Hey all,

I have recently picked up a Yamaha keyboard and am learning piano.

I have a minmal backround in music theory. I basically know how to read music but I have to write the note leter down in order to play it as I read it. the process of converting the actual note to letter as I play takes too long. I know that since I am staring fresh, I should read music the right way. Any sugestions on how I can do this better?

Also Does anyone know a site when I can download a basic chord chart (not one where you enter the key and they show you the keys to press, but one where there is a sheet (or several sheets) of basic chords and have dots on the keys to press that I can pint out for reference.

And last question, Does anyone know of any sites where i can download music for free. Not necessarily popular music, but maybe easy traditional songs like happy birthday or xmas music, etc.


thanks in advance.

You just gotta practice and after enough repititions, you should be able to get it down. It's basically straight memorization.

Maybe it might help to say the note out loud as you read it and play it.

Being someone who has been a student of music all my life, and taught myself how to play the piano, I would say your steps for learning the piano would go like this:

1. Learn and memorize the basic notes, and how the notes on the page correspond to the notes on the piano. This includes your sharps and flats.
1a. While you're learning step one, also start learning and practicing correct fingering. This is extremely important for proper playing. I taught myself, and I play pretty well, but I'm pretty far off from correct fingering.
2. Learn and memorize scales. Don't get too fancy at first. Just learn the basic ones, then you can move up to more complicated ones later. Correct fingering is very important to get used to here.
3. Learn and memorize chords. Again, basic at first. Learn how certain chords interact, like in a basic 3-chord song. While doing this, you will also find yourself learning chord variations (in other words, how to keep yourself from jumping all over the piano to get to your next chord). Then move on to more complicated chords later. Still doing the correct fingering through it all.

If you get to a point where you're pretty fluent in one step, you should find greater ease in moving to the next step. Don't try to take on too much at one time, and just practice, practice, practice.

As far as chord charts and things like that...I would say, just like anyone else would, that Search is your best friend!