5 Concepts Piano Beginners Must Understand To Learn Fast

Many times I wish I had a time machine and have a redo of my piano lessons. Now that I am a piano and music teacher, I have come to realise that I have missed out on important aspects in learning the piano. In this video, I shall talk about these items that you should prioritise and use them to improve your piano learning journey.
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🕘 Timestamps
0:00 Intro
0:30 Priority Number 1
2:57 Priority Number 2
6:30 Priority Number 3
9:10 Priority Number 4
11:37 Priority Number 5
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[@Enesty871]

I can't stress the importance of Point 5 enough. I was constantly trying to learn pieces above my level, and that burned me out in the long run. Then I discovered Ludovico Einaudi, and alot of his pieces are quite easy to play and learn. And they are beautiful! So yes, after realizing that I also should "utilize" the progress I've made and just play great music, my motivation for learning harder pieces skyrocketed.

[@lostiljon]

Ludovico Einaudi is definitely a good place to start at... Like you said, it's fairly simple. He has a lot of repetitive shapes, that kinda helps, because it feels like an exercise, but it doesn't at the same time, if you get what i mean. I myself started with Ludovico too, specifically with Una Mattina. That's a beautiful piece, even more so if you have seen the movie. Good luck on your path :)

[@stevendorsey4850]

I'm new to learning piano and sheet music. I've started using an ebook of "Adult Piano Level 1". At the same time, I'm trying to learn to play "Password" by Ludovico Einaudi, and "Comptin D'un Autre Ete L'apres Midi" by Yann Tiersen.

[@glad_exe]

This. I started off my piano journey with Chopin Nocturne op.9 no.2 and it took me SO long to learn it. I definitely should've started off with something more begginer friendly. I eventually learned it but I got burnt out from just learning one song.

[@colinggold]

Same here. I can play Fourth Dimensions, Ascent Say 1, The Water Diviner, Nuvole Blanche, I Giorni without a Piano lesson. Now I am motivated to learn theory.

[@aname4700]

@@lostiljon the first ever song I played on piano was Una Mattina too ♥️♥️

[@webx135]

The "AAB" method was what my instructors taught me, and it's AMAZING the difference it makes. Focus on playing it right, no matter how slow you need to go, no matter how tedious it feels or if you think "I should be doing better than this". That doesn't matter. Focus on the speed and rhythm later. Here's why it works: When you play notes together, the neurons for performing that action fire, and stay sensitive for a bit. If you fail, they'll kind of connect together but it won't stick very well. But if you play it RIGHT, the satisfaction basically shoots through all the neurons that just fired, and it strengthens their connection by a lot. So the next time you try, it feels more natural. It just feels like the next thing to do. I like to practice this way at night, because it is when you sleep that it then cleans up and solidifies the connections and they stick around long term. The next day might need a bit of warm-up, but often after just one evening, it can feel natural the next day.

[@planetary-rendez-vous]

AAR you mean. Absolute Accuracy Rule Or do you mean Absolute Accuracy Butchering

[@shennyboi110]

wow, thankyouu- this explanation makes so much sense to me, I often try for up to an hour getting a section of a piece played through correctly- when I can finally play the correct notes (at whatever tempo) then i’m satisfied enough to leave it for the next day, Then when I come back the next day I can almost always play the piece so much more easily!

[@Christopher-md7tf]

That "neuroscience" you mentioned there sounds like total BS because we know that making mistakes and a certain amount of frustration is what actually triggers neuroplasticity. IIRC an error rate of about 15% is optimal. Your brain usually doesn't want to change unless it absolutely has to (at least if you're past your mid-20s), so getting things wrong sends the signal that something needs to happen. Source: Huberman Lab Podcast by Andrew Huberman, professor of neurobiology at Stanford.

[@Nahkampfschaf]

Thats so weird. I never had a piano teacher (guitar tought), and i never learned any other way. It has to "sound" right note-wise. Otherwise i got frustrated. The speed wasnt important. Most songs still sound correct, if you just play them slowly. But they don't if you don't hit the right notes.

[@varanuszka3766]

Hey Webx, Are you interested in taking piano to the next level?

[@loisn]

0:30 Practice and master chord structure 3:59 Absolute Accuracy Rule - Prioritize practicing correct notes before tempo, dynamics 6:30 Work with metronome 9:10 Practice sight reading 11:37 Set high goals but remember to have fun

[@tbird81]

Thanks. Saved me a watch.

[@amermo7103]

Do you know the piece name at 7:30

[@Old-Man-MTB]

@@amermo7103 Schubert: Moment Musicaux No. 3 in F minor

[@XsmaelTheBest7]

Thank you ❤️

[@S4MU3L-]

There’s chapters now, no need for this.

[@DanBrill]

Point #1 is so important no matter what instrument you're playing. I was a self-taught musician for years, and now at 52 I'm finally taking proper piano lessons in order to learn how to read better and improve my technique. I spent 8 years playing bass in a rock band too. The only way I was able to play without formal instruction is because I understood chords. I see the way my kids were taught music in school, mostly as woodwind players, and I knew they would learn better and faster if they understood chords. So many kids are handed a trumpet or a sax and are never taught about chords because they play single-line instruments. But understanding chords puts everything in context. I only wish I'd known this at 10 years old.

