Sunday, July 31, 2011

Learn to Play Piano - 5 Elements of Music to Learn First

In order to learn to play any musical instrument it is necessary to learn a small amount about music. Difficulties in understanding the instrument are compounded when you do not understand music or the instrument. Music is quite simply a map that provides a musician with the information needed to play the right notes. To read the map it is necessary to understand a simple code. A note will have a pitch, a period of time it is played for and loudness. The code provides that information. Knowing the simple code allows you to read music.

Here are 5 basic elements of the code to learn before you start to learn to play piano.

1. Music is written on paper in the form of symbols to represent the length of time a note is to be played for. The symbols can be called after their original names of crotchet, minim, breve, semi breve, or by their more modern names of quarter note, half note, double whole note, whole note respectively.

2. The symbols above are written on horizontal lines arranged in two blocks of five lines. The lines and spaces between them represent the pitch of a note. The lines and spaces at the top of the five lines are a higher pitch than those on the bottom lines or spaces. The blocks of lines are called the staff, stave or ledger lines. Which one you use is unimportant.

3. The two blocks of horizontal lines represent the higher pitch notes on the top block and the lower bass notes on the lower block. These are differentiated by the use of a sign placed at the left of each block of lines. The top block has a symbol called the treble clef. (sometimes also called the G clef)This is similar to a British pound sign. The lower block of lines has a symbol called a bass clef which is similar to an upside down letter C with two dots after it. Using two blocks easily shows the range of the notes that are to be played. Not written in music is a line between the two blocks of five. This apparent line is called C representing the note of C; this is the middle C note on piano.

4. Musical notes are called by letters. The notes start at A and finish at G. The lines of the stave are called after the same notes. The middle line (The one not written on the paper) as you know is the note called C, the space above the line is D, the line above is E, the space above that line is F, the line above is G and the space above that is A and so on up the lines.

5. Musical notes on the piano follow exactly the same system. The C in the middle of the piano is C the next white key to the right is D the next right key is E and so on up the piano. A note symbol on the line called G calls for the key of the piano called G to be pressed.

Music is basically simple as can be seen above. Symbols represent the note to be played. Knowing the code enables the music to be understood.

Should you be interested in learning more try this link http://www.free.jackieclarkmusic.com/

Jackie Clark has been teaching piano, keyboard and guitar for over 30 years in several countries. She has a 100% success rate with pupils taking exams in traditional teaching methods and also has on line courses of instruction

http://www.jackieclarkmusic.com/


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