If learning to play the piano is on your bucket list this year, you’re scouring the internet looking for the best resources to accomplish your goal.
And although taking old-school piano lessons from a legit teacher is always an option, there are reasons why you may be exploring alternatives.
Even if you’re taking lessons from a teacher, many piano students have questions about the best ways to structure their practice time, and this is where I come in.
This blog is designed for individuals who want to learn to play the piano, and I’m committed to providing you with the best resources to help you achieve your biggest piano goals.
In this post, you’ll learn why pianists use piano exercises, the best piano exercises for beginners to incorporate into a practice routine, and I’ll even fill you in on my best-kept secret for skyrocketing your progress as a beginner.
Ready? 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 course by Zach Evans, 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 consult a qualified medical professional for personalized guidance on your health and wellness. Artificial intelligence (AI) was utilized for specific components of this post. But the main ideas and content are all my own.
My Piano Journey
Before we begin, it’s essential to provide you with some background on my piano journey.
After starting piano lessons at the age of 7, I continued to play throughout high school and eventually studied music in college.
The learning curve was steep when I entered the baccalaureate program, but I persisted and graduated with a degree in fine arts.
Although my current full-time career is in a different field, the piano remains a significant part of my life.
I play piano and organ for several local churches, accompanying whenever the opportunity presents itself.
I’ve taught lessons off and on throughout the years and currently have a few beginner students.
This blog is my way of sharing my love for the instrument while encouraging others to launch their own piano journeys.
What are piano exercises for beginners?
If you’re entirely new to learning the piano, you might be wondering what exactly a piano exercise is.
Piano exercises are short pieces of music designed to improve a specific aspect of playing.
There are many different types of piano exercises out there.
Some are designed to improve finger independence, while others help enhance hand coordination.
And piano exercises can be helpful even if you’re not a committed classical music enthusiast.
Simple exercises can enhance your understanding of key signatures and rhythm symbols, as well as your ability to identify basic chord progressions, which are valuable skills whether you’re playing jazz or pop music.
Why use piano exercises for beginners?
When incorporated into a beginner practice routine, even the simplest exercises can lay a solid foundation for mastering piano technique.
Simple exercises are often based on a five-finger scale in a common key, helping piano beginners understand basic rhythms and develop muscle memory.
Piano exercises are often not particularly fun to play but are necessary for developing an understanding of basic keyboard skills.
Although correctly playing any piano exercise can give you a sense of accomplishment, exercises are only as useful as you make them.
For example, it’s best to choose a few fundamental exercises specifically tailored to your area of weakness rather than spending hours a day mindlessly pounding away at the keys, expecting to become the next great concert pianist.
Devoting too much practice time to piano exercises can make your practice dull and uninspiring.
However, when used with intention, piano exercises carefully incorporated into practice sessions are the best way to thoughtfully improve your playing.
What are the best piano exercises for beginners?
One of the most common sets of piano exercises for beginners is the Hanon exercises.
Charles-Louis Hanon was a French composer who wrote the exercises, hailed by pianists such as Sergei Rachmaninoff, as the secret to virtuosity.
Although Hanon is considered essential piano exercises by many teachers, they are only as useful as you make them.
Hanon can help develop the art of finger dexterity and hand independence.
This exercise book also includes correct fingering for major and minor scales. It gives you information on how to practice arpeggios as well as other piano drills.
Aside from Hanon, lesson book series generally incorporate technique into their series as part of building a strong foundation in piano skills.
My favorite lesson series for young beginners is the Faber series, partially because it begins the basics of good technique very early in the learning process.
Although you can teach yourself piano, it is best accomplished as an adult, and I always recommend hiring a piano teacher for young children.
However, many musical compositions have also been written over time as teaching pieces for pianists.
Here are a few of my additional recommendations for the best piano exercises for beginners:
Piano Exercises for Beginners
Schmitt Op 16: Preparatory Exercises for the Piano
Schmitt Op. 16: Preparatory Exercises for the Piano emphasizes the five-finger pattern and is a great way for beginners to step into the world of piano exercises.
These exercises start out very short and are especially helpful for learning to play with both hands at the same time.
Start the exercises with your hands separate, and then work on bringing them together.
The patterns are relatively simple, which is why these are very nice exercises to work on playing with the right hand along with the left hand.
As the exercises advance, they introduce the concept of holding notes with one or two fingers while continuing to play additional notes with the other fingers.
This improves overall finger dexterity and is especially useful if you aspire to play the organ. Still, it is also helpful for overall finger independence.
Each exercise can be learned at a slow tempo, and the difficulty can be increased by gradually increasing the metronome speed.
The Schmitt book additionally has an Appendix at the back with fingerings for all the major and minor scales.
Czerny op. 599
The Czerny op. 599 exercises are another great option for beginners.
I love these particular exercises because they are more song-like than the Schmitt ones.
Each exercise is longer and leaves more room for artistic expression.