[@eizenga]

ABSOLUTELY

[@MusicBasics4keyboard509]

Well said.

[@chloelewis5603]

Nice one! Anything thoughts on scales vs chords, are scale just as important?

[@planetary-rendez-vous]

So how can I learn chords ?

[@aarong9128]

Yep you can play broken chords on any instrument

[@k_slyons7346]

A rule that I’ve set for myself when learning a piece is: if I’ve made a mistake at a specific spot 3 or more times, then I circle, write, markup my music at that spot. But if I continue to mess it up, this means it is in my muscle memory. So I repeat that single section 10-15 or even more times in a row, starting slow then speeding up to full speed. This really helps me flatten out the wrinkles in my pieces so to speak

[@Xaforn]

The best example I was given for chords is each note is like a letter or syllable whereas chords are whole words or phrases so they are very important, because when you play correctly you are communicating correctly. Great points!

[@justsaynah5205]

Jaze Lee is the extra teacher I never knew I needed in my piano journey. Thank goodness I have found his channel early on. So much tips and suggestions that have benefited me and helped me to learn faster.

[@TaoistDragon]

Same

[@jourdansarpy4935]

I've been playing piano for over 20 years and his beginner vidoes are great because I haven't had beginner piano lessons since the 90s. It's like an instant refresher for all of the things my child self forgot over the years.

[@jazerleepiano]

Thank you all for the kind words and support.

[@g.970]

Same. I’ve learned more from him than my private teacher. Like chords: she never had me learn chords. She’d just hand me new music to learn every week without showing me ‘how’ to practice

[@berryberry8590]

Exactly! I tell my daughter Jazer is her online piano teacher

[@monakinnel9271]

I agree with focus on chords. I began on organ (contemporary style of music) at the age of 7 and was taught chords from the very beginning. I am so grateful my teacher focused on chords and their structure. Learning theory and chord structures was a game changer for me. I use the same approach when teaching piano and find my students have much quicker and satisfying results. By understanding basic theory and memorizing a few simple formulas for creating chords, any chord is easily executed. It also helps develop improv much easier. Yup…timing is everything! The metronome, tapping, or counting aloud is a must! It is this area I get the most resistance from my students; however, I try to stress the incredible importance of it to them. I am grateful for my teacher, back in the 60’s, teaching me this method as it has truly shown to be an asset to my musical journeys.

[@christinabronnestam8274]

The Absolute Accuracy Rule is in fact a version of the best advice I have ever got about piano practice: never try to solve more than one problem at the same time. Which means that you should not bother about even tempo, rhythm etcetera if you still struggle with finding the right keys. So first you must get the fingering right, then you need to get the keys right - let it take as much time as you need.

[@richard135b7]

Jazer if I had a piano teacher like you many years ago I never would have quit. Now I've come back to the piano. Thanks for the solid guidance.

[@amirshayanmoghtaderi5840]

It's never too late to start over again; I wish the best for you.

[@jazerleepiano]

Here's a handy dandy time stamp list 🕘 Timestamps 0:00 Intro 0:30 Priority Number 1 2:57 Priority Number 2 6:30 Priority Number 3 9:10 Priority Number 4 11:37 Priority Number 5

[@isaacstokes7239]

Jazzer lee u mad man not saying what the priorities are to get more watch time i see u

[@cjadventures8840]

@@isaacstokes7239 what?

[@isaacstokes7239]

@@cjadventures8840 hes written priority 1 through 5 instead of what each individual priority is about hope that clears things up c and j

[@WideCuriosity]

I found that very interesting; although I think 2 and 3 might clash a bit ;-)

[@cjadventures8840]

@@isaacstokes7239 I know what you’re saying I just don’t care

[@joelngocnguyen]

Jazer, one year ago when I took up the piano, I looked up Piano tutorials and I came across yours, Your tips are just simply amazing, I really find slow practice, non-gambling, daily consistent very effective. They're not only for beginners, but intermediate players could also apply this method. From your Self-taught Beginner's Pitfall video, I got myself a teacher, and he just advised me the same tips you provided. I am now also quicker at sight reading. Now i'm practicing Chopin Nocturne Eb major, and maybe more difficult pieces in the future, thank you for the first step. You inspired me !

[@jazerleepiano]

So glad to be of help, Joel. Do update me on your progress. I'm with you all the way!

[@aBachwardsfellow]

- and not only intermediate players, but advanced players as well. However most advanced players have already integrated these steps as a normal part of their daily routine - :-)

[@cgpaz72]

Hello Jazer Lee! Thank you for this video lesson and making it available to all! I’ve been doing all the mistakes you point out, trying to learn piano with KZbin tutorials that let me avoid the terror of trying to learn to site read sheet music again, like the soul crushing lessons from my middle school years which sent me riding my bicycle home in tears and shame…. Now i see why I’ve stalled in my improvement- thanks to you! Here you are endowing your students and subscribers with the very techniques and helpful methods you were deprived of. Thank you for your work, and your generosity! Play On!

