Best Piano Exercises for a Beginner Practice Routine

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Whether you have just started piano lessons with a teacher or are learning independently, understanding how to improve your piano technique is crucial.

There are many different aspects of being a good pianist. Still, by understanding how to incorporate essential piano exercises, you’ll be well on your way to success!

Today’s post covers a variety of different exercises you can incorporate into your daily practice routine to improve your finger dexterity, hand coordination, and overall musicianship.

I’ll also give you my secret tips on the best resources to help improve your technique.

Ready? Let’s dive in!

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 Journey

Before we cover the exercises that will help you build a strong foundation, I feel it’s important to give you background on my musical journey so you won’t be taken by the word of some random internet stranger.

I began lessons with the local piano teacher at age 7 but was hardly a model student.

My practice sessions consisted of whatever I wanted to play, however I wanted to play it.

I continued lessons throughout high school and eventually pursued a music degree at a college affectionately known as “Moo U” for its agricultural emphasis.

My full-time career has taken a different trajectory, but my love for pianos remains.

I also continue playing piano and organ regularly for local churches, have recently taken on a piano student, and have resumed my piano technician studies.

This blog was born out of a desire to continue playing the piano and to share my passion with others.

If you’d like to hear me in action, check out this recent video of me performing Chopin’s Nocturne in C Minor, Op. 48, No. 1.

Meditation

This first one may seem odd, but I wholeheartedly believe in the power of meditation to keep you focused and grounded.

There have been so many times that I’ve found my mind wandering during a piano practice session, and the best piano exercise in the world is useless if you’re unfocused.

Regular meditation is an easy exercise that ensures you make the most of your practice time.

Meditation has also been proven to reduce depression and anxiety.

Although you can find free videos about meditation on YouTube, my favorite resource for learning the art of meditation is Headspace.

Stretching

Although people often think about stretching before running or lifting weights, they don’t often think about stretching before a piano practice session.

But carrying excess tension into your piano playing is a great way to invite injury.

Simple stretches can relieve any tension you’re carrying in your arms, shoulders, and back.

Just as meditation can help your brain achieve a more restful state, stretching in your warm-up can help you play with greater ease.

Piano Scales

A scale is simply a series of notes arranged in a particular way.

Simple scales can form the basis for all kinds of piano drills, including rhythm exercises and the development of familiarity with different keys.

In Western classical music, scales are most often built on 7 pitches and further divided into major and minor, although other types of scales do exist.

Major

Songs written in a major key signature often have a happy sound.

All scales are built on intervals, and for a major scale, you’ll find the following pattern of whole and half steps:

Whole step, whole step, half step, whole step, whole step, whole step, half step

You can play a scale as a series of quarter notes, half notes, whole notes, or even eighth notes.

Start with mastering one octave and then gradually build to two-octave scales.

And if you really master the two-hand scale going in the same direction, try contrary motion scales!

This involves both hands playing scales but going in opposite directions.

For example, the left hand would travel down the keyboard while the right hand would travel up.

Although tricky at first, it can be a helpful exercise for developing hand independence.

Minor

In contrast to the happy and upbeat mood inherent to songs in major keys, songs in minor keys often have a melancholy sound.

All my favorite classical works are in minor key signatures!

And when it comes to minor scales, there are actually three different variations: the natural, harmonic, and melodic minor scales.

The natural minor scale contains the following pattern of whole and half steps:

Whole step, half step, whole step, whole step, half step, whole step, whole step

The harmonic minor is similar to the natural minor, except the 7th note is raised a half step.

The melodic minor is a mash-up between the other two scales: harmonic on the way up and natural minor on the way down.

Chromatic

If you’re itching to play all the notes in an octave, then you must play a chromatic scale.

Playing the full scale is a good exercise to improve finger dexterity.

Although the finger patterns repeat, they repeat quickly, requiring careful attention to avoid wrong notes.

If you’re looking for more information on how to play piano scales, check out my previous post, 5 Tips for the Best Ways to Practice Piano Scales.

5 Finger Exercises

This type of exercise is often done in a C position. It involves keeping both hands in one position on the keyboard.

An unlimited number of exercises can be done to help with finger independence and playing the correct notes.

These exercises are not technically difficult, which makes them a nice way to practice other skills.