Czerny encompasses wider note ranges than Schmitt, so if you’re a complete beginner still learning to read notes, you should start with Schmitt.
Similar to Schmitt, Czerny has the opportunity to work on finger dexterity with held notes.
The exercises will help with coordination between the hands.
Overall, the Czerny is more musically complex, with the opportunity to practice more advanced concepts.
Intermediate Piano Exercises
Once you work your way to the end of the Czerny exercises, you’re well on your way to the intermediate level of playing.
Scales
There are numerous incredible benefits to playing scales, including increasing familiarity with playing in different keys.
Scales also form a solid foundation for developing one’s sense of internal rhythm and pulse.
One of the best ways to practice scales is to set your metronome initially at a slower tempo, such as 60 beats per minute (bpm).
Start with your hands separate, and once you’ve mastered this, you can move on to hands together.
Play one octave of any scale by playing one note per click of the metronome.
Once you’ve mastered that, go to 2 octaves by dividing them into eighth notes, so instead of playing one note per click, you’ll be playing two.
Next up is 3 octaves, meaning you’ll play 3 notes (triplets) for each click of the metronome and cover three octaves.
Lastly, you’ll move to 4 notes (sixteenths) for each click of the metronome, covering four octaves.
You can gradually increase your metronome’s tempo as you master each previous one.
Although not flashy, scales have formed the basis of basic pianism for centuries.
Brahms 51 Exercises
The Brahms exercises are intermediate to advanced in difficulty due to their more complex rhythms, key signatures, and faster tempos.
It bears repeating that any exercise is only as useful as you make it, and the goal should never be to play through these exercises as quickly as possible.
The goal should be to take something of value from each exercise.
Sometimes, that lesson will be about how to approach more complex fingering.
And others will be mastering syncopated rhythms or faster tempos.
But each exercise should be carefully pursued for the specific value it adds to one’s playing.
Best Secret for Skyrocketing Piano Success as a Beginner
After all these years of playing, if there’s one thing I’ve learned about making progress at the keys, it’s consistency.
And the great news is that it won’t take nearly as much time out of your day as you think!
Consistency is also completely free. No membership fees to pay monthly and no apps to download.
Just you, the keyboard, and your favorite sheet music.
Committing to just 10 minutes of practice daily translates into 70 minutes a week and just over 4.5 hours a month.
And if you skip a day, no big deal. Simply start back again tomorrow.
The key is finding the block of time that makes the most sense in your day and making the commitment to consistent practice.
Whether it’s morning, evening, or sometime in between, a commitment to yourself extends beyond music.
Committing to a goal is proof that you’re a powerful force capable of accomplishing anything.
And there’s nothing more powerful than that!
Frequently Asked Questions
How much practice time should you spend on exercises?
In any given practice session, it can feel as if there’s so much to do and so little time.
I love using exercises such as those listed above to start my practice sessions and get into the right mindset for practice.
As a general rule, spending 5-10 minutes daily is sufficient to learn what you need without being excessive.
If you have more practice time, you can always devote more time to exercises.
Are there other resources to help learn piano?
Absolutely!
If you want to learn the basics so you can have fun playing by ear, consider checking out the Piano University courses by Zach Evans.
He breaks concepts down in ways that are so easy to understand that anyone can make progress almost immediately.
Zach offers a variety of classes, including assistance with ear training and basic piano skills.
If you love classical piano and know this is the path you want to chase, I’ve got the perfect course for you!
Dr. Josh Wright offers a course called ProPractice, which is helpful for both beginner and advanced players.
The course is divided into three levels: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. It contains detailed tutorials on how to play the most popular repertoire from each level.
I love playing classical piano and have found this course incredibly helpful because I don’t have time for regular lessons but still want to play fun repertoire.
This course bridges that gap for me, and I’m grateful for all I’ve learned from it.
Can you teach yourself to play the piano?
It depends.
If you want to learn to play from lead sheets to jam with friends, absolutely.
However, if you wish to pursue a degree in classical piano, I recommend taking formal lessons.
Piano lessons can also help you learn the basics and get a solid foundation in playing, which can be challenging to get on your own.
With online learning platforms, finding a teacher can be easier than you think.
Don’t miss my list of teachers on my resource page if you’re considering online lessons.
Final Thoughts
Regardless of your reasons for wanting to learn to play the piano, learning an instrument is a fun hobby that has incredible benefits for your brain and self-esteem.
By committing to 10 minutes a day, you can make progress towards accomplishing your biggest piano goals.
And if you need more resources for launching your piano journey, don’t miss these great posts!
- Review of the Piano University Course by Zach Evans
- Piano Marvel: Ultimate Learning Tool or Just Hype?
- 5 Tips for the Best Ways to Practice Piano Scales
- How to Stay Motivated to Play Piano: Practice Tips
- How to Elevate Your Playing with a Piano Practice Journal
Until next time, happy practicing!
