I used to think learning the piano was just about playing all the right notes— boy, was I wrong.

Most pianists cringe a little when they mention they play piano—because without fail, someone will ask them to play Für Elise or River Flows in You.

Even worse, someone might say they “play piano,” but can only manage a few chords or a short tune with questionable form they picked up online.

That said, whether someone can play well or not isn’t the point — what truly matters is that they enjoy it.

Still, it got me thinking: What do people really think about playing the piano? So I ran a little experiment of my own.

I asked a bunch of non-musicians to tell me their impression of the piano, and honestly, some of their answers surprised me.

Almost every single one said things like the piano is an elegant and emotional instrument, it creates luxurious sounds, etc.

But what stood out most was that a few said playing the piano feels outdated — even unimpressive — because “anybody can do it.” Ouch.

But here’s the thing: they’re right. Anybody can play the piano — but not everyone can play it well.

Anyone can paint too. The same goes for painting. You can pick up a brush, but what separates a doodle from a masterpiece is skill and expression.

The same principle applies to piano playing — it’s not just about playing, but how you play.

So, if you are a beginner wanting some tips to avoid common mistakes most make at the start, you are in the right place.

Here are a few mistakes most beginners make when starting their piano journey.

1. Using the Pedal is a Technique in Itself

I see more often than not people playing the piano for fun, keeping their foot grounded on the right pedal — as if the piano will fall over if not held in place!

I can joke about this because I was the number one suspect when it came to using the pedal.

The correct way to use the right pedal is to press down after you play a chord so that it almost ‘captures’ it in a sense.

Keeping your foot down, only after you have played the next chord do you lift your foot up quickly, allowing the previous chord’s sound to fade away, and place it back down again.

Repeat this process for every chord, unless otherwise specified in the music sheet. It allows the music to flow freely without awkward silences.

Playing the pedal with proper technique prevents the notes from blending and smudging, since it has a significant impact on the clarity and sound.

2. There’s a Difference Between Playing and Expressing

My piano teacher always used to tell me, “Don’t just play to get it over with. Play to celebrate it!”.

She used to drive me crazy with her confusing requests and I never quite understood what she said until in my later years of playing piano.

She meant not only did I need to play with emotion and expression, but also mean it.

It is impossible to put it into words the difference between playing just to play and actually playing with emotion.

Suddenly there is depth, love and richness coming from each sound.

Your piano deserves respect in every aspect, treat it as such even through playing!

3. Progress isn’t Linear

As a beginner, you are often told it will always get better.

What if I told you that sometimes it won’t?

The harsh truth is that there definitely will be times where it feels like you are regressing, but these are the moments you learn the most.

Once you get a breakthrough it feels like all the struggles were worth it— and they totally are!

With learning anything new, you need to get comfortable with the uncomfortable.

We live in a world where delayed gratification is treated like a curse. Learning the piano will take time and you will not always see progress.

It can take days, weeks and months to truly see progress.

Yet time is going by anyway, might as well utilize it to the best of your ability and use it to learn the piano.

4. Your Form Has More of an Impact Than You Think

Yes, there is a way to sit, a way to shape your hands and a way to play.

Proper posture is important for overall musicality, comfort and injury prevention. It will enable you to play for longer periods of time and help relieve tension for you to play with smoothness effectively.

Aim for a straight back, sitting towards the end of your seat, with your feet flat on the floor.

Obviously you want to sit in the middle of the piano, but what do you do with your hands that need to stretch to the other side of the piano?

You simply lean towards it with your whole body, trying to keep the same length away from the piano the entire time.

Keep your elbows aligned with the piano and try to maintain a relaxed yet firm posture for your whole body.

It is very important to avoid slouching!

When playing, your hands should be slightly arched as if you are curling your fingers around a make-believe ball — although, not too round.

Also remember to lean in to the keys when playing.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, you can play the piano however you want — but learning solid technique and avoiding beginner pitfalls makes your musical journey smoother and more rewarding.

Some play for fun, others aim to master it — but no matter where you fall on the spectrum, understanding these basics gives you a stronger foundation.

Playing piano isn’t just about pressing keys — it’s about creating something meaningful.

So don’t just play for the sake of it. Play with intention, expression, and maybe even a little pride!

“Piano is one of the easiest instruments to learn.”

