| There are many beautiful musical instruments. Each | | | | dexterity, since a pianist needs to be able to use each |
| has its own character and style. Learning to play any | | | | finger of both hands independently. Even piano for |
| of them is rewarding and enjoyable. So why would | | | | beginners requires a pianist to be able to read both the |
| someone choose the piano over another instrument? | | | | treble clef and the bass clef simultaneously. Moreover, |
| Why would someone choose a piano for beginners | | | | working with chords and the two different voices |
| course over, say, a tuba or flute class? | | | | played by the two different hands leads to an |
| There are lots of reasons to study piano. To begin | | | | understanding of music theory and chord construction |
| with, it is one of the most diverse instruments in | | | | that most other instruments don't offer. |
| Western music. A piano player can play almost any | | | | Of course, there are significant drawbacks to choosing |
| style of music. Few instruments have that much range. | | | | the piano. To state the obvious, pianos are big, heavy |
| Who ever heard of jazz oboe or blues bassoon? Yet, | | | | and hard to move. Whereas a violinist can pick up her |
| piano can be played in classical, pop, rock, jazz, blues | | | | instrument and carry it with her, a pianist can't travel |
| and gospel styles, and even more. | | | | with hers. Even a second-hand piano can be quite |
| Piano is polyphonic, giving it a richness that most | | | | expensive. And some smaller homes or apartments |
| instruments don't have. By "polyphonic," I mean that | | | | are ill-suited for the major piece of equipment that |
| you can, and typically do, play more than one note at a | | | | even a small piano is. |
| time. In most more advanced piano music, the player | | | | Electronic keyboards can offer an alternative to |
| plays chords rather than single notes. Even though | | | | acoustic pianos. Small, portable and relatively |
| music written for piano for beginners may not use | | | | inexpensive, electronic keyboards can, at a minimum, |
| chords for each hand, beginners' music is still written | | | | provide a means for a student to get through the |
| for each of the two hands to create music | | | | "piano for beginners" phase and learn appropriate |
| independently and in harmony. The two voices of a | | | | fingering and how to read music. Although they don't |
| piano piece, the voice written for the right hand and the | | | | have the sound quality that a piano has, a keyboard |
| voice written for the left, bring a complexity of sound | | | | can be a good choice in homes in which a piano is not |
| that is unattainable in other instruments. | | | | feasible. |
| Piano can be played as a solo instrument, or to | | | | Ultimately, the real reason to play the piano is because |
| accompany voice or another instrument, or as part of | | | | the piano is beautiful. Majestic, elegant and with a |
| a band or orchestra. So with respect to arrangements | | | | tradition of literature unmatched by most other |
| and orchestration, piano is versatile in a way that many | | | | instruments, even an upright piano is, well, grand. Any |
| musical instruments are not. Solo tympani, anyone? | | | | would-be musician who is trying to decide what |
| Piano trains a beginning musician in a way that other | | | | instrument to take would make a great choice by |
| instruments don't. It requires a great amount of manual | | | | choosing a piano. |