


You can also opt to purchase a book devoted to explaining piano theory in a thorough and straightforward way, such as The Complete Book of Chords, Arpeggios and Cadences by Willard Palmer.īesides affordability, this approach equips you to play the piano in an intelligent manner. You will learn to think carefully about the music that you play. In summary, you should view this method as playing by ear “on steroids.” You will learn to produce musical sounds and songs, knowing what you are playing on the keyboard and why you are playing it that way.īut you will not learn how to sit, how to position your arms and hands, how to press the keys, how to pull off difficult progressions, and how to express yourself as maturely as possible. If learning to play piano with music theory alone is playing by ear “on steroids,” then playing by ear is … well, um … playing by ear without steroids. This approach will only satisfy the most experimental learner because you will learn nothing more than what you can discover for yourself, and even then, you won’t even know what you’ve discovered.Īs you might guess, this stands out as the most affordable option because you will pay no teacher and you will buy no books or curriculum. (If you want some curriculum for following this approach, then check out Hear and Play)īut the greatest disadvantage of this approach is also clear – you will receive no help or outside assistance apart from yourself.įor highest quality instruction, you should first consult the Music Teachers National Association.
