Topics at a First Piano Lesson

So you’ve signed yourself or your child up for piano lessons.  Now what?  What are you going to learn in that first 30 minutes?  Is it going to be overwhelming or a piece of cake?  How are you going to practice 30 minutes 5 days a week?  Let’s look at a very simple check list of topics that are usually covered in a first piano lesson.


1.  How do you sit and the piano and position your hands over the keyboard.


2.  The Keys.  There are black keys and white keys.  The black keys are in groups of 2 and 3.  Can you find middle C?


3.  If the student is going to begin reading on the musical staff, then the topic of lines and spaces is covered.  How do the treble and bass clef relate to the right and left hand?


4.  A musical note.  This could be quarter, half or whole notes.  What does the note look like and what is its value?


Believe it or not, it can take 30 minutes to cover those 4 topics with a new student.  I love it when a child comes in and recognizes some of the musical notation from their music school at class.  The student feels so smart and head of the game.


Students, be patient with yourselves.  Parents, help the students in any way that you can even if you aren’t a musician.  Read the directions and make sure they are using the correct hand for the piece.


Good luck with your piano lessons!