Hot Piano & Keyboard How-Tos

How To: Understand music notation when reading sheet music

In this video, we learn how to understand music notation when reading sheet music. To help you read sheet music wherever you are, it's an easy process. You can learn how to read sheet music within just a few minutes and practice. You can be great at reading any type of sheet music so you can play with a band or just by yourself. Music notation is a big part of sheet music, so you must understand this before you can read sheet music by yourself. Once you get this, you will be able to play musi...

How To: Understand the basics of reading sheet music

In this tutorial, we learn how to understand the basics of reading sheet music. What you will first see are the basic clefs. One is for the right hand and one is for the left. In the middle is the middle c and on the far right is the c above the right hand. The notes continue in each direction but they follow an exact pattern. In the beginning, memorize only the middle "C", where it is on the piano. After this, you will learn the upper and lower "C". Continue to practice with reading the musi...

How To: Start reading sheet music for the piano

In this tutorial, we learn how to start reading sheet music for the piano. To be able to read the notes, you need to visualize what you are doing on the piano. A good starting point is the middle C on the keyboard. For a piano, you have horizontal lines in two sets on the sheet of paper. These lines are called "staffs" and the vertical lines are the "bar lines". The sections are called "measures". The top of those staffs is all the notes above the middle c. The bottom is all the notes below m...

How To: Play blues chords with sevenths on the piano

Interested in playing the blues on a piano or other keyboard instrument? Let this free video music lesson be your guide. While this tutorial is best suited for intermediate or advanced piano players, players of all skill levels can play along. Watch this tutorial to get started playing blues notes with sevenths and to learn about basic chord inversions!

How To: Play "Dynamite" by Taio Cruz on the piano

Interested in playing Taio Cruz's "Dynamite" on a piano or other keyboard instrument? Let this free video music lesson be your guide. While this tutorial is best suited for intermediate or advanced piano players, players of all skill levels can play along. Watch this tutorial to get started playing "Dynamite"!

How To: Understand crescendo, diminuendo & other tempo changes on the piano

In this video, we learn how to understand crescendo, diminuendo & other tempo changes. When you are playing piano, you are supposed to play the note until a dynamic change is shown on the music. A sforzando means that you must suddenly play very loudly. This occurs most in a surprise symphony. A crescendo is when you change the volume gradually. As the lines grow on the symbol you will increase the volume or decrease it if it's from larger to smaller. When you play dimiuendo you must not slow...

How To: Use allegro, moderato, andante, adagio, ferma tempos in music

In this video, we learn how to use tempo: Allegro, Moderato, Andante, Adagio, Ferma. When you are playing a musical piece it has to have certain notes and speed. You will also be setting a mood with your song as well. Use tempo marks to mark these on your song to make it unique. Learn how to read these mark when you are looking at music on a sheet of notes. Make sure to practice your music to make sure you are playing it at the right speed and taking pauses where appropriate. This will help y...

How To: Comprehend quarter, half, and whole music rests

In this tutorial, we learn how to understand music rests (Quarter, half, & whole rests). Rests are signs of silence while you are playing a song. Silence is a very important element in creating music, giving the audience time to reflect on the notes that they just heard. The whole note lasts for four beats and has two half notes. Every half note has a quarter not and every quarter note lasts one beat. The quarter rest means you will count one beat where you will lift your finger from the key ...

How To: Play an instrumental cover of the Jonas Brother song "Fly with Me" on piano

The Jonas Brothers may be on their way out as they grow older and Nick Jonas embarks on his solo career, but for their fans their songs will always remain. This three-part video will teach you how to play a cool instrumental version of their song "Fly with Me" on piano, the ultimate expression of your love for the Jonas Brothers. Check out a written version of the song here.

How To: Play the 12 bar blues on the piano in both major and minor tonalities

The 12 bar Blues is something that EVERY musician should know how to play. It may be "simple music" but as they say, "simple music is the hardest kind of music to play". Understanding the theory behind the 12 bar Blues is crucial to feeling measures and also gives you a chance to really make a very simple three chord phrase your own. In this video you will learn how to understand, play and feel the 12 bar Blues in it's various forms including the major, minor and dominant Blues.

How To: Read treble and bass clef lines and spaces

Now that you know what a staff is, how many lines and spaces are in a staff, and what the different clef's are, it's time to learn where the notes go in each one. It's crucial to understanding note placement and everything else that involves using the staff to learn the sayings for each space and line. For the Treble Clef spaces, it's "FACE", for Treble Clef lines it's "Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge", for Bass clef spaces it's "All Cows Eat Grass" and for the lines he uses "Green Birds Don't ...

How To: Use the blues scale, twelve tone row technique, polychords, and tone clusters

Music theory, for any musician, is EXTREMELY important to know if you expect playing in any form of professional capacity. But if you can't afford to go to Berklee College of Music or Musician's Institute, then you can get almost the same education in this great video! In this video you will learn the basics of the minor Blues scale, 12 tone technique, polychords, chordal chords, and tone clusters. Truly amazing work and make sure you have a pen and piece of paper to take notes!