Piano Basics

Step One

There are basic things you need to know about the piano so that you can start your learning journey.  These lessons will get you understanding basic piano terminology so that you can build those CHOPS.

Get your Fundamentals on!  Have fun.


Piano Essentials

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How to Sit and Hold Your Hands

We are not going to hit you with a ruler or anything if you don’t sit or hold your hands correctly, but there is a benefit to doing so.

Posture on the Piano


Can You “See” Middle C?

Middle C is a location on the piano that you must know.  When giving directions so many people talk about this as a reference point to play above or below.  The fastest way to find it is visually because it is almost in the middle of the piano keys.

Middle C on the Piano


Know the Notes

If you can’t simply look down at the keys of a piano and know what notes you are looking at, then you need a little work.  Don’t waste your time thinking about notes so that you can get to jammin’ much sooner!

Notes on the Piano



Simple Distances on the Piano

If I’m going to give you directions to go somewhere then it would probably be beneficial if you knew which way was left and right.  Knowing your whole and half steps will help you move things around and create amazing sounds!

Whole and Half Steps on the Piano


What Do My Hands Do?

Your right and left hands serve many different purposes on the piano.  Often the role of your hands will change according to what style of music you are playing.  Learn more about your hands to open up a whole new world of opportunities!

Roles of Your Hands on the Piano


The Sustain Pedal

Hold it right there!  The sustain pedal will hold out the tone of a note after it is played.  Make sure and learn the correct way to use it so you don’t get left with a disconnected or muddy sound.

Sustain Pedal Basic
Training [Intermediate]



Play Around Middle C

Knowing where to play things on the piano is very important.  One of the most common mistakes I hear is people playing too high or too low.  Understand this basic concept for an immediate better sound.

Chord Around Middle C


Transposing on the Piano

Move it!  Sometimes you’ll need to use the transpose function on a keyboard.  This is a useful tool and pretty simple to do most of the time.  Some styles just feel better in certain keys, but don’t forget to change it back!

Transposing the Keyboard