[@jazerleepiano]

Thank you Christine! 🤓

[@annaairahala9462]

7:08 YES!! That's great! Feeling the rhythm is so important! I've never understood why some teachers will have their students count alone as you're not actually teaching rhythm by doing so

[@Gr8FriknApe]

W o O w ! Jazer, I noticed the more relaxed delivery in your teaching videos. You've taken the time to identify and relate to your subscribed audience and I love it. Yes, that's me the senior, self taught partner in your audience speaking. I am at the 1.7 year mark in my self taught journey and, just now, "clicking" on how the chords relate and create a foundation for the musical piece I'm playing. I now, in most cases, know the next key or chord that will fit in the piece I'm playing when I lose my place on the sheet music (laughing). I sight read all my pieces and I add a new piece every month. I have progressed on to more complex songs and find sight reading allows me to understand music theory. Thank you for your hard work. You are appreciated.

[@morganschmidtke9015]

Love this! I am a flute player and vocalist who dabbled in guitar and piano. I always approached the piano intuitively because I never had time or money to formally learn it with lessons. I would say that he is EXACTLY right about hitting a cap. I could play more beginner/intermediate pieces but then when I went to sit down and learn a new one I had to read each note individually and it took ages. I always knew chords was my next step and I’m so happy that this validated that! Gotta learn those building blocks if you are going to be a smart piano player! I’ve been interested in getting back into it and this gave me a great starting point! Thank you!

[@erika_eve]

love this video, i especially agree with the first point about chords. music just makes more sense when you have an understanding of chords. when i first started learning music, there was not a focus on chords, just singular notes. i couldn’t understand the “bigger picture” through that practice

[@blousug]

I really love this list! I’m a bass player and taking lessons. I am in the mist of using all these tips on your list. I am using my midi controller to better understand diatonic triads and scales on my bass. It would also be great to learn how to construct a melody on my midi controller. Thank you for the video 😁

[@stfu69420weed]

Your channel is so helpful. You explain things really well. I've been teaching myself for 2 years but recently made to decision to get real lessons. I'm loving it. I've learned a full song now instead of procrastinating and just learning bits of songs. I will keep watching your videos to improve. Thanks.

[@eizenga]

This is my experience I played guitar for 20 years and decided to try piano during the pandemic and had no idea where to begin so I started learning ‘chords’. It completed demystified the piano and now it’s my go to instrument to relax.

[@michaelvarney.]

Dancing has given me an amazing sense of internalized rhythm that has helped me greatly in learning my instrument (guitar). I use a metronome more to push my comfort in technique rather than learn rhythm… knowing that I have a fixed period of time helps me focus. But once that has been smoothed out, no need for the metronome for performance.

[@justarandomkeyboard]

Been playing for 9 years, and I must say, everything the video creator says is true, I was lucky to be taught by my uncle who follows these rules, this video is very informative and I will refer my students to this video in the future.

[@lawrencetaylor4101]

I started watching your videos before I started playing piano. It's after watching one seven months ago I bought a piano and have two beginner method books. This video came at a good time for me since I'm trying to move onto the next level. I couldn't agree with you more about chords and sight reading. But then I realized that I've been doing AAR from the very beginning. I'm not a good piano player, but I rarely play the wrong note, and I have to thank you for that. Merci beaucoup for that tip, since I've taken it to heart.

[@drmichaelshea]

I couldn’t agree with you more strongly. I was a woodwind player when I was young. I learned playing one note at a time. When I began to learn piano, music became a whole new discipline. Chords ARE everything, and learning to “hear” what is coming next is also critical.

[@azumi-]

i just wanna say, i recently found your channel when trying to continue the piano. i stopped playing after my dad passed away 5 years ago, but honestly it was one of the only things that gave me enjoyment in life. ive realized that my life has been really lacking without it, and im pretty tired of living like that. so ive dusted off my piano and i think im ready to further myself with it, properly this time. Thank you for your videos, and for all the effort and care you put into them!

[@rhinoceros364]

In Synthesia you can also change the mode to note reading. So it's not only possible to use it in this note falling way. Which makes it pretty good to practice note reading I think (at least for me and at least for beginners).

[@4everB2]

Exactly. Synthesia has helped me a lot. I never used the faling notes. When using it in note reading mode it points out any mistakes you make, which you might overlook when practicing on your own.

[@supernothing77]

Is this free? I have just been watching the falling notes lately on KZbin which is harder in some ways than reading

[@4everB2]

@@supernothing77 It's not free, but not expensive

[@jaybowling942]

What is Synthesia?

[@4everB2]

@@jaybowling942 a software application for the PC, Android en iPad

[@rebeccahardman7159]

Love your videos, Jaze! You deliver the information so clearly, provide excellent examples, and help to motivate to keep learning and learning better!

[@megacast]

There is a level of rhythm and artistry when you play even if you are teaching. Thanks for sharing.

[@rylanpark7594]

Just want to say, I've been studying music for 12 of my 20 years on this earth. I started with violin for about 8 years before I expanded to guitar and eventually singing and piano. Violin became part of my nature and I didn't have to think too much about theory or the little things to play. My older brother played guitar all of my living years so when I picked it up It was like second nature to me. Moving onto singing and piano, I met a wall of learning and plateaued with my learning in these domains due to my prior knowledge inhibiting me to some extent. This video really helped me conceptualize things in a palpable way in relation to my prior conditioning in music. Immediately I found myself improving in both singing and piano due to these tips that can benefit any aspiring musician. Thank you for this video, and I could not recommend it more to both new piano players, and new musicians in general. You have earned my subscription with this video alone, and have proven you are better than most teachers I have paid in the past to improve my videos.

