Seniors Can Learn How to Play Piano at Any Age

I have spoken to many seniors over the years, and I have told them that I play the piano. Because I knew how to play the piano, it was suggested that I play for the seniors in a nursing home for the holidays. Furthermore, they felt that the nursing home residents would enjoy a sing-a-long at the Christmas holidays. It sounded like a great idea, so I bought a keyboard that I could carry with me. I did not think that a baby grand would fit into my car.

In fact, I had done this for a few years. One day I had a better thought. What if I taught the seniors to play the piano instead of having a sing-a-long? I visited a nearby nursing home and explained my idea to them. They thought it was a great idea! However, In order for them to approve it, they would have to get permission from the Board of Directors. They said they would get back to me.

The wait was shorter than I had anticipated. Actually, I received a response from them in only a few weeks. The residents thought the idea was outstanding! They were tired of their usual sing-a-long activities, and they wanted to learn to play the piano and sing. My request was approved.

However, if I wanted to teach the residents to learn to play the piano, I had to buy a small 'keyboard.' Meanwhile, I printed simple songs that they could play and sing to. In fact, I had a ball teaching them. Before long, they were playing the piano and singing songs.The nursing home had two pianos that could be used for practicing.

The point of my story is that one is never too old to learn to play the piano. All that is needed is a a piano, or a small keyboard and easy-to-play sheets of music. This is how seniors can learn how to play piano and, at the same time, fill their lonely days. It is also a way for seniors to get out of the house; make new friends, and have a purpose in life, instead of being lonely with nothing to look forward to each day.

1. Get a used piano if you can afford it, or buy an inexpensive keyboard instead. Try to buy one that has 88 keys; the amount of keys in a piano. If not, a smaller keyboard is better than no keyboard, and it will do for your purpose. Come to think of it, a smaller and lighter keyboard might be even better.

2. Buy a "piano lessons book" geared for the kids who begin taking piano lessons. Don't feel embarrassed because children use the book; learning piano has nothing to do with age. In fact, those easier books are simple to understand when learning how to play the piano. After all, your desire is to play and not to make a lifetime of learning how.

3. Make sure you have a comfortable bench or chair to sit on. Many keyboards come with a small bench. Your arms have to be at the proper position for you to play without hurting your back.

Now you are ready for your first lesson. Close the television. Do not answer the telephone if it rings. Let the answering machine get the call. This is your time to learn and practice and you do not want to be interrupted. Concentrate only on learning how to play the piano. Are you ready?

1. Place both feet flat on the floor. Put the bench a few inches from the keyboard. Your elbows should be level with your hands. Do not have your elbows stick up in the air. Look at the picture of the woman, (no! it is not a picture of me) Your fingers should touch the white keys of the keyboard lightly and not sit flat on the keys; Lift the palms slightly. Read the instructions on your "How to Play The Piano" primer that you bought.

2. Look at the piano keys. Do you notice that they are made up in sets of two black keys and 4 black keys with three white keys and four white keys next to them? The middle C is in the middle of the piano with two black keys above it. This is the same throughout the keyboard. C is always before two black keys throughout the keyboard Try to play a note. Use one finger and strike the middle C and go up and down the piano keyboard.

3. Listen to how each key sounds. Do you hear that it sounds louder when you go to your left? How about when you go to the right? Do you notice that the tone is lower. The deep or loud notes are in the 'base, and the keys on the right of the middle key are in the treble.

4. Have fun. Hit the note next to the C; this is a 'D". The keyboard is made up of the same seven notes: C,D,E,F,G,A and back to B,C,D,E,F,G and so on. Get the idea? These seven notes are repeated all up and down the keys. Each set is called an Octave.

This is your first lesson. Use one finger to hit the notes. Start with striking the C key on the entire keyboard. Strike each C from the highest to the lowest. Say the name of each key you strike. Listen to how they sound. Know where they are. Repeat it to yourself so you can recall it. You have just learned the first octave of the C scale.

Learning to play the piano or keyboard is fun. There are many things you can do once you learn how to play the piano, You can play and entertain others, have sing-a-longs, play at the holidays, or just play for yourself so you will have something to do, and not be lonely especially if you live alone.

I can guarantee that you will not feel lonely once you learn how to play the piano. You can learn to play songs for singing, entertaining others, and then you can go to Senior Centers and teach others to play as well.

Source:

Taken from my life experience and knowledge.