Piano Level 1
About The Course
This course is designed for complete beginners who are just starting their journey at the piano. Students will discover how music is built, from notes and rhythms to expression and performance, while learning to read and play real songs. The aim is to create a strong foundation in both playing and musical understanding so that students not only progress smoothly in future levels but also develop the skills to learn and explore music independently.
Pre-Requisites
This course has no prerequisites. You will need a piano/keyboard with velocity/touch sensitive keys, a stable internet connection and a web-camera.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
🎯 Play simple songs confidently using both hands.
🎯 Read music notes on the staff and understand basic rhythms.
🎯 Keep time in different beats, including 2-beat, 3-beat, and 4-beat patterns.
🎯 Play with expression, using soft and loud sounds, smooth and short notes, and other musical effects.
🎯 Figure out any major scale and play basic ones.
🎯 Move between different hand positions on the keyboard with ease.
🎯 Create short pieces of music and write them down using beginner-friendly notation software.
Topics Covered
Rhythm & Reading
Quarter, half, whole, and eighth notes and rests
2/4, 3/4, and 4/4 time signatures
Dotted notes and incomplete measures
Tied notes
Sight reading
Grand Staff and various finger positions
Repeats of various types (D.C. Al fine, Repeat sign)
Notation software to compose short pieces
Music Theory
Interval Sizes (melodic and harmonic)
Half Steps and Whole Steps
Major scale theory (C and G major)
Keys and key signatures
Sharps and flats
Common musical terms (ritardando, tempo markings, etc.)
Playing & Technique
Two-handed playing in multiple positions (C, G, and middle C positions)
Moving between positions smoothly
Playing scales with steady tempo and correct fingering
Applying articulation (staccato, legato) and dynamics (piano, forte, crescendo, diminuendo)
Ear Training
Pitch comparison: higher, lower, same
Interval comparison by ear: 2nds, 3rds, 4ths, 5ths, octaves
Rhythmic dictation in 2/4, 3/4, 4/4 using notes up to quarter notes and rests
Note recognition by ear in C position and G Position
FAQs
What are velocity sensitive keys?
We play a note loudly or softly depending on how hard you press the keys of the piano. In digital pianos and keyboards, this feature of pianos is emulated. This is called velocity/touch sensitivity. Some of the cheaper keyboard models don't have this feature, and every key-stroke generates the same volume, regardless of how you press the key. Since we will be learning how to use the volume of notes for expression on the instrument, it is crucial to have this feature.
Do I need a digital piano or a keyboard?
A keyboard is any instrument with keys like the piano. As long as your keys are touch sensitive, both are fine. The keys of a digital pianos feel similar to the keys of a real piano. They provide resistance, and bounce back nicely compared to the keyboard. For the purposes of this course, that doesn't matter as much.
Can I take this course as an adult?
Absolutely, this course is for people of all ages. As an adult, your learning would be a little more accelerated, but the curriculum doesn't change.