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Previous instructor left you hanging? Learn from a pro while having funWish you never quit? It’s never too late to start again. Lower your stress: Definite health benefits. Secret desire to be life of the party? Learn your chords.

What does each learn piano online course include? 

  • Step-by-step instruction including pedal.
  • Video closeups of hands and fingering.
  • Downloadable sheet music with detailed fingering. 
  • Practice guide.

Multiple Videos • Detailed Instruction • Successful Outcomes! • Free Previews (below)
Learn Piano Online is perfect for: Music majors • Homeschoolers • Church Music Directors/Pianists • Choral teachers •

Piano lessons online starts with basic piano technique. Even though I’ve trained classical pianists to enter major universities, my specialty is using the piano to train singers to be musicians, to accompany themselves and to write out their own compositions. I find there are so many singers who struggle with rhythm, notation and the skills to learn new music on their own. Good technique should be applied at any stage, whether beginner, intermediate or advanced. In my high school years, I worked with a concert pianist who had a busy piano studio, Joanna Hodges. She was the first woman concert pianist who toured then-Communist Russia and  emphasized tension-relaxation. It worked into my muscle memory while playing and performing-and we performed/competed many times every month. That may be the reason I have not struggled with carpal-tunnel as so many of my colleagues have. There are many piano teachers in the world, but the search narrows when looking for a teacher who can also teach correct technique, musicianship, improvisation and basic self-accompanying skills. The search narrows even more if you want to write out and produce your compositions using the piano as a base. That is my specialty.

ELECTRONIC PIANOS

The basic difference between a keyboard and an acoustic piano is that synthesizer keyboards are electronic (plugged in or battery-powered) and acoustic pianos are not, unless there are added features as midi capabilities. (I will not go into that here) I will distinguish between both here as “keyboards” and “acoustic pianos.” Although there are variations, a “synthesizer keyboard” is usually lighter in weight than a “professional keyboard” with “weighted keys.” As a result, synthesizer keys are much easier to press and play-almost like playing an organ. If you are mainly looking to learn notes, train your ear and play simple comp chords, a non-weighted synthesizer keyboard will work fine. Most are 61 or 76 keys instead of the full 88 keys. “Weighted professional keyboards” are usually 88 keys and are much heavier to transport. Each note is also harder to press down with more weight, and can be played with greater dynamic range than a non-weighted keyboard. (loud and soft) I have used both types of keyboards many times in performance. My preference is a weighted 88-key professional keyboard as I have a lot more control and dynamic range. Although my top preference is usually always an in-tune acoustic piano.

ACOUSTIC PIANOS

Acoustic pianos are just that-acoustic (not plugged in) and most have keys that have even more weight to them than an electronic keyboard. Joanna  actually requested we add weights to the keys of our grand piano to increase my finger strength, which we did. It definitely paid off. Even though acoustic pianos are getting more rare and in some cases not desired because of space limitations, I still strongly believe they are a good training ground for most any pianist who is serious about learning and studying. Finger strength, combined with relaxation, for a serious pianist will pay off in droves for a lifelong career.

POSITION OF THE HANDS

Make a fist with one hand and put the other hand over it, keeping the arms level. That will give you a good “rounded” position of the fingers that are placed over the fist with a level wrist. Now match the fingers on the fisted hand to the other hand. Your hands should be relaxed and when you place your hands on the keyboard or piano, you should be able to play on the pads of your fingers. If your nails are too long, they will get in the way. I understand that may be an issue with some, but there is nothing more aggravating than trying to maneuver playing with nails that get caught between the keys and fingers than lose mobility because of cumbersome nails. Also, listening to nails click on the keys is just as annoying. For beginners, it may be difficult to play on the pad of the finger without the finger “caving in.” That is why piano finger exercises are important to develop good technique that will become natural when engrained in the muscle memory. If you practice the exercises correctly, you will build good technique that can be called upon for a lifetime because of that muscle memory. 

