Even though most people want to jump right on the piano, it’s important to know the instrument first. There are various forms of pianos out there that can range from large, heavy, or even tall vertical upright pianos. They hit somewhere around 36-51 inches tall. If you want one on the shorter side then the Spinets are around 36-39 inches. If you’re looking for a studio vertical piano, then you need something 44 inches or more.

If you get the chance to play a grand piano, the sound and overall quality is much better. We consider these horizontal pianos that are around 5′ to 9′ in length. Keep in mind the strings are horizontal as well. What about vertical pianos? Well there strings are vertical.

When you sit on your stool, there will be a music rack that allows you to place your sheet music on it. There are various styles that range from ones that fold down or possibly slide into a slot. When it’s time to play just place your sheet music there. Obviously you will be sitting on some sort of bench that allows you to reach the keys at any part of the piano. Be careful though, if you sit too far or too close, you might not be able to reach them all.

There will be pedals at the bottom of the piano where your feet are. These need not be used by beginners. Once you become more proficient at playing the piano, you can learn how to use these pedals to sustain sounds or cut them short.

Above all else you have to understand the keyboard. After all, this is where your music will come from those white and black keys running left to right. However, they don’t alternate every key, which is something most people mistakenly believe.

Seriously take a look at them. There is a consistent pattern where there are 7 white keys and 5 black keys. An interval can be performed at the beginning of one set and ending on the beginning of the next set. This is the musical distance between 2 sounds that are better known as an octave.

The keys are also setup in order from lowest to highest (left to right). Each one of these keys whether black or white is a half step higher in pitch. If you’re looking for a full step then you have to go up or down two half steps. Don’t worry, it may sound difficult but with a little practice you will be able to learn the intervals easily.

We also recommend trying a few other intervals so you can hear different sounds. Just glance at the amount of half or full steps you are taking. Choosing a key and playing the next key up in the same position is basically how it works. Over time you will gain plenty of abilities to play octaves without an issue. No pun intended, but this is one of the keys to playing the piano.

If you can get a better understanding for the piano in the beginning, it will be much easier to learn how to make music. In a short amount of time you will see yourself being able to play simple songs. All it takes is a little effort and drive on your part to make it all happen.