How to Play Piano Like Typing on a Keyboard
Many people are skilled at typing, and with this skill other activities and hobbies can become second nature. Piano playing is one of these activities that, with practice, you will find very similar to typing on a computer keyboard. The two activities complement one another. The ability to type on a computer is helpful when learning to play the piano.
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Instructions
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Comparing the Keyboards
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Place your hands in the starting position on a computer keyboard, with the pointer fingers of each hand on the F and J keys and the thumbs on the space bar. Compare this to the starting position on the piano, in which the thumbs of both hands are on middle C.
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Understand the ways the piano keyboard compares to the computer keyboard, such as how multiple keys are often pushed simultaneously on both, on the computer to make capital letters or symbols and on the piano to make chords.
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Think of the ways each medium is used. Both piano playing and computer typing are used purposefully. They are both used to create something, a piano to let out musical ideas in the form of sound and the computer a variety of thoughts, messages and other written aspects.
Learning to Play Piano
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Place both hands on the piano keys so that both thumbs are on the middle C, which is the center point of all activity. Place key labels on the piano keys to make the piano look more like a computer keyboard if you wish.
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Start practicing with your right hand (still on middle C) and press down each key beginning with your right thumb and working up the piano, to the right, in the order of C, D, E, F and G.
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Try this with your left hand, with your thumb on middle C. Then use your pointer finger, then your middle finger, ring finger and pinkie, working down the piano, to your left, in the order of C, B, A, G and F.
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Practice a C scale with your right hand, by beginning at middle C, playing all of the white keys up to the next C. Working your way to the right, playing C, D, E, F, G, A, B and then the higher C. Proper fingering must be used, or else you'll find yourself running out of fingers. Begin with your thumb on C, press down D with your pointer finger and E with your middle finger. Then wrap your thumb under your other fingers to the F key. This may be a little stretch the first time, but your fingers will eventually become more nimble. Use the rest of the fingers and continue in order: Use your pointer finger on G, middle finger on A, ring finger on B and pinkie on C. Try a C scale with your left hand beginning at C and working downwards in order of C, B, A, G, F, E, D and C. Make sure to use proper fingering.
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Practice, practice, practice. Before you know it, piano playing will become as natural as typing on the computer keyboard.
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Tips & Warnings
Invest in a piano chart if need be. Piano charts sit behind the keys, clearly labeling each key, helping you memorize the keys. They are inexpensive and are available at most music stores.
Pay attention to your fingering and the proper center points on the piano.
Resources
- Photo Credit piano image by Vasiliy Koval from Fotolia.com