HANDS, ARMS and SHOULDERS

If your shoulders are tense, there is a good chance your arms and hands will also be tense. You should be sitting a comfortable distance from the keyboard, shoulders down and relaxed, arms level with elbows bent at about 60 degrees and fingers relaxed and rounded on the keys. If you are on an acoustic piano with a pedal, you should be able to comfortably put your foot on the pedal and lift up the front of your foot (toes) keeping your heel on the floor. Whenever you play a note, chord or phrase, you will use a certain amount of tension, but after a certain group of notes, totally relax the arm and hand. Sometimes dipping the wrist slightly will do the trick.

I recommend Hanon finger exercises, which are very repetitive, for working on finger velocity, strength and relaxation. Also Enro Dohnanyi Essential Finger Exercises are wonderful to add a bit later. You can learn many things on your own, but a private instructor is worth the investment if you are serious about learning.

AGE TO BEGIN

It is never too late to learn the piano, although for those thinking about starting their young children, about the age of 9 is optimal. Possibly a bit younger for girls, but make sure the child has the attention span to handle a private lesson and practice. If you want to start children younger than this, put them in a group setting where they will play on rhythm instruments and move to the music. I have seen many talented young players absolutely burn out by the time they are 10 or 12 if they start too young without a true drive of their own. There are many programs out there that promise quick and easy results, but to really move ahead, it will take a certain amount of rote practice and repetition. Just like increasing skill in any sport, increasing skill on an instrument takes the right kind of practice and guidance. There are really no huge shortcuts, but the enjoyment of learning brings huge dividends.

NOTE TO PARENTS

It takes a reasonable commitment of a parent as well as a child for private lessons. As motivated as I was to learn the piano, I still had to be encouraged to practice. There were many days my mother would sit by me and count the number of arpeggios I played. She also made up practice lists and there were small rewards if my sisters and I practiced regularly. I had a good teacher, but practice wasn’t always fun. For many years when I taught beginners, I encouraged parents to make practice a part of their school homework. This really should happen even through middle school. By high school, a student should start taking on more ownership, but every situation is different.

In vocal production, your body is your instrument and breathing plays a large part in developing your voice. Any good athletic trainer will tell you your lungs are a muscle and need warmed up, just as other parts of you body should be warmed up. Any good vocal instructor will also not only work with vocal production, but with breathing, which will give you the ability to keep your voice in shape for a lifetime. Great book from one of America’s best singing teachers, Marge Rivingston. Do You Hear What I Hear?: The Secrets of One of America’s Great Singing Teachers” Vocalists should know enough about piano to learn their songs and play simple accompaniment. Learn Basic Piano Online Here!

RELAXATION

How to sing better includes relaxation. The muscles in your face, tongue, jaw, chin, throat, and neck must be relaxed or your singing will be muscle-bound. If your outer muscles of your throat are relaxed, your inner muscles will take care of themselves. So let’s go step by step with some exercises.

RELAXATION EXERCISES

  • Massage with index and 3rd fingers from your hairline to your throat. (If your hairline is receding, from your temples!) Let your face fall limp, jaw hanging slack.
  • Let your tongue fall out over lower lip.
  • Take your chin between your thumb and forefinger and lightly move up and down.
  • To relax swallowing muscles, gently press one side, then the other on the soft part of your throat between your chin and adams apple.
  • Move you head up and down.
  • BREATHING

    How to sing better includes correct breathing. Normal inhaling occurs when your brain signals a need for oxygen. Exhaling occurs when your brain wants to get rid of carbon dioxide. We don’t even have to think about this process. But as soon as we open our mouth for singing, a different kind of breathing than the norm should begin.

    When we breathe in before singing, we take in 3-4x as much air as for passive breathing. And it will no longer be rhythmic because we exhale slower than we inhale. We will be focusing on the diaphragm (the large dome-shaped muscle that separates your chest and stomach cavities), the lower belly and the ribcage.

    The Diaphragm, though elastic, is very powerful. At rest, it looks like an inverted bowl and with a deep breath, it flattens. As we breathe in, our waist and lower belly should get larger. Put your hands on your shoulders and breathe in. Your shoulders should not go up at all, but your mid-waist area and lower belly should expand.

    Your ribcage is flexible. There are 12 pairs of ribs (for most of us!) joined to the backbone and connected to the breastbone by cartilages, except for 2 at the bottom. As our diaphragm flattens out, our ribs should be lifted and kept in position while expending air.

