How to Play Keyboard Music by Numbers

Learning to play the piano not only includes finding songs that you like, but also finding training that works the best for you. If you are just starting out and aren't ready to learn to read music staff, than you can look into options of how to begin learning. One of the options is to learn to play keyboard music by numbers, allowing you to make the progress that you want while getting used to the feel of the piano.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• method book / easy piano music
• keyboard

1. Know your fingers. Learning piano is first divided by the fingers that you use. This counts from 1 - 5, with the thumb being one, the pointer finger being two, the middle finger being three, the ring finger being four and the pinky being five. It is the same with the left hand as it is with the right hand.
2. Find corresponding keys for the fingerings. With the piano, the notes are divided by the black and white notes. You can find the white notes by finding the black notes above them, noticed in sets of two and three. To begin, find the white note that is one below the set of two. This is your 1 note.
3. Place your hands. Each finger will have the same number associated with the key. If you place all five fingers, it will be 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 on the keyboard. Your pinky finger, or 5, should be on the white note above the first black note on the set of three.
4. The extra notes. There are two more notes on the keyboard that you can count with numbers, which will be six and seven. After this, your numbers will start over with 1, as this note is the same note as the one in which your thumb in the right hand is placed on.
5. Combine your fingers with your method book. Once you have all of the fingers in place, you can start to combine this with notes that are in your method book. At times, the fingers of the notes will change in the book, but you will still have the option to place your fingers with 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 at this beginning note in order to play.

Tips & Warnings

• Use learning keyboard by numbers as a stepping stone. Even though the numbers will help you to get used to the keys and where to place your fingers, it will also prevent you from learning more advanced materials. Make sure that you start with this, than move into interchanging it with the names of notes.