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Correct Posture For Learning To Play Piano

In this article we are going to talk about an important aspect of learning to play the piano correctly, and that is “posture”. This is basically how you sit when you play your piano or keyboard.

The first thing you need to know is that you need to be sitting to play your piano. Nowadays, you will see modern bands with keyboardists standing to play.

If you really want to, you can do this once you’ve learnt to play. But until then, it’s best to learn piano sitting down.

While you’re sitting, you need to be comfortable. You need your feet resting firmly on the floor, and your hands should be relaxed, with a slight arch in them as they hover above the keys. You should have your forearms and your hands parallel to the floor.

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You’ll also need something to sit on. You can choose between a chair and a bench. Both options have their pros and cons. To find which is best for you, we advise you to ask in the store where you bought your piano or keyboard from.

Why is posture so important?

If you have a poor posture you won’t be able to move your hands freely (as they will be tense). This means you won’t be able to reach the keys quickly. You will hit wrong notes more frequently.

The other reason is cramp. If your hands aren’t held in a good posture, you will get cramp much more often which will probably discourage you from playing regularly.

Okay, so how do you get good posture?

Rule 1: Your hands need to be arched, and your fingers need to be slightly curled. It may feel odd when you first start playing, but you need to get used to playing with a good posture, and this is the best way to hold your hands. Your hands won’t tire as quickly and you’re less likely to get cramp this way.

By the way, if you know how to type (correctly) then you should be used to this kind of hand position.

You need to be aware of Carpal tunnel syndrome. This is an overstraining of the muscles and ligaments in your wrist, and musicians can be susceptible to this due to the repetitive actions we must make. This is another reason why it’s so important to have correct posture.

In conclusion, although correct posture is a tedious part of learning to play piano, it’s worth getting right at the beginning. Because ultimately it will make the learning piano experience much faster and more enjoyable.