    BREATHING EXERCISES

    1. For your abdomen and lower belly: Breathe in and out, standing erect, shoulders down. Put hands on shoulders and feel your mid-waist expand. Then lie flat on your back or lean back on some cushions and do the same thing. You should see your lower belly go out and in. The more relaxed your body is, the more relaxed the voice is. Let the belly expand and feel the wave of expansion all the way through your ribcage and lower back. Feel the connection of the air and the voice as you let out a sigh on “ahh”.
    2. For ribcage: Bend at the waist and allow the lower belly, then ribcage to expand.

    If you maintain good posture when you sing and are careful not to let your chest “collapse” as you exhale, your diaphragm is able to move freely and be regulated by your abdominal muscles automatically. There is no need for tension in these muscles. I find a good way to practice my deep breathing is on quickly paced walks or jogs. Concentrate on longer and freer breaths. If no one is listening, you can even exhale on a hum or tone!

    Deborah Johnson, M.A.


    Inspirational speaker, author and international award-winning music artist, helps others get unstuck by producing and executing a successful plan for their second half. Up for multiple GRAMMYAwards and spending over 20 years in the entertainment industry, she's an expert on how to constantly reinvent yourself in a gig-economy. Deborah is the author of four books, coming out with her fifth, The Summit, fall 2021, and speaks and performs in both live and virtual events. She is also the past president of the National Speakers Association, Los Angeles.

    It is best to have a live teacher, but for some, that is not always a possibility. You can enjoy playing and learning simple piano technique and pieces with piano lessons online that move at a good pace. However, it will take a commitment to be very consistent in practice. 

    What an excellent class! We are using it with our homeschool this year and my children enjoy Deborah’s engaging videos. The content has been easy to understand and laid out in a way that makes them eager to work on each day. The manual provides a handy chart to check off their daily practice assignments which makes it makes it easy for me to keep track of where they are and reward them for progress made. I highly recommend this class to anyone looking to get started with piano!

    Stacy Yarnall

    Homeschool mom of 6, Entrepreneur

    Learn Piano Online-Keys to the Keyboard

    Keys to the Keyboard

    After going through this online course, you will be able to play simple songs with a lead-sheet successfully! Step-by-step approach with 8 complete modules and study guide! $75

    Keys to the Keyboard only takes 15-30 minutes of practice, 5x weekly! It is easy to understand and great fun! I started teaching piano to neighbor kids at the age of 13; then I started teaching their parents. Even though I’ve focused on writing and performing throughout my career, I have continued to teach every level, including graduate students. When my college piano classes became so crowded that I couldn’t do justice, keeping up with the students as well as my performing schedule, I quit. But I know this program will work for you-it has been proven over and over.” ...Deborah Johnson

    Learn Piano Online-Ambiance

    Ambiance Piano Solo

    If you are at the intermediate level, at the end of this course, you will be able to play Ambiance, a beautiful intermediate level piano solo! Includes 9 videos & downloadable sheet music.  $55

    Learn Piano Online-A Quiet Solace

    A Quiet Solace Piano Solo

    If you are at the intermediate level, at the end of this course, you will be able to play A Quiet Solace, a beautiful intermediate level piano solo! Includes 10 videos & downloadable sheet music. $55

    Learn Piano Online-Nocturnal

    Nocturnal Piano Solo

    If you are at the intermediate level, at the end of this course, you will be able to play Nocturnal, a beautiful intermediate level piano solo! Includes 11 videos & downloadable sheet music.  $60

    Learn Piano Online-In the Garden

    In the Garden Piano Solo

    If you are at the intermediate level, at the end of this course, you will be able to play In the Garden, a beautiful intermediate level piano solo! Includes 10 videos & downloadable sheet music.  $60

    I sang this song at my mothers funeral. Also it was the first song I sang as a solo in church when I was a young boy! The arrangement is beautiful. The instructor does a wonderful presentation of the songs history and the study materials. I give “In the Garden” a five star rating!

    Rick Boudreau

    Online Student

    Simple and Easy.

    Learn Music Again

    For those who "used to play" and "want to play again!"

    Learn Music Again for those who used to play & want to play again.

    Also, keeping the brain challenged is one of the best activities for those with Alzheimers.

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