When you or your child decides it’s time to start learning an instrument, it might seem daunting to decide which instrument to start with. There are so many options out there, after all! While you may have always wanted to play the guitar in a rock band, there might be a better instrument to start learning on before working your way up to the guitar… the piano! A piano is a great first instrument for both adults and kids to learn on for many reasons.
Why the piano is an excellent choice as a first instrument
Did you that at Capstone Music Burlington, we’ve a dozen wonderfully talented musicians teaching piano! Whether your an adult wanting piano lessons or want to introduce piano to your child/grandchild – go with the best!
It’s easy to play
You can’t get much simpler than a piano. In order to extract a sound, you just have to hit a key. It doesn’t even matter how hard or soft you hit the key because it will always be in tune. This is especially great for young kids or adults completely new to the act of making music, because there isn’t any question as to whether the instrument is tuned correctly or being played properly.
Maintenance is simple
Pianos often only need to be tuned once or twice a year so the maintenance of the instrument is very easy to stay on top of. On the contrary, most other instruments have to be tuned every time they are played which adds another layer of difficulty to learning to play the instrument.
Good way to learn how to read music
Because a piano is so simple to play, the student is more easily able to focus on learning how to read the music in front of them rather than putting too much effort into difficult technique. The layout of the keys is also relative to the layout of the notes on the sheet music, so teaching the brain how to read the notes while hitting the key is easier than many other instruments.
Sounds good from day one
From the beginning of the very first lesson, the simple songs played on a piano sound good. It is much easier to hit the correct notes on a piano than it is on an instrument like a flute or clarinet, which is motivating for budding musicians and is likely to keep them playing and practicing.
Good base for learning music theory
Because a piano’s keyboard layout is very simple with the low notes on the left and the higher notes on the right, it makes for a very simple way to teach a new student music theory. Music theory provides a base for all instruments, so is an important part of learning to play music. The straightforward design of the piano with both white keys and black keys makes it very easy for students to understand sharps, flats, intervals and chords, along with the spacing of the notes on paper.
Teaches coordination
The piano is one of the only instruments that encourages both hands to play different notes at the same time. As students progress through their lessons, they will learn how to play both the melody and the accompaniment at the same time which teaches their brain to read and play two different sets of notes at once.
It’s not awkward to play
Many instruments require the student to learn how to hold their hands in an awkward position in order to make music happen, but the piano doesn’t fall into that category.
The piano is a great option for a first instrument
When making the choice to start down a musical path there is nothing more satisfying than making music from the time you sit down at your first lesson. The simplicity of the piano makes this possible for even the most amateur musician, which means they’ll be motivated to continue learning and playing right from the beginning.
Learning how to play the piano is a great way to create a base of music knowledge that musicians will carry with them no matter what instruments they try to play in the future. From the simple layout of the keyboard to making sense of reading music, the piano makes learning music theory easy!
