If improving your piano playing is on your resolution list this year, this blog post is for you!
Learning a new skill can be challenging, especially if you’re working to improve it on your own.
And even if you’re working with a piano teacher, getting outside advice on becoming an even better pianist can be helpful.
Adult students are often juggling a bunch of other responsibilities and obligations, making free time limited.
Piano practice time for adult learners is valuable, and getting the most bang for your buck is crucial, which is why I wanted to put together this helpful list of tips.
Whether you’re brand new to the instrument or have been playing for 20+ years, this post is full of tips to help you become an even better piano player.
Let’s get to it!
This post may contain affiliate links. As an affiliate of the Amazon associate program, Modacity, Dr. Josh Wright ProPractice, Piano University, Musicnotes, Playground Sessions, and Piano Marvel, I may receive a commission at no extra cost if you purchase through a link. Please see my full disclosure for further information and privacy policy. I take no credit for the images appearing on this page. Specific photos are courtesy of Canva. Although I am a nurse practitioner, I am not YOUR medical provider. The information in this post is for informational purposes only. It does NOT replace individualized health information from a qualified medical professional. Please see a qualified medical professional for individualized assistance with your health and wellness.
My Piano Experience
Before we dive in, I want to give you a little background on my musical journey so you don’t feel that you’re blindly following the advice of some random blogger.
I began piano lessons with a local teacher around the age of 7.
And I’ll be the first to admit that I was a terrible piano student for most of my life!
I never practiced my lesson materials but instead spent much of the time playing whatever I wanted to play however I wanted.
Throughout high school, my intention was to become a veterinarian.
Studying music at the college level had never occurred to me until I arrived at college and realized how much I missed playing my piano.
I emailed the music department and was immediately invited to meet with one of the piano faculty members.
Even now, I shudder to think of how rough around the edges (musically speaking) I was at the time. Still, somehow, she saw something in me, and I was given a spot in their music program.
Although my current career path is in healthcare, playing the piano is one of my passions!
I’ve spent countless hours honing my craft and continue to play church service music at various churches.
And I understand the struggles of being an adult who wants to improve their piano skills but who also has serious time constraints!
In the spirit of helping you improve, here are a few tips I’ve collected over the years that you can use to enhance your piano-playing skills.
Find Inspiration
My first tip is to find something that inspires you to sit down at the keyboard.
Maybe it’s a specific piece of music.
Or maybe you want to master a particular genre of music.
Inspiration looks different for everyone, so figure out what it means for you and chase after it!
There’s nothing that inspires me more than dark, moody Romantic-era classical pieces!
Those are the pieces that I can’t get out of my head until I’ve mastered them.
Filling your practice session with pieces you love to play will keep you coming back day after day, which is necessary to make significant progress.
Establish a Practice Routine
Speaking of making progress, there is no progress without practice.
Find a time in your daily routine when it makes the most sense to fit in practice and commit to it.
Start with 10 minutes a day.
Once you’ve established this habit, you can slowly increase the amount of time you spend practicing until you find your sweet spot.
But as professional pianists will tell you, practice is about quality over quantity.
I recently posted a video about my journey to learning a piece that I have been drooling over for some time.
And I was able to learn it by committing to at least 10 minutes of practice daily!
Aim for a time of day when you’re most focused to make the most out of the time you spend at the keyboard.
Find an Online Course
I love that you can take a high-quality course from anyone in the world without leaving your house!
There are many great options for learning new things, especially when honing your skills at the keys.
Online courses are an especially logical option for busy adults with a million different responsibilities because you can have complete control over your learning process and log in whenever you have a few minutes.
Regardless of your goals, there are online courses to help with an array of different skills.
Two of my favorites for beginner pianists are the Piano University courses and the ProPractice course.
Both courses are designed for complete beginners and focus on improving skills in different ways.
Piano University
The Piano University courses are helpful if you aren’t particularly interested in learning classical music or you want to learn to play by ear.
Piano University gets you up and playing recognizable music quickly.
This course focuses more on popular music while still giving you the basics of music theory.
It’s a great course for becoming more familiar with the keyboard and learning fun songs to impress your friends or family.
Zach’s laid-back style is fun and keeps you coming back for more!
ProPractice
If classical music is your passion, you need to check out ProPractice, a course by Dr. Josh Wright!
Dr. Wright is a concert pianist with a thriving studio of piano students, and his passion for classical music is contagious.
