieces such as Beethoven's 1st movement in Moonlight Sonata and Chopin's prelude in e minor. Sheet reading isn't exactly my strong suit either, and I thought I'd ask for help.

 

As a beginner, what skills should I be focusing on? Also, what is the best way to learn sheet reading? If possible, are there certain pieces you believe would help

 

Thanks.

Reading music jus takes practice, learn it as you go, I'd say.

 

Your pace is perfectly fine. I usually spend a whole year with 1 piece - so not making any progress in your repertoire for half a year is definitely fine.

 

Before practicing, do your gammes, arpèges, to warm up, and train general technical skills, perhaps 5-ten minutes, each time.

 

What concerns specific technical difficulties, 3-2 beats, practice for the left hand, I think it's fine to learn them when they appear