I wish you could have seen me play the piano when I was just learning. I was the nearest thing to “hopeless” that you could imagine. I was into baseball, not music; and my heroes were Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, and Ted Williams. (And by the way, I still have a picture of those 3 guys on my wall.) My dream was to hit baseballs like them, not to play the piano.

But an opportunity to play with a combo presented itself to me when I was a freshman in high school. Seems the piano player of the group had graduated the previous year, and nobody else played piano well enough to play in the school jazz combo. I didn’t know zilch about playing in a group, and I didn’t know chords. But I was excited to have the opportunity to play with older guys, and so I took the job.

The lead sax player told me I really should know chords in order to play in the group, so I searched through a music magazine until I found an ad for a chord chart. It cost two bucks, as I recall, so I sent off for it. When I received it in the mail I slipped it behind the keys on my parents old upright piano, and promptly learned to play my first chord; Dm7. I LOVED the sound of it, and was hooked for life on chords. The 2nd chord I learned was Cmaj7, then Em7, then Ebm7; and before that first night was over I had learned to play “Frankie & Johnnie”; the tune in my right hand, and those fabulous 7th chords in my left hand!

I loved it! LOVED IT! LOVED IT! And it even sounded good enough to impress some of my friends the next day. I suppose that simple chord chart that cost me two bucks has been worth several million over the course of my lifetime. And much more than that, has been worth quadrillions in pleasure and satisfaction and relaxation and lots more.

Even though I came in the back door as far as piano playing was concerned, I learned fast because of what I knew about chords, so college was a snap, and so was my post-graduate Masters Degree at Southern Oregon University. After high school I studied with several of the finest private teachers on the West Coast, including a year with THE finest teacher; his name was Dave; and his studio was on Cauhenga Blvd. in Hollywood. As I would come for my piano lesson, I would often pass a big name recording artist coming to their lesson; and anyone who was anyone in Hollywood in those days took lessons from Dave.

Dave taught me 2 fundamental principles about piano playing:

1. The piano is NOT played with the hands; it is played with the brain. The hands are just tools.

2. If you master chord relationships, you can master music.

I’ve got little fat hands with short fingers. Hardly the ideal hands for piano playing.

I’ve also got a lousy sense of rhythm.

But you know what? Because of those two principles Dave taught me, I can play “above” my fat hands and my weak rhythm.

Above?

Yes.

Above.

Once a person “gets into the flow” of understanding chord relationships and then letting the brain knowledge flow into the hands, that person plays “above” his ability.

And the great thing about it is this: It’s not some secret formula hidden in the archives of some dusty music conservatory in Prague. Instead it’s an open book; there are courses galore on the internet you can take for peanuts compared to a traditional music conservatory. The internet age has provided a way for the average person to become an above-average musician!

Whether you already play piano or want to learn, I’m glad you stumbled across this page. It means there’s one more person out there looking for a better way to add music to his or her life, or perhaps to improve on an already established skill set.

Either way, welcome. The good new is, I’ve got helpful advice for any level you may be at. I invite you to discover your potential and take the necessary steps to reach your goals.

BEGINNERS, DON’T BE SHY:

If your idea of a scale is something in your bathroom that seems to know you like donuts, you’re definitely among the beginners. But seriously, if you know only a handful of basic chords, a song or two, or you have never touched a keyboard, you will want to learn the basics.

I recommend you take a course in introductory musical theory. You’ll want to learn the names of the notes, practice the scales, begin to put together chords, and embrace the art of repetition. That’s right, the key to picking up on the basics is to imprint them into your psyche, increase your dexterity, train your hands to make those stretches they’re not used to making, and find the connection between mind and body that will enable you to play naturally.

At the beginner level, students should have the patience to put off learning actual songs or performance styles in favor of getting comfortable learning chords, fingering, etc. The good news is, with the right training, you can pass through the beginner level relatively quickly. Of course, the right training is, at best, half the equation. Your ability to master the above skills will depend on your determination to practice every day. Just like physical training, by going through the correct motions a little each day, you can accomplish much more than inconsistent practice every so often.

How you decide to learn is up to your preferred method of absorbing new information. Some people are visual learners, others are aural. What this means to you is, you might need to learn to play with the aid of sheet music (visual) or by listening to someone play a note or chord and you copy them (aural). The latter method is also known as playing by ear. Most websites that promote piano lessons offer a sample of their training style so you can try before you buy. It’s a good idea to try both so you can get started in the right direction and not waste time learning in a way that’s against your learning style.

INTERMEDIATE LEVEL:

By this point in your piano education, you should know all the scales, the popular chord styles, and be able to perform with confidence. This isn’t to say you should be a virtuoso. At the intermediate level, many musicians can find work playing out at various venues. But their skills are limited.

Now is a good time to think about the type or types of music you want to play. Will you study classical? Are you more into jazz or blues? Would you prefer to play rock? Or are you saving yourself for religious styles like gospel? With your intermediate skill level, you understand many of the chords and progressions you will use in your chosen genre. Now you need to focus on lessons that show you the fundamentals, the nuances, and the tricks behind playing a particular style.

Like the tip I gave for beginners, it applies here as well: Determine if you are a visual or auditory learner and pick the package you are most likely to understand, enjoy, and stick with.

And again, practice!

ADVANCED PERFORMERS:

Congratulations, you’ve come a long way in your musical journey. But you’re far from finished. With your advanced skills, you can sit in with another musician or ensemble and play along. You can listen to a song and learn it with relative ease, or perhaps you can open sheet music and read the notes as easily as you read printed text. And just maybe, you are ready to flex your creativity and explore new horizons.

Some performers don’t know how to recognize when they surpassed the intermediate level. That’s okay, it will be clear eventually. If you are already performing comfortably but you want to infuse your music with more complex chord structures, creative runs, or you want to add another genre to your repertoire (that’s a lot of French!), you are most likely advanced and ready to take on a bigger challenge. It’s been said many times, learning to perform music is not a destination but a journey.

Many professional artists play multiple instruments. They are skilled guitarists or drummers who also play a little piano. It is not uncommon to encounter a musician who is very good at any instrument he or she decides to learn. If you are just such a person, and piano is one of your secondary instruments, consider how you could benefit from actual lessons.

I’ve discovered some outstanding courses for advanced piano playing that can be purchased online. Take the time to evaluate the publishers’ websites and read reviews if possible. Most lesson packages are moderately priced, so you shouldn’t have trouble finding a good, affordable lesson system.

And in case you forgot already, you still need to practice! Just remember to keep the fun in the fundamentals. Learning to play piano can be a lot of work, but it’s a form of entertainment and should never be a chore. Good luck!