[@petercharron3268]

So right about chords. My early piano training was all about sight reading. Like touch typing, no concepts. Then I picked up a guitar… a chord based instrument. It changed my piano playing

[@GregHarradineComposer]

You really nail these vital topics, Jazer. Thank you! I will be sending my beginner students here!

[@kellypalmer2689]

These are incredibly useful tips, thank you so much for sharing!! I wish I had you as my piano teacher 30 years ago 😊

[@paolo3893]

Thank you Jazer, your videos are incredibly rich in content, very clear and very well edited. Could you recommend some methods you consider functional for studying chords? Thank you very much

[@storm1968eu]

5 really great tips. forget the myth about talent and whether you have it or not. becoming a decent/good/great musician is all about hard work, smart learning methods, a music teacher/coach with excellent educational skills, and keeping the journey both fun and exciting.

[@amandaturnerpiano]

Yes! The idea of people just having "talent" is this sense of "that person can do that but I could never do it," which is a really sad way of looking at just about anything. Just like learning to do anything, it's a skill that is built over time and repetition (and also a lot of theoretical knowledge). This can be acquired by anyone if they are willing to put in the time and work.

[@nino2910]

My aunt never took lessons yet always knew how to play

[@braindamageboy]

Just in two videos you've shared everything needed for a beginner. In this video you give the AAR method (that practically incudes those four remaining things for a beginner to concentrate) and in the other video you give the curriculum (7 pieces to learn in first three years). I'm closing my first week and while I'm toddling you have pointed me a course and given me a map. Thank you very much!

[@brianwalsh6666]

Thank you for giving due emphasis to these 5 fundaments of playing piano. I love my massive chord book, which a dictionary that keeps on giving. Much appreciated!

[@HeathenHammer80]

Absolutely!! I thought the same thing when I was learning guitar. The most important thing is learning all the chords, their structure and moving between them. I figured it would work good for piano as well. I want to learn to play the songs on Conor Oberst’s “Ruminations”album. They sound fairly simple and I can already play some of those songs on guitar. I just have to adapt that ability onto a piano. Awesome videos Jazer!!

[@rgsparber1]

A follow up: I have been practicing piano for a month now and have a private teacher. I practice 50 minutes, twice a day using my Soundbrenner Pulse secured to my ankle. I barely notice it yet my beat is now right. It used to be all over the place. Well worth the money IMHO. Thanks Jazer. And yes, I always focus on accuracy first and later increase my speed. I’ve also found value in the iOS app Notes Teacher. It is very good for free but provides many enhancements for a one time charge of $2.

[@alanstandsalone2802]

Fantastic content and channel. In regards to Synthesia, I always make sure I have the notions displayed so that it helps me in learning how to read the notes that are falling to the keys. Thank you for taking the time to record, edit and posts these great videos.

[@ninap451]

I think you're spot on with point 3. I learned to play music while in marching bands as a kid and I think the act of marching while playing really helped with keeping rhythm.

[@Calidastas]

Very good suggestion. Your tip to play perfectly at the expense of tempo helped me a lot (my teacher taught me this). One thing I would add to that is to play the correct rhythm but at a slower speed to maintain accuracy (so correct relative time between notes, but at a much reduced tempo). This added touch made things quicker for me. Also, I think that you should perform recitals - even if completely informal. Schedule even one friend to come and listen at a set day and time to a song you practice to perfection. The fear of embarrassment can focus your practice tremendously.

[@dimitrovboeleepianoduo]

Love your points! Especially no 2. we see a lot of 'Russian Roulette' amongst our students too. We always try to teach them that they get so much more benefit out of slow and deliberate practice and taking time to make sure they have the right notes.

[@ralfp8844]

Thanks for the hints. I have bought a stage piano and had tried to come further for very long, sticking on a learners book. After a rather quick progression i stuck in boredome at a kind of a plateau. Now i gave it a try to learn longer songs, that sound good and have only some difficulties i have to manage. I think your tips are very useful in this phase.

[@LotBD]

Great advice! Early on I had to depend on ear because as a kid the only music sheets I had access to where these really complicated pieces that my Grandmother had when she was well enough to play. Once I started really dedicating myself to learning sheet music I was able to start breaking down the bits. AAR is really really good and sometimes you find a piece of music is just as interesting at a slower pace. I remember trying to tackle a piece of tchaikovsky when I was 12 and found that a slower rendition brought a bit of a more enigmatic feeling which just became fun.

[@frankcraven1679]

Always be reaching. Always be climbing. I've been playing over 50 years and I feel like a beginner. I've been in lots of bands, played weddings, played for friends, but I never felt like I was Mr. Piano Man. For me there is always a piece of music I want to learn and master, and the same with genres like jazz, boogie woogie. If you're satisfied with how you play, you're not learning enough. I think most good musicians feel like that. 'I can be better' is always on their mind.

[@khajafied]

Focus on chords seems like a great tip. Love the Absolute accuracy idea also. Will try a metronome and see if that help. Will work on sight reading also. Need to learn to shoot for higher goals and have more fun.

