How to learn piano by yourself

Parents dragging their kids to piano practice: a shared experience over time and across cultures. It’s been over 200 years since the invention of the  fortepiano, an invention which laid the groundwork to the way we learn and express ourselves through music.

The instrument remains just as important today, but has evolved in ways unexpected by 18th century thinkers. In Western music, piano is often considered the instrument for music comprehension, and especially so at a young age. One reason for this is that music is quite literally a language. 

NOTE: When we say "Western" we refer to the 12-note chromatic scale. These notes have a standard set of rules which we refer to as music theory.

The earlier we start to learn the language, the more likely we are to be able to master that language and others after it. The piano, or any other instrument, can be thought of as the dialect of the language, music. As one of the dominant dialects, it’s no surprise so many attempt to learn piano – and learn it through formal lessons. It is an instrument which requires immense discipline to master, but no matter your age or experience, there are more ways than ever to learn piano.

And do it alone!

If you are a beginner with the piano, this is the place for you. Some of this information will be specific to LUMI Keys, our interactive light-up keyboard, but you do not need to have an instrument yet to learn from this article.

Why do you want to learn?

Perhaps you’ve asked yourself this already, especially if you have access to a traditional piano or MIDI keyboard already. But if you are taking this solo journey, there are certain times when you’ll need to step in where a teacher would have. This is following a lesson plan, and regularly setting your goals.

Some reasons for learning piano might be to play a particular song or join a band. It might be for  improved memory or motor function. It might be so you can write your own music, or more deeply connect with music you already know.

Whatever the why, the how as a beginner comes down to creating a routine, and learning with discipline.

Now that is a fascinating word, isn’t it? Discipline can mean to discipline someone else, often harshly as a parent might do, or as your piano teacher might do if you didn’t practice. Then there is to have discipline, or be disciplined. The accountability lies only with the self. This is how the word evolves as we age; the language changes from "my teacher disciplined me" to "my discipline as an artist is this." The word evolves with us, but it is often difficult to achieve in a busy, distracting world.

The LUMI Music App, for example, recommends 10 minutes of practice per day. This sets the bar of discipline for those learning piano through the app. It is both a realistic target for us to achieve on even busy days, while still a suitable window for meaningful learning.

As you learn the instrument, taking time to reflect and yourself these types of questions again will help you. While apps, online content, and literature can replace some of what a teacher provides, it can’t replace all of it.

Learning with the LUMI Music App

The LUMI Music App is your all-in-one learning platform. It is on-demand with hundreds of lessons (broken down into stages), games, exercises and over 800 songs to play. Depending on what skills you’re looking to develop on your own, or if you’d like to be guided through courses, we recommend this app for any beginner-intermediate player.

Spoiler: I am on this journey with you. While I am a musician, I have never taken a piano lesson and have been using the app as if I’m a complete beginner this year. In doing so, here’s what has stuck out to me:

– The four notation views are incredible. Explained in depth, these notations break down the barrier to entry of learning sheet music in a way I’ve never seen before.

– The flexibility of choice is crucial on the "I don’t want to practice" days. If you’re not feeling a formal lesson, I tend to play a game or practice scales with the keys lighting my way.

– The courses guide you at a nice pace. You won’t be thrown into reading classical sheet music right away, nor will you play with two hands right away. These begin to come up in Stage 3 (of 6).

– ROLI Studio Player, included with LUMI Keys. While this may work as a writing desk for you later on, it is still incredibly fun to use as you learn. Hear new sounds, mess with effects, and maybe begin to get a sense of what a few knobs and dials do.

Learning away from the LUMI Music App

Even if you are using the LUMI App, there will be times when you should practice outside of it. Without going into the steps of which scales you should learn first, what songs are best for beginners, and what to look out for, I’ll instead provide a few key areas which take discipline outside of an app tracking your time and progress.

Ear training is an important element for piano. This meaning, your ear can begin to recognize types of chords or how one note differs from another. Participate in daily challenges for free via Keydle, or look into Good Ear, Ear Beater, and Musictheory.net.

Mindless playing is one of the most underrated forms of practice. What do we mean by that? When you’re watching TV, relaxing after a long day, or listening to some music, why not move your hands a bit? This tip is quite specific to those who are learning on a transportable keyboard, something that can be left on the couch or in your backpack and impossible to ignore. This is what guitar player often call "noodling around" while kicking back and watching The Office. There’s no pressure to practice any particular thing, just to continue to build the familiarity of your hands and the keys. Some of the best song ideas come this way, if you’re hoping to write music with your instrument!

Finding community to share your experiences, ask and respond to questions, and meet new people.

What is far less possible  to replicate in any app  is the bond between student and teacher. A few moments came up, when I nailed a certain melody or finger position for the first time in the LUMI App. In these moments, I really yearned for a high five, or a cheer in my ‘eureka’ moment of making progress. A waited-for milestone born from the work of previous days. Basking in growth together with someone I’ve trusted in my growth. This is where community can really bridge the gap, we recommend starting with online forums and community groups. Here are two lists (plus Reddit, always) to get you started, but be sure to look where you already gather. Facebook groups, Discord channels, and even LinkedIn can be a place to find this kind of support.

And no doubt, YouTube continues to change the game for learners or all types. Videos like this can help with improving hand position and technique without a teacher next to you.

If you’re coming from another instrument

Your learning will differ based on muscle memory and how you think about music. This returns to the comparison to languages – if you speak another dialect, it may take some time to learn a new one, or more likely, blend it with your own. Make it unique and special to you. This is what can happen if you are a player of a different instrument, learning how to play a piano for the first time.

A guitar player recently told me that looking at a piano will always look like "a group of octave blocks." They think of the piano in sets of 12 notes connected together, rather than a continuous instrument. This changes their journey in growing as a pianist.

Another musician shared that learning piano from the flute undoubtedly felt less expressive. At first, it actually felt like they were working with limitations, though this improved over time. This is certainly where we at ROLI are excited to continue developing MPE instruments. MPE, or MIDI Polyphonic Expression, can address this gap for new pianists and professionals alike.

Other kinds of instrumentalists may look at the piano as an instrument of necessity. It is a tool, a map first rather than an instrument. And if you start to use music software products, you will see how the majority of them really do center around the keyboard roll.

The layout of the traditional piano keys has evolved with technology, and remained a centerpiece for musicians across genres. This is why it is so important, and so fun to learn the instrument in whatever form is most interesting to you. Don’t let learning alone intimidate you, there are more tools than ever to bring you from basic scales to stage, studio, or wherever you dream of playing!