Every pianist has heard this before.Even though piano is a beginner friendly instrument, the more you advance the more you realise how difficult it really is.

Most people will only tell you about the easy things, yet are reluctant to talk about the hard parts.

The phrase implies that piano is not a hard instrument to tackle, but could not be farther from the truth for more advanced pianists.

What the phrase actually means is that learning piano is easier than other instruments due to the fact that when you press a key, it makes a sound.

Whereas other instruments, specifically wind instruments, there is a specific way in which you create a sound.

Let’s take a violin for example, there is a special technique for finger placement and how to use the bow to produce a desired sound.

If not done correctly, it creates a harsh and jarring cacophony. Which is not the same with a piano, but this is where most get it wrong.

There is a technique to pressing down keys to create a better sound, yet not many know this.

This article will uncover things about learning the piano that no one tells you about.

What Makes Learning Piano Difficult?

Do not let the piano fool you with its enthralling beauty and sound. Here are some of the top things that make learning the piano challenging.

Individual Finger Dexterity and Control

Challenge: Individual finger dexterity and control refers to the ability to move each finger independently and with precision, allowing for fine motor control and coordination.

It enables a pianist to play each note smoothly and accurately, with each being of the same duration. The pianist should be in control of each finger independently, being able to execute fast and complex movements without error.

Why it’s difficult: The difficulty lies in each finger not being as strong or competent equally. Weaker fingers, such as the pinkie and ring finger, do not have the same strength or agility to keep up with the other fingers.

It can lead to faulty playing and some notes having different durations than others. It also makes it harder to progress to more challenging pieces because of the lack of basic skills.

How to overcome it: Regularly do finger exercises that focus on strengthening each finger individually. Incorporate staccato finger exercises to your practise to make it more challenging.

Reading Sheet Music

Challenge: The ability to read and perform music from sheet music, without preparation is called sight reading. The challenge is to do so but without fault or error, while still maintaining emotion and expression while playing.

Why it’s difficult: You already have to focus on playing different things for each hand, now there is another element to focus on; sight reading.

Sight reading requires a good hand to eye coordination where you must quickly be able to read the music while also playing it. You cannot rely on memory to help you and it is difficult to focus on all the musical notations that accompany it.

How to overcome it: Sight reading is something you have to do as often as possible, as consistently as possible. Just like any skill, the more you do it, the more you will improve. Start slowly with easy sheet music, forcing yourself to keep a steady flow throughout the piece.

As you advance, you can add speed and take on more complex pieces. It is important to know that you should not compromise good playing just for the sake of being able to play more challenging pieces, since it can lead to creating bad habits.

Hand Coordination

Challenge: It refers to the synchronising of both hands to play complex music simultaneously while maintaining accuracy, fluidity and control.

Each hand has a different role to play. In most cases, the right hand plays the melody while the left one plays the accompaniment. Hand coordination requires both hands to play different things at the same time.

Why it’s difficult: Playing both hands together while each is playing something different requires a lot of mental focus, which can be quite tiresome. It can be hard to learn hand independence since most people’s hands are naturally dependent on each other.

Strain and tension can arise in the wrists and hands, preventing smooth and fluid notes. All these hurdles and obstacles can be discouraging, making it harder to find the motivation and discipline needed to continue.

How to overcome it: Start by practising slowly, focusing on getting everything right before adding speed. Use a metronome to help set a rhythm and speed to ensure the timing stays the same throughout the whole piece.

If one hand is particularly struggling, practise each hand separately.

Cultivating a Solid Sense of Rhythm and Timing

Challenge: To develop the ability to perceive and execute rhythmic patterns flawlessly, keeping a steady tempo throughout.

Why it’s difficult: To some people, rhythm does not come naturally and is a skill they need to learn. Some music pieces have complex rhythms and unnatural beats which makes it hard for the pianist to keep up and stay consistent.

How to overcome it: Practise with a metronome to focus on the beat, gradually increasing the speed as you become better and more comfortable. Break up complex phrases into smaller parts, practising the challenging segments over and over until you get it right.

Conclusion

Piano is one of the easiest instruments to learn, but it does not stay easy the more you advance.

This article should not scare you away, but rather enlighten you that there is a cost to wanting to be good at piano.

Just like there is a cost to everything good in life.

Learning something new is always challenging and improving on something is even harder, but sometimes the reward is worth all the pain.

What challenges are you choosing?