This course is designed to take students from absolute beginner through the levels of repertoire to more advanced music.
It’s also a terrific course if you’re an intermediate or advanced player interested in delving into classical music.
I love his course because if there’s a classical piece I want to learn, there’s a good chance he’s made a video about it.
Dr. Wright’s teaching style is incredibly approachable, and I highly recommend his course to everyone!
Brush up on Music Theory
If you have any aspirations of playing by ear, playing with a band, or composing a new piece, music theory is where it starts.
Learning the basics of music theory also helps you become better at sight reading and memorization.
It’s also invaluable for improvisation.
Having a solid foundation in music theory helps your overall musicianship.
If you’re just beginning to explore music theory, check out this website, which has free resources on a wide range of theory topics.
There is additionally a course on theory as part of the Piano University bundle.
This course will help you learn the basics to advance your piano skills.
Practice Your Sight Reading Skills
One aspect of becoming a good pianist is being able to see a piece of sheet music for the first time and having the skills to play it.
Sight reading is a skill that can be practiced and is generally most successful when playing pieces that are easier than those you’re working on in lessons.
Several programs are available designed to improve sight-reading abilities, and Piano Marvel is one of the better ones.
Piano Marvel’s exclusive sight reading assessment tool adapts to your skill level, allowing you to gradually improve your sight reading skills.
This system can be very helpful because it adjusts to your sight-reading skills, unlike consistently playing random pieces of sheet music.
Although Piano Marvel’s sight-reading program is top-notch, its one drawback is that it requires the use of a keyboard rather than an acoustic piano.
But aside from that, Piano Marvel’s program is outstanding and almost guaranteed to improve your sight-reading skills!
Take Piano Lessons
If you’ve been tackling learning piano on your own, it might be time to find a piano teacher.
Teachers can be invaluable if you have a specific goal in mind, such as signing up for a music exam (more on that below!)
Another situation where a piano teacher can be helpful is if you’re feeling lost or aimless in your learning.
A teacher can give you personalized feedback that would otherwise be difficult to get.
Teachers can help shape your learning and push you outside your comfort zone, with the ultimate goal of helping you become a better pianist.
If you’re looking for online lessons, check out my Resources page for a list of piano teachers.
Incorporate Slow Practice
Many piano players love playing music that showcases their fast fingers.
But playing something at a fast tempo sometimes means sacrificing accuracy for showmanship.
Performing a piece at a much slower tempo than it was written forces you to learn the music on a deeper level, and it is a great way to practice.
Slow practice also gives you more time to consider your body mechanics and whether there is tension anywhere while playing.
It also enables you to work on voicing and conveying a piece’s emotions in a way that’s difficult when playing at faster tempos.
Regardless of the particular piece you’re improving, slow practice is a valuable tool for becoming a better pianist.
Use Correct Fingering
During many lessons, my piano teacher asked me which fingering I was using.
Unfortunately, in many of these instances, I’ve been unable to answer that question because I frequently use random fingering.
But paying attention to the most efficient fingering is one of the best ways to improve at the keyboard, especially when playing more difficult music.
Consistent fingering enables you to play things more quickly and with the most relaxation of your arms and hands.
Incorporating the previous tip of slow practice with correct fingering are two of the easiest ways to quickly improve your playing.
Jam with a Band
This next one is a really fun and engaging way to improve your piano skills. It involves getting a group of friends together for a jam session.
The really great thing about this tip is that you can play any kind of music you want!
Country, rock, pop, bluegrass…. anything goes!
Playing with other musicians is fun and improves your timing and musical flexibility.
It can also be helpful for improving your improvisational skills.
And who knows? You just might be able to make a little extra money on the side with this one!
Play by Ear
If you’ve always learned piano pieces by reading music, it might be time to switch things up a bit.
Learning to play by ear is a great way to improve your overall musicianship.
Whether it’s Broadway songs or the latest Ed Sheeran single, playing by ear is a fun skill that can take your piano skills up a notch.
It’s also beneficial when playing with a band because a melody line is generally not written down on a lead sheet.
Try Jazz
If you love playing classical music, it might be time to expand your musical horizons by jumping into the jazz scene.
Jazz is all about improvisation, playing by ear, and going with the flow.
It can be a fun way to improve your existing skills and become a more diverse musician.
If you’re a complete beginner to jazz, the ProPractice course contains a beginner module devoted to the topic.
