Both reading sheet music and learning to play by ear have their own unique benefits when it comes to playing the piano.

Ultimately, a well-rounded pianist can benefit from both reading sheet music and learning to play by ear. Combining these skills gives you a comprehensive understanding of music, enhances your versatility, and helps you enjoy a wide range of music.

But here are the advantages of each…

Accuracy and musical interpretation

Sheet music gives you detailed musical notation, like pitch, rhythm, dynamics, and other musical elements. By reading sheet music, you can make sure you play the part exactly right.

Broad repertoire

Learning to read sheet music opens up a vast world of music. You can easily explore and play music from different genres, time periods, and composers.

Sight-reading skills

Reading sheet music enhances your sight-reading abilities. Sight-reading is the ability to play music fluently at first sight. It helps you quickly learn new pieces, collaborate with other musicians, and perform music accurately without prior familiarity.

Improvisation and creativity

When you learn to play by ear, you develop a strong sense of improvisation and creativity. By relying on your ears, you can create your own musical interpretations, variations, and embellishments, adding a personal touch to your playing.

Ear training

Playing by ear improves your overall ear training. You become more attuned to pitch, intervals, melodies, chord progressions, and harmonies. This skill helps you recognize and reproduce musical patterns without needing sheet music.

Expressiveness and intuition

Playing by ear may help you develop a deeper connection with the music. You rely on your intuition, musical instinct, and emotional interpretation to bring out the desired sound. It allows for greater freedom and flexibility in your performance

Short answer: it varies based on your dedication, consistency of practice, previous musical experience, natural aptitude, the complexity of the music you aim to play, and your specific goals.

Longer answer, there are three general stages you’ll probably go through…

In the beginning, you can start playing simple songs with basic techniques after a few weeks of regular practice. With consistent daily practice (around 30 minutes to an hour), you can expect to develop a basic level of proficiency within a year or two.

Progressing to an intermediate level, where you can play more complex pieces, usually takes several years of dedicated practice. This stage involves refining your technique, expanding your repertoire, and developing musical interpretation skills. It can take anywhere from 3 to 5 years or more to reach this level, depending on your commitment and the time you invest in practice.

Reaching an advanced level of piano playing typically requires many years of consistent practice, disciplined study, and a deep understanding of music theory and technique. This stage involves tackling a more demanding repertoire, refining your musical expression, and honing your performance skills. It’s not uncommon for dedicated self-learners to spend a decade or more to reach an advanced level.

If you want to self-teach yourself, here are the steps you can take…

Choosing the right keyboard (or piano) depends on many things, like your budget, available space, and your specific needs.

Here are some tips to help you make an informed decision:

• Budget and space: Set a budget before you start looking. There are keyboards available for every price range, so knowing your budget will help narrow down your options. Also, measure the space you have in your house or studio before you go shopping.
• Try before you buy: Whenever possible, play the keyboard before buying it. Yes, you may not know how to play piano, but you can mess around on it. This will help you hear how it sounds and know what it feels like. If you have a pianist friend, bring them along for a second opinion.
• Type of keyboard/piano: If you’re a beginner or have limited space, a digital keyboard is a more practical choice. They’re portable yet can still sound like a real piano, especially if you get one with weighted keys. If you have enough space and the budget for regular tunings and maintenance, an upright acoustic piano is the better option.
• Weighted keys: Weighted keys simulate the feel of an acoustic piano. If you’re serious about learning piano, consider a keyboard with weighted or semi-weighted keys for better finger strength and control.
• Number of keys: Full-sized pianos have 88 keys, but keyboards come in different sizes. For beginners, a keyboard with 61 keys is usually sufficient. But if possible, go for a keyboard with 88 keys for a more comprehensive range.
• Touch sensitivity: Look for a keyboard with touch-sensitive keys. This means the volume changes based on how hard or soft you press the keys, making it feel more like an acoustic piano.
• Sound quality: Pay attention to the sound quality of the keyboard. Some keyboards have much more realistic, high-quality piano samples. Also, listen to the built-in speakers and test it on headphones.
• Portability: If portability is important to you, like if you plan to travel or if you now you’ll be moving, choose a lightweight and compact keyboard.
• Additional Features: Check for additional features, like a built-in metronome, recording capabilities, and connectivity options (USB, MIDI) for connecting to a computer or other devices.

Developing proper piano technique is essential for playing well, and it will make your life a lot easier. Here are some of the most important aspects of good piano technique…

Keep your hands relaxed and natural. Your fingers should be slightly curved, and your wrists should be level with your hands, not too high or too low.

Assign each finger a number (1-5, starting from the thumb). Use the correct fingers for each key, and avoid unnecessary movement. Practice playing scales and exercises to strengthen each finger.

Develop finger independence by practicing exercises that involve playing different notes with each finger simultaneously. This helps improve coordination and control.

Play with the entire finger, from the fingertip to the base. Avoid collapsing your joints or playing with only the fingertips.

Practice hand coordination by playing hands separately and then gradually combining them. Start slowly and increase the tempo as you become more comfortable.

Sit up straight with both feet flat on the floor. Maintain a relaxed but attentive posture. Avoid slouching, as it can affect your playing and lead to discomfort.

Keep your muscles relaxed while playing. Tension in your hands, wrists, or shoulders can hinder your ability to play smoothly. Take breaks and shake out any tension if you start to feel strained.

Learn how to use the sustain pedal (if your piano has one) effectively. Practice pedaling techniques to create a seamless and connected sound, but be mindful not to overuse it.

This is one of the most helpful ways to learn any instrument. Find a song you love, Google the chords, make sure you know those chords on piano, and then start practicing the song. Once you’re good enough, it may help to play along with the song.

YouTube is an ocean of education and knowledge, and lots of people have uploaded piano tutorials. These range from teaching you how to play a specific song to how to form piano chords to basic theory.

If you’ve got a smartphone, you can learn to play piano. According to user reviews, some of the best piano learning apps include…

1. Skoove
2. Flowkey
3. Simply Piano
4. Pianote
5. Playground Sessions
6. Pianolytics

Sometimes you may need a little kick in the pants – someone to keep you accountable. That’s where piano lessons can be helpful.

The cost of piano lessons can vary depending on many things, like the location, the experience level of the teacher, the length of each lesson, and the format (in-person or online).

But generally, you can expect to pay $30-100 per hour for in-person lessons and $20-60 per hour for online video lessons.

To put that in perspective, piano lessons are usually 30 minutes to 1 hour long (shorter lessons for younger students). And lessons are often weekly but should be at least every other week.

Keep in mind, you may also have to buy sheet music and spend money on traveling to the instructor’s teaching location.

Here are some common places you can contact to find reputable piano instructors…

• Local music schools, conservatories, and community colleges
• Music stores often offer lessons
• Local universities and colleges
• Word-of-mouth from other pianists
• Your connections on social media

There are plenty of companies that will connect students with piano teachers for online lessons. Some of those websites include:

• MusicTeachersDirectory.org 
• MusicLessons.com
• Lessonface
• TakeLessons
• Superprof

Before you decide on a method for how to learn piano, you have to figure out what kind of pianist you want to be. Below are some possible goals you could pursue with piano…

When it comes to classical music, you may want to start with learning to read sheet music. Classical pieces are completely laid out in sheet music, and they would be very hard to figure out by ear. It’s a good idea to start with simplified versions of classical pieces instead of the original composition with every single little part.

Like learning classical music, learning jazz piano should start with reading sheet music. Jazz compositions show you how to play both hands, and they are also very hard to figure out by ear alone. Piano instructors often recