Is piano a good choice as the first instrument to learn? Piano is a great instrument to begin with, and here are 10 reasons why:
Why begin music training with the piano? There are so many reasons why the piano is a good instrument with which to start learning music. Learning the piano has a lot of mental, physical, and social benefits. It can reduce stress, help your confidence and focus, and so much more. It provides a solid foundation by helping you to learn to read music on both the treble and bass clefs, while learning most instruments normally only instructs you on either treble or bass. With other instruments like the violin or saxophone, making a beautiful sound at the beginning can be challenging, but the piano is designed to sound great from the start. Press a key and you hear a perfect note every time! In this article, I will list and discuss my top ten reasons to start your music learning journey with a piano.
Which music instrument is best for the brain?
Learning an instrument is great for your mental health. It can improve coordination, focus, memory skills, and attention. It teaches the importance of patience, discipline, self-expression, and creativity. It can calm and clear the mind, improve your social life, and increase your overall brain power and cognitive skills. If you’re interested in reading more from professionals on this specific topic, read this article from The Guardian.
All musical instruments are excellent for the brain’s growth, but keyboard instruments are particularly great first instruments. On what other instruments do you need to learn to play multiple musical lines at the same time? Read on to learn more about the benefits of learning the piano first.
Ten reasons to start with the piano:
1. Ease of playing piano as a first instrument
How do you get sound from a piano? You press a piano key. It doesn’t get simpler than that. Because pianos are so simple to play, children can begin their music studies earlier, as soon as their hands have the size and strength to use a keyboard.
2. Learning to read music
The piano is a great first instrument to help students learn to read music. Because of the way a keyboard is laid out, it is easier to see the relationships between pitches in both melodies and chords on the staff. Also, because the piano is so simple to play, a student can focus on learning to read music rather than struggling with difficult technique.
3. Sense of pitch
A well-tuned piano always makes the right note when you press the key. This develops a keen sense of pitch in the young piano student. Other instruments require good breath control or exact finger placement to make the right note, which can be very challenging for a beginner who might not even have a good sense of pitch yet!
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4. Tuning and maintenance
Most pianos only need to be tuned once or twice a year, and electric keyboards never need to be tuned. This is different from most other instruments, some of which need to be tuned every time they’re taken out of their case. Pianos are very sturdy instruments. They don’t need new strings every year or two, like a violin or guitar. Most can go for decades without needing any parts repaired or replaced. They’re basically worry-free, making them a great option as a first instrument.
5. Sounds good from the start
Many instruments, such as the violin or the flute, require a high level of skill to produce a good tone. It can take years before a student has the muscle control to make their instrument really sound good. With a piano, you press a key and a note comes out, and it sounds great. Right on pitch every time.
6. Wide range of pitch
The piano has a huge range of pitches, the lowest notes lower and the highest notes higher than most orchestral instruments. Because of this, music for the piano is written on two staves, both the treble and the bass clef. Learning how to read both of these clefs will allow students to go on to either a bass or treble instrument with equal ease.
7. Melody and accompaniment
The piano is one of the few instruments that allows you to play both melody and accompaniment. Early beginners can start out playing simple melodies, but soon they learn to add chords and other accompaniment patterns. This helps develop a better sense of music theory than is possible with instruments that can only play one note at a time.
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8. A great first instrument for learning music theory
Keyboard layout is very straightforward. Low notes are to the left, higher notes to the right. There are white keys and black keys that make it easy to learn about sharps, flats, and key signatures. Understanding how chords are built is easy when the spacing between notes on the keyboard so directly correlates to the spacing between notes on the written staff.
9. Dynamic range
The piano was originally called the “pianoforte” or “soft-loud” in Italian. It was designed as an instrument that could play very quietly but could also be played loud. The piano is soft enough to accompany voices or other instruments, but it can also be a dynamic and dramatic solo instrument. High-end keyboards will also have dynamic response, meaning that a softer touch on a key will make a quieter tone. When music students begin with the piano, they have a great opportunity to learn how to use the contrast between loud and soft to lend emotion and excitement to their performances.
10. A great foundation
The piano is a great first instrument whether a music student chooses to study other instruments or stay with the piano. Because the piano is so versatile, students can spend many rewarding years studying it and continue to grow in their ability to play more complex pieces with beauty and skill. They can also bring their sense of pitch, their understanding of music theory, and all the other musical abilities they’ve developed with the piano to their study of a new instrument.
What is special about piano?
The piano is a versatile instrument. With its ability to play multiple notes at once, the piano can produce complex harmonies and textures. Using both hands, as many as ten notes can be played at the same time! The piano also has an extensive repertoire of music, spanning classical, jazz, pop, rock, and other genres. Even if a piece wasn’t made for the piano, you’ll likely be able to find an arrangement for it on the piano. The piano is also one of the best first instruments to learn because it is adaptable in many musical settings. From solo recitals to concertos with an orchestra to chamber music to contemporary bands, the piano lends itself to many musical spaces.
What instrument should my child play first?
I believe the piano is the best first instrument for beginners for many reasons! Unlike wind or string instruments, where sound production can be challenging initially, pressing a key on the piano produces an immediate, clear note. This helps beginners to feel instant success and gratification from learning piano first. Another reason the piano is the best first instrument is because the layout of the keyboard is easy to grasp and visually represents musical concepts like scales, intervals or chords. Even if your child doesn’t stick with piano, learning piano first lays a solid musical foundation that they can carry with them to other instruments.
Start your musical journey with the piano!
If you want to get started on a lifetime of making music for yourself or for your child, try Hoffman Academy! Our free video lessons guide you step-by-step from beginner to confident, independent musician.