Another great resource on the topic of jazz playing is Piano with Jonny.
His videos are informative and entertaining and display a depth of knowledge about the topic that is difficult to match elsewhere.
Either ProPractice or Piano with Jonny are great places to start if you’re new to jazz!
Challenge Your Mindset
As with any skill, there’s a huge mental component that goes into playing piano.
Even the best pianists in the world struggle with self-confidence, performance anxiety, and the negative thinking patterns associated with comparison.
If negative thought patterns are currently holding you back from playing the piano, now is the time to kick them to the curb!
Learning to play an instrument has far-reaching benefits for your mood, self-confidence, and brain function, even if you only ever perform for your cat!
Many of my previous posts have delved into the mental aspects of playing, so they’re a great place to start if you’re looking for some encouragement.
- The Power of 10 Minutes a Day: Transformative Productivity
- Why You Should Embrace Being Bad at Something
- 5 Powerful Ways to Halt Limiting Beliefs in Their Tracks
- Easy Brain Hacks to Upgrade Your Piano Playing
- 3 Secrets to Reversing Your Perfectionist Tendencies
- Why Routines are Better Than Resolutions
- 5 Secrets to Channeling a Growth Mindset
Sign up for an Exam
There’s nothing like a deadline to motivate you to practice!
Exams are a great way to learn how to prepare for a performance and give you the added bonus of high-quality feedback.
Several different exams are available, including the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) and the Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) exams.
Exams allow you to systematically improve your playing while helping you improve other skills, such as sight reading, music theory, and music performance.
If you’re feeling stuck, I highly encourage you to sign up for an exam. It will give you some direction for your piano learning.
I’ve previously taken an ABRSM exam and had a great experience! You can read about it in this previous post.
I’m currently working on preparing for an RCM exam and will keep you updated on my progress!
Follow a YouTube Channel
If you’re looking for inspiration, there’s no better place than YouTube!
I love finding new performances of my favorite pieces and instructional videos on how to tackle a difficult section in a piece I’m working on.
So many great pianists with active YouTube channels are just waiting to inspire you!
And in case you’re wondering whether you can learn piano by watching YouTube videos, check out my previous post on the topic.
Develop an Effective Warm-up
Warming up is the best way to get your practice session off to a good start.
You can do all kinds of warm-up exercises, including scales, etudes, and other 5-finger patterns, to get your mind and body in the right space for an effective session.
You can also develop warm-up exercises based on challenges with your current repertoire.
The warm-up might be a great time to work on slow practice, correct hand posture, and mindset to improve your playing.
Play around with different warm-up routines until you find one that works best for you!
Plan a Performance
Whether it’s playing for offertory at your church or at a local bar with your band, planning a performance is a fun way to improve your piano skills!
There are also many different Facebook groups where you can showcase your piano skills and even get feedback from others.
Music is meant to be shared with others, and planning a performance helps you grow as a pianist.
If you’re looking for a very low-key, non-judgmental crowd, offer to play for a local nursing home or assisted living facility.
Most facilities always need new faces and different types of entertainment.
They’re often very welcoming places to dip your toes into musical performance.
Record Yourself
Whether you’re learning piano on your own or with a teacher, self-evaluation is a crucial skill for improvement.
And recording yourself is one of the best ways to start giving yourself feedback.
Although it may seem that one can accurately evaluate themselves in the moment while playing, it’s actually impossible to focus simultaneously on playing and analyzing.
But by recording yourself, you can stay in the moment while playing the piece and then be able to objectively evaluate your performance.
If you’re serious about improving, get in the habit of recording yourself.
It’s also fun to keep your recordings so you can go back and compare recordings from the past to those you’re making currently.
You’ll be shocked at how much improvement you’ll make from year to year!
Final Thoughts
I hope this post has given you ideas on how you can improve your piano playing!
Sometimes, it’s the smallest changes that make the most significant impacts.
And when it comes to the piano, you can improve and get better results in so many different ways!
If you loved this post, you may also enjoy my other piano-inspired content!
- 5 Tips for the Best Ways to Practice Piano Scales
- Simple Tips to Have More Fun Playing Piano This Year
- Learn These 4 Chords to Play (Almost!) Any Song Ever Written!
- 25 Tips for How to Stay Focused When Practicing the Piano
- 8 Best Books for Adult Beginners to Learn Piano
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