[@jordanking7711]

I wholeheartedly agree Jazer with your fifth point about setting high goals but also remembering to have fun. A lot of people I imagine would go into a music lesson or lecture, setting themselves high goals and having laser focus (which they should don't get me wrong), but also forgetting that piano playing SHOULD be about having fun as well. I remember my last former piano teacher (miss you Rob) hammered that into me from the very first lesson. That and also the fact that he taught me pieces that I wanted to learn, which made it fun regardless and made me WANT to learn those pieces and also take it seriously.

[@Kaitzu]

My mans pumping out vids now 😊 hope theres gonna be a few more vids in the future more specific to self taught🎉

[@jazerleepiano]

Let me line those up for you for future vids.

[@Kaitzu]

@@jazerleepiano ❤️❤️

[@poondawg]

Alternate title: Jazer puts childhood teacher on blast 🤣. Great content man, I am finding success in practicing chords and thinking about music through chord progressions. Thank you!

[@jazerleepiano]

😆

[@cainancapko4149]

I'm going to school for music now because I was playing piano for a couple years and realized just how much I enjoyed it, so with a push from a music teacher friend of mine, I'm going through the music program at my local college. Since I'm not used to having private lessons, there's a lot I didn't know and have been working on - some of which was mentioned in this video, and some that hasn't been gone over as much. I just finished my first quarter with private lessons, and this is gonna give me some extra goals to work on in the coming quarters!

[@lesliecurran1704]

All excellent suggestions I learned piano years ago, the traditional way and only within the last 20 years have I thoroughly learned theory which has changed everything. I wanted to add that repertoire and memorization are all important. Set a goal for five memorized pieces and then another set of five and every so often go through those and play them and don't let them fade away. With the addition of being able to improvise because of theory and understanding that all music is built on that same theory with repertoire and memorization and everyday sight reading, One can make progress.

[@fixtheclouds]

Thank you, this is sooo on point! I've been struggling with piano for years barely ever progressing. I had issues with nearly all of these except for rhythm, and Synthesia was a huge disservice for me. But just recently I found a teacher, and what she emphasizes is exactly those things you mentioned in this video. So happy to know I'm on the right track now!

[@MsLisaMonsterken]

Great tips! I already practice the AAR (playing parts correctly 7 times in a row) and it helps a lot. Now I want to focus on learning the chords to detect patterns. If you have any recommendations please let me / us know!

[@derrick2251]

Learn all triads and inversions. Learn all seventh chords. Learn common cadences and chord progressions. This has helped me a ton and I haven’t even nearly learned all my triads, triad inversions, and seventh chords. It really takes a long time but every thing I’ve learned about those and practiced I’ve been able to apply in all areas of piano from sight reading, improvising, and the chopin waltz I’m learning. 2 year player here. I’ve been obsessed with efficiency in practice sessions. It’s payed me so well and I’m happy I have been practicing efficiently. I am a motivated learner so this helps and you may not be able to do everything I said. That’s ok

[@DonatusFuscus]

I would like to have some specific stuff for this too! Thank you, Jazer for your videos!

[@DdavidoffC]

Not following the "AAR" is a mistake even professional pianists make. When you're learning truly difficult music -- late Beethoven, Liszt, Rachmaninoff, Prokofiev, Scriabin, etc. -- you simply cannot learn it by glossing over it at tempo a dozen times, a hundred times, a thousand times. There is no other option than making sure you know every single note, how your fingers are getting to them, and where your fingers are going next, and it requires that really slow, focused, thoughtful practice that Jazer's talking about here.

[@suthunah2134]

Shoooweee… AAR is a principle that I immediately plan to apply to my life outside of music. So many possible applications, every single day.

[@melissamooremusic]

Great video! If I can add one thing it would be that I encourage all of my students (beginner and up) to be able to use their left foot to keep the beat. It really helps them to develop the coordination in their bodies and when you weave that skill in with the metronome their sense of subdivision is much more advanced earlier on.

[@elainepotgieter9403]

Oooh, this is a good one! Thanks for that!

[@melissamooremusic]

@@elainepotgieter9403 glad I could help!

[@Maile207]

Great video! I'm a piano teacher and as soon as he mentioned each point it was like, "Oh! Yes that's so true!" Helpful to have a concise list of things I can help my students focus on. Thanks!

[@JohnCrawfordSchoolOfMusic]

Point 1 is very important. I started as a guitarist. A lot of times when you’re learning to guitar there is a great deal of emphasis on chord structure. It made a great deal of difference in my awareness is going on when I began studying the piano.

[@jmich7]

I hell LOVED this teacher !

[@robbinblock2725]

I'm a very, very beginner, having practiced for about 5 sessions so far. Your video was super helpful and makes me think of things people should have told me when I was first learning tennis. Tomorrow I search for a printable sheet of simple chords.🙂

[@putin2012]

I'm also a self-taught beginner in the piano world, with only a few months of owning an instrument. But i have some prior experience with guitar (also not a pro but had some formal learning). I can say that all 5 of these tips are really useful. But if you are really just starting - tips 2 and 5 will give you greater boost in a short run. They will help you to "grasp the feel" of actually playing music. Then you can add others as well as long as you start to feel more comfortable. As an example - as my first piece I chose Moonlight sonata's first movement. Because 1) it's a beautiful composition 2) it is easy enough to understand, has traceable structure 3) it has pretty difficult parts for the beginner, but they don't feel impossible. I didn't try to learn it all in one go, but I'm slowly mastering it piece by piece. Now I'm a little bit stuck in the end part of it where you have polyphonics in your left hand, which is hard for me. But while i learn it I also spend a decent part of time in front of piano on just trying interesting fragments from different musical pieces (mostly non-classical and often far above my current level). This lets me enjoy the sound I can get and also helps me see a progress in my skills. Like several months ago a sequence of several complex chords would make me sit with every note and now i can get a basic hold of them in just a few iterations. When you do one piece only and for a long time, especially as a newbee, it's pretty hard to see just how much better you become in general. BTW all these tips are 100% applicable to ANY musical instrument.

