How to Select Piano Music

The piano music you select really depends on your level of experience and skill as a piano player. Consult the "Learn Fingering on the Piano" and "Practice Piano," under Related eHows, to get you started. Here are some tips on what to look for if you are a beginner.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Pianos
• Sheet Music For Piano
• Piano Stool
• Favorite Piano Concertos CDs

1. Buy a book of easy, beginning piano studies. Go to the music store and let a knowledgeable sales representative advise you.

2. Ask your piano teacher about how to choose suitable music for beginners. If you don't have a teacher yet, by all means, find one if you are serious about playing the piano!

3. Consider the classical composers in your selection. Mozart, Bach, Schumann and Bartok, in particular, have written pieces that are suitable for beginners. Ask for easy transcriptions of the piano works of the great composers.

4. Familiarize yourself with piano music of different periods and genres. It will help you appreciate the genius of those composers and broaden your musical scope.

Tips & Warnings

• Even though you might like one particular composer or style better than any other, try at least one sample each of the Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Impressionistic and Contemporary periods. Just as you might want ice cream for every meal but know that you need a more diverse diet to be healthy, you need a diverse musical diet to keep yourself musically healthy. It will also teach you how all these styles are related to one another. Again, ask your teacher or an experienced pianist for advice.
• "The Easy Solos by the Masters Series," published by Warner Brothers Publications, is highly recommended as is the "Introduction to the Great Composers Series" by the Alfred Publishing Company. When you are at the intermediate level, look at the "Piano Masters Series," also by Warner Brothers Publications, and the "Music for Millions Series" by Consolidated Music Publishers. There are many other piano anthologies available for any level.

on 11/22/2005 For the most part, it's best to stick with composers you've heard of. Lots of books for beginners include simple little sonatinas, because they're easy to learn, but they generally don't have much depth. There's plenty of equally accessible (and much more beautiful) material by the big name guys.