How to Teach Yourself Piano at Home

One of the most common questions we get asked is: can I learn to play piano by myself? The answer is, yes. While we believe the best way to learn piano is from an instructor, we also understand that some students prefer self-learning.

The piano is one of the most versatile instruments, and learning it will serve you well in other areas of life. If you’re truly committed to playing this instrument, use this learning guide to get started.

Step 1) Get Your Own Piano or Keyboard

You can’t learn how to teach yourself piano if you don’t have one! Even if there’s a public place where you have access to a piano, it’s far better if you have one in the privacy of your home. That means it’s time to make an investment.

Acoustic pianos typically range in price from $2,000 to $10,000 or more for some high-quality concert grand pianos. Obviously, as a beginner, you don’t need a grand piano, but you’ll at least want a quality instrument to practice on. Acoustic pianos are large and heavy, and require regular tuning to remain playable. Even though these aspects seem like downsides, nothing can truly replace the sound and feel of a real piano.

If the cost is an issue for you, however, a digital keyboard is a totally acceptable place to start. A full 88-key version starts at about $150. Remember, you’ll also need a keyboard stand, piano bench, and sustain pedal. The more features you want (UBS drive, sound effects, internal metronome, sample songs, etc.), the higher the investment will be. Most importantly, don’t be tempted by inexpensive, low-quality keyboards. Insist on weighted keys, which is the key to achieving different dynamics in the music you play.

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2) Start by Finding Middle C

So your keyboard is all set up and you’re excited to get going. If you have no musical background, you may feel overwhelmed by looking at all those keys – but don’t worry! A great place to start is by finding middle C.

Think of middle C as home base, the place where all beginner pieces work off of. To find middle C, sit down in front of your piano and position yourself at the center. The black keys are arranged in sets of two and three. Middle C is the white key just to the left of the grouping of two black keys near the middle of the keyboard. Place your right thumb on Middle C, pointer finger on the next white note (D), and your middle finger on the white note next to that (E). Using these three notes, you should be able to play Mary Had a Little Lamb by ear (start with E, D, C…).

RELATED: 5 Best Piano Books for Beginners

3) Learn to Read Music, Chord Progression, and Finger Exercises

Before you can expect to play more than Mary Had a Little Lamb, you need to pin down some good resources that explain how to teach yourself piano. The Internet is one of your best resources, but certainly not the only one. Here are some helpful resources to get you started:

• TakeLessons’ Piano Playlist: The exercises in this playlist will help you build finger speed, strength, and accuracy at the keyboard. Incorporate them into your daily practice sessions!

• DataDragon: Learning to read music is not quite as simple or straightforward as finding Middle C. It’s an ongoing process you must focus on each time you play. DataDragon can help with this; the various lessons cover time signatures, types of notes and rests, counting, and more.

• OnlinePianist: Chords (multiple notes played at the same time) and scales (a succession of notes played one after the other) are the foundation of piano playing. This resource teaches you how to play every major and minor scale on the piano as well as a huge variety of chords.

• Hanon exercises: It’s important to build finger strength and improve your musical aptitude. Hanon exercises are an excellent resource for this. The link provided here lets you download a free PDF version of each exercise, as well as play a sample so you can hear how the exercise is supposed to sound.