Legato Playing

Five-finger exercises are simple pieces that provide an excellent opportunity to practice legato playing.

This type of playing is smooth and lyrical and is essential for many classical pieces, especially those of the Romantic period in music composition.

Many complex pieces even require smooth legato playing in the melody and staccato playing in the left, so mastering these techniques is crucial.

Staccato Playing

Short, snappy notes are what’s expected when you see a tiny dot above a note.

This is called “staccato” playing and is featured in all kinds of piano compositions.

Five-finger exercises are helpful for practicing this type of playing because you don’t need to focus as much on the actual notes.

You can even make up your own five-finger patterns to work on legato and staccato playing!

Dynamics

Five-finger exercises also work well for practicing dynamics, or how loud or soft you’re playing.

Start by emphasizing big differences between forte (loud) and piano (soft).

Once you can easily play something loud or soft, work on adding variations, such as moderately loud and moderately soft.

Or really loud or really soft.

Many piano students also use scales to perfect their dynamic range.

Try playing gradually louder with each note you play up the scale; softer with each note you play that travels down the keyboard.

Sight Reading

Many piano players will tell you that sight reading is a critical skill that can sometimes be difficult to practice.

In case you’re not familiar, sight reading is the ability to play something well the first time you see it.

As you can imagine, it can be a difficult skill to improve unless you have access to an unlimited supply of sheet music because once you’ve played something one time, it’s no longer sight reading.

But even then, it’s tough to gauge difficulty to consistently improve your skills.

Thanks to an online program called Piano Marvel, improving your sight-reading skills just became a lot easier!

They have an exclusive sight reading program that gives you a score and helps improve your sight reading skills.

It’s a fun and addicting way to improve your piano skills!

You can learn more about it by reading my previous post: Piano Marvel: Ultimate Learning Tool or Just Hype?

Ear Training

Another of my favorite beginner piano exercises involves listening and playing something back.

This valuable skill will help you become more accurate in your playing and with memorization.

You can start by listening to the melody line of your favorite song and then trying to play it on the piano.

This is my favorite app for improving ear training!

It has many different types of exercises to hone your listening skills.

Another resource for improving your ear training comes from Zach Evans, an online piano teacher.

He has an ear training course designed to improve your skills.

You can learn more about it by checking out my previous post: Review of the Piano University Course by Zach Evans.

Improvisation

The last one is a fun exercise that combines all the above pieces.

It’s improvisation, which basically means making up your own music.

Once you have a solid foundation in playing skills and how chords often fit together in songs, it is easier to create music that sounds pleasing to the ear.

Although playing whatever you want, regardless of how it sounds, is also a fun and freeing exercise!

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should you practice the piano?

Your brain often remembers better in shorter, more frequent practice sessions.

Try to schedule your practice sessions at a time of day when you’re most focused and alert.

Daily practice is best but again, keep sessions to a reasonable amount of time.

Even 10 minutes of incredibly focused time is more productive than 3 hours of distracted practice time.

Can you teach yourself to play the piano?

There are many different online resources for learning piano on a more independent basis than was ever possible in the past.

But nothing replaces feedback from a knowledgeable piano teacher.

Feedback can be helpful for providing direction and ensuring that you have a solid foundation.

But as someone with a busy schedule, I really appreciate the flexibility of online learning and feel that it’s an excellent option for busy adults!

Do you have to warm up before practicing the piano?

Warming up is helpful to get your body and brain in practice mode.

A short meditation and stretching out your body are great preludes to your warm-up!

Your warm-up doesn’t have to be long, but it should be long enough so your body and brain feel ready to play.

Final Thoughts

When it comes to being a beginner piano player, there’s a ton of random information and advice out there.

Hopefully, you have found this post helpful in building your list of different exercises as a beginner pianist.

And you don’t have to do all of them every day.

In fact, it’s best to vary your practice routine to avoid boredom and ensure you’re advancing your skills in several different areas.

Regardless of how you use this information, I hope you feel encouraged to schedule time to sit down at the keyboard.

Playing the piano is an enjoyable and addicting hobby!

And if you enjoyed this post, check out my other helpful piano content!

Best Piano Exercises for a Beginner Practice Routine

My Piano Journey

Meditation

Stretching