[@robbinblock2725]

@@putin2012 Thanks for your detailed response and tips. Any recommendations for a good beginner book to learn some songs?

[@putin2012]

@@robbinblock2725 you're welcome 😁. I can't help with your book choice though, because I'm neither a pro nor train with a teacher. For classical or complex melodies I just google for sheet music or synesthesia videos from KZbin (but as said in a video last option can be harmful for complete beginners as you don't see the structure behind "falling notes"). And for simple songs I just do my best to pick "by ear". But that works for me because, as I said, I have some background on guitar. So I have some theory basics like chords already in my head. If you are a complete beginner in music, I'll advice to find a teacher for the first few months at least. Most of teachers can access your level in a couple of sessions and they will already have some pieces prepared for different levels.

[@robbinblock2725]

@@putin2012 Thanks again🙂

[@bee5318]

Can you please share some practice sheets for beginners and sight reading? That will help alot. Thank you 😊

[@larrygraham3377]

Thanks Jaze for another wonderful tip on piano playing. I really need to get back into the swing of playing again. Your lession reminds me how much I really love playing the piano. Thanks for rekindling the fire of excellent piano playing. 💎💎💎💎💎

[@carolinab5914]

You're such an intelligent teacher! I'm 53, and I learnt to play piano when I was 15, but then I left it. Now, I'm back, and I've forgotten almost everything... but one thing I've learnt at Tai Chi lessons is to do everything SLOWLY until perfect... it has to do with your second point. Yesterday I told myself "do it slowly until perfect, timing will come later". And today I found your video saying the same thing. Well, I hope my English is good enough to share this with you. Thanks!!! New subscriber. 💗

[@daveparsons6956]

I love your content, it's spot on for me and where I'm at. Demistifying the process of improvement is so valuable for everyone!

[@fengkas]

I love how Jazer is being thoughtful mentioning C major is played with no flats and sharps (timestamp 1:57) and this video is definitely what beginners would watch and find very helpful. thank you Jazer. keep the good work

[@tapiwamaketo936]

Hello this video was helpful thanks you can you help me do sight reading and teaching me some piano at a personal level

[@joelwilliams3115]

Really loving your content! I used to play piano years ago (self taught) but I would just learn really hard pieces and practice them over and over until i could somewhat play them. I never focused on the fundamentals and that prevented me from becoming a proper pianist.

[@joleebhatt-meyer3814]

What a wonderful teacher you are, Jazer Lee! You're the best! Thank you!

[@dizzysdoings]

One of the main reasons I quit taking piano lessons as a kid is because I was frustrated. I could hear music in my head, but couldn't get it to my hands. I could play what was in front of me, but that was it. I wanted to be able to improvise. She didn't teach much theory. I didn't know about the circle of 5ths, chords, inversions, etc. For the last 3 years, I've been working on it on my own. I've gone into various stores trying to find a book that will focus on this without much luck. They all suggest the same books, the Alfred adult piano books. I've gone through them, and learned a lot, but I need something that focuses solely on keys and chords. Also haven't had much time to look. Lost my husband to cancer in April after just 1.5 years of caring for him. Prior to that, I was going to my Dad's twice a day to check on him, plus doing things for him. He finally ended up in a home. He passed away Saturday morning. This week so far has been spent on making arrangements. We're getting the room cleaned out today. Then I'll be spending the rest of the week working on cleaning my house. Hubby had hoarder tendencies, so there's a lot to sort through and get rid of. My brother lives in Germany and will be staying with me while here, so I need to get done as much as I can so he has a bed to sleep in!

[@yessir7173]

my deepest sympathies and condolences, good on you for pushing through and going strong ! good luck on your piano journey too

[@jazerleepiano]

Hi Dizzy, my heart and sympathies go out for you. I do hope you are faring better these days. Just in case you want another book for exercises, I would advise Hanon: The Virtuoso Pianist In Sixty Exercises For The Piano.

[@adrianmetzler2523]

Chords were the first thing I learned on guitar and when I transitioned to piano, I did the same. It’s made learning song or adapting the ones I knew for guitar insanely easier. It’s allowed me to be able to move anywhere on the keys too.

[@touchdown101]

Me too.. like wow!

[@theWeakForce77]

Great advice. I am a 68 year old, now with more time, taking up where I left off as a self-taught teenager. I learned, as you initially did, by reading and by ear, and by memorizing, but not playing while sight-reading. As a kid I learned/memorized Fur Elise (first part), 1st movement to Moonlight Sonata (mostly), Minuet in G, and various popular songs of the day (1960s). I enjoyed it, but was always sad that I could not play by sight. And I did not pay much attention to finger position--just did what felt natural. I think your approach has much merit -- start simple, learn chords, try to get the brain/muscle memory down for the fingering and correct notes, and 5) try to have fun too. Don't make the goal-reaching all important!

[@SteHanBotha]

So glad I discovered your channel! I’m late to the game with lots to catch up on so the timing for this video is perfect 🙏

[@Lulu-xf5lt]

My kid just started learning at seven and I instantly had a feeling that instead of leaning the traditional way I should let his teacher to jump to teach him chords to help him to gain muscle memories first. This is actually similar to leaning a new language to shout out loud new phrases first

[@jestfullgremblim8002]

Yeah

[@elliottmunger5154]

This is interesting, namely the part about AAR. As an amateur musician I am always under the impression that playing in time and becoming used to playing through the mistakes is important. I have not thought so deeply about the mechanical process involved.

[@MissCaraMint]

You should only play through a mistake when you are say playing a concert, or maybe in a group practice. Basically a place and time when playing in time is the first priority. When you are practicing home alone though it is important to practice the mechanical aspect. Slow it down and go over it untill you can play it just a little fater, and then a little faster again, and at some point you will be playing in time, and with the right notes.

[@LowJSamuel]

@@MissCaraMint Saying you're going to play differently for a performance than during practice is a recipe for disaster. Playing through mistakes (and keeping rhythm/time at all costs so you do not get lost) is a skill that also needs to be practiced regularly. Both practice methods should be done regularly. Spend half the time really focusing on the notes, and half the time playing in time (with a metronome) and playing through mistakes.

[@MissCaraMint]

@@LowJSamuel By the time you get to the stage where you know the piece then you are past the point of making these sorts of mistakes. That's the point at which you start really practicing for performance. They are different phases of practice. We are not talking about practicing for performance though. We are speaking about practicing.

[@LowJSamuel]

@@MissCaraMint All practicing is practicing for performance. And learning the skill of pushing through mistakes is not something that is quickly acquired. If you only allow yourself to practice pushing through mistakes after you have fully mastered a piece, you will never get good at it. Especially when you have to sightread at a performance.

[@MissCaraMint]

@@LowJSamuel No it is't. You need to break it up in order to practice the difficult parts. Otherwise you waste too much time on the easy bits and don’t spend enough on the hard bits. The techniques you learn when going slow are also good for sight reading, and practicing performance makes you able to instinctively know to carry on even if you do make a mistake. These are practical things I have learned from having played for over 20 years, including some as a professional musician. Learn the piece first. Spend time on all the difficult bits. Then play it through slowly. Practice that speed until you are sure there are no mistakes, then go slightly faster until you can do the new speed without mistakes, and then faster until you reach the intended speed.

[@robertcraven1771]

Genuinely helpful, thank you sir!

[@lunarshadow5584]

Number 2 makes a lot of sense. Practice the right notes before you work on speed. It is essentially speed running in gaming where you need to learn the method that gets you to your goal faster before you do it all in one.

[@heathgearon]

5 Concepts Piano Beginners Must Understand To Learn Fast

[@heathgearon]

Many times I wish I had a time machine and have a redo of my piano lessons. Now that I am a piano and music teacher, I have come to realise that I have missed out on important aspects in learning the piano. In this video, I shall talk about these items that you should prioritise and use them to improve your piano learning journey.

[@UltraSonicRainboom]

As someone who's been playing the piano for over 10 years, I can say that ever since I taught myself chords years ago, piano became a lot easier and a whole lot of fun! I think it's a crime that they don't teach you chords in regular piano lessons at schools. I took three different piano classes and every one only taught me how to read music, when learning chords should be the most important thing. If you don't know chords, you can't improvise well, make your own songs, and you'll always be afraid of hitting the wrong notes when if you know chords and the key signature of the song, then you can know what notes to play without having any fear at all.

[@fayecummings1946]

I'm in the same boat.. I know you're right and I can't find anyone to teach me chords either... I'm gonna have to do it by myself.. I play decently but I know I lack this understanding.

[@davidmclintock7581]

I learnt guitar first, self-taught, and the only thing I was interested in were chords, and looking back I remember being baffled how so few chords were generally used out of all the possibilities. I used to randomly put my fingers on the guitar then try to put a chord name to what I was playing. I was wrong a lot of the time but it taught to just put any spare finger somewhere to see if it sounded good. I'm slowly learning piano, keyboard now and the chords are just so much more obvious on a piano.

[@Supermoneygang12]

LMAO you took piano classes that didn’t teach chords??? You didn’t take a class you got robbed

[@annazully2680]

began learning the piano a couple weeks ago as an adult learner and am experiencing a steep learning curve but am so excited to progress in my journey !

[@aichi337]

Your videos are gold. This is really the best content I found regarding playing piano! You could also use the metaphor of letters, words, sentences and phrases to describe the lego-structure thing

[@grandmarnier3746]

Something that's really shot my playing ability to the next level is understand scales "WWHWWWH" because then you can play any major scale. Then it's understanding common chords and different chord progressions because then I'm able to take those chord progressions into whatever scale I want and sound relatively okay. Then I play around with my right hand and play some notes in the key I'm in. It's been a lot more fun this way. Now I'm really struggling more with my finger dexterity which I guess will come with just playing more and more, but maybe Jazer you have some videos on your channel that you could recommend me that this.

[@ThePennDiesel]

I think he does have some videos about finger drills and practices for better mobilizatio

[@jazerleepiano]

@@ThePennDiesel Indeed I do. Let me list them down here.

[@jamalk3567]

@@jazerleepiano I need those exercises too

[@linkfiedproductions2246]

I was so lucky to have my piano teacher teach me the correct way to practice and how slow I should take a first play-through of every piece. These tricks are the reason I could play Fur Elise in 2 years!

[@Supermoneygang12]

Nobody asked

[@erlsperls]

Thank you SO MUCH! As a piano teacher, your tips are great for helping me with my approach to everyday instruction. 🙏🙏✌️❤️

[@c.a.7522]

Auf den Punkt genau, wie immer. Vielen Dank, thank you!

[@DariuszBlasi]

Example 1 sounds more satisfying to me ;) I like surprises :)

[@emwave100]

Finger dancing

[@NNNedlog]

What a race! Insane finish and you maintained your position for so long. I really enjoyed watching this

[@Chaosqueenngami]

Thanks for the video.

[@cardreaper]

I am 12 and trained piano for 2 years. My teacher always made me keep a rithm rather than playing the correct notes. I am now learning on my own, and struggled for a while "gambling" with the notes, but the AAR seems much better. I am getting better after watching this video. Thank you!

[@IPlayPianoSometimes4Fun]

Love your videos man. You've given me many of the tools that help me the most when I'm learning new pieces

[@jazerleepiano]

I'm glad, Dominic. Keep practising!

[@GetAwayWithBK]

Just started piano in October with a small background in music. The metronome is huge especially if you aren’t able to correctly play at the correct tempo. These are so good. My piano teacher also teaches all of these concepts.

[@DrywallPuncher]

I found this to be an extremely easy to understand and helpful video, thank you for making this

[@Yesthankyou8]

Great video, thank you. I help my 7 year old in his learning process and I find your videos give me amazing tips and with the AAR he’s learning his songs successfully. His piano teacher has not made great effort in teaching him theory. A little bit of scales but not chores yet. I will look into it… thanks from the UK

[@jazerleepiano]

Glad to be of help, Popsy!

[@jannaslaboden8898]

Yes yes yes yes and yes. Thank you for articulating these so well I have often thought of the same things, but was never able to put it together this coherently. I share this with all my students.

[@rwoodw]

While I had pieces assigned to me by my private teacher to play, when I was in a bad mood I would print out sheet music of music from my favorite shows and learn that for fun. This kept it fun for me, and also served as a great sight reading exercise without realizing it!

[@rdede5036]

Thanks I used a few of your suggestions on pieces I could never memorize,and I'm understanding now. Thank you

[@juliahauss5496]

Brilliant advice! So good to see a new upload from you, been missing your videos.

[@explorewithgeoff]

Really great information, thank you. I tried to learn piano for over a year but many months ago now, I gave up. I was improving but found some things so frustrating. It's nice to see though that I was pretty much doing all the points you made, but I still struggled. My main problem was doing different things with each hand - I know, it's a common problem, and I used to work on various methods to practice that (I've watched your video about that). One main issue I have is related to space and privacy, but unfortunately no amount of lessons can help with that. :) I need to work something out though as I miss playing so much. Just a simple but interesting chord can give me goose bumps. I'm convinced I have some sort of magical connection with music and I hate that I cannot play well enough to release it into the wild! I feel like the capability is inside me screaming to come out, but there are too many barriers.

[@kstar-tv2fs]

This is so helpful and accurate!! Thank you!! I feel im on a slump right now, and everything you teach makes me level up

[@dannuttle9005]

"Chords are everything"--I have been working relentlessly on all triads in all keys for the better part of a year now. It has transformed my playing. I still have far, far to go, but I have abilities that I didn't have before. And not just "chords are everything," in my opinion, but "knowing all of the diatonic chords in a given key," followed by (a more recent accomplishment for me) "the chords you can borrow from other modes." When it finally dawned on me why Ab major, Bb major and Eb major chords work in the key of C major, it was like I had taken blinders off and thought, you know, it would have been a good idea to do that a long, long time ago.

[@tanner_titus]

Wow finally some recognition. I picked up the drums/percussion at 9 years old and then 5 years later started plaing keys and it was such a huge advantage to have that sense of rythym. Glad to see it be acknowledged as an advantage

[@HughThomas88]

I'm really glad I watched this - I feel much better now about the way I'm practicing. I had a piano teacher who insisted that "it's better to hit the wrong note on the beat than the right note off the beat." Maybe that's true if you're playing in a band, but for my practicing it was a disaster and my progress stalled. I found I got more demoralised with that approach because playing the wrong note sounds *BAD*, but playing the right note slightly out of time still sounds OK. I left that teacher and went back to my old practice style, which I now realise is pretty close to the AAR method.

[@marchhare7501]

growing up playing clarinet, I have to say that chords is something I've never had to learn and has been a major struggle, I totally felt the sight reading bit, chords build so much of music that I don't have experience with. Learnings chords is a struggle but really makes a huge difference as I learn piano.