Do you want to know how to play piano? Learning to play an instrument for the very first time can seem daunting as it is exciting, and learning piano is no different. Here is a quick guide for you on how to learn piano to help you jumpstart your efforts and make the best decision.

Choosing Your First Piano

If you don't already have one, getting the perfect one for you involves more than just picking up the first one you see that looks the best and costs the lowest.

More often than not, pianos are iindeed expensive, but if you ask around, you may be lucky enough to find a great deal as there are people who dispose of old pianos from time to time, or you may chance upon a piano or music store's sale.

Another option is getting yourself a keyboard until the expense of buying the piano becomes justifiable for your budget.

Getting to Know Your Piano

Before deciding whether to get private lessons with a teacher or go the self study route, there are some things you can learn right now at the very least. Know that there are 88 keys in a standard piano, and only (thankfully!) seven basic whole notes and to remember which repeat themselves the entire time along the whole piano keyboard.

The white keys on the piano are called "naturals" and the very center of the piano starts at middle C. The 7 letter names of these white keys are: C – D – E – F – G – A – B consecutively. They are also known as do-re-mi-fa-sol-la-ti respectively (just like in the song "Doe a Deer" from the Sound of Music, remember?)

This is one whole octave. After this the order of notes repeat themselves to begin again at C, only in another octave.

For starters, remember where C is located on the keyboard. It is the white key to the very left of the pair of the two black keys.

As for the black keys, you only need to remember 5. Each key can either be a sharp or a flat, in reference to the key or note being played in the music. If the black key is higher in relation to the white key, it is a sharp. If it is lower in relation to the white key, it is a flat.

For example, the black key right after C is known as C sharp, but if this very same black key is mentioned in reference to D, it is known as D flat.

What's Next?

Of course, the most ideal way of learning how to play piano is under the guidance of a piano tutor, but not everyone can afford or adjust to this set up in terms or money, time, or location. If this is more like your situation, don't despair because a few good options are still available for you.

The first option is to learn from a piano lesson book series: many piano courses have been made with the complete beginner in mind. However, others may struggle this way, without someone to turn to for help in case they have questions or if they get stuck.

The second option is to go for DVD courses, look up videos in free sites like YouTube, or subscribe to online interactive lessons. There's no one best method that fits everyone.

To determine which option suits you best, find out how you learn best, take note of what you already know at this point, and determine how you plan to work at your lessons and incorporate it into your lifestyle.

Whichever method you end up using and whatever piano or keyboard you get, learning how to play piano is both fun and challenging as you progress, but it will be a very rewarding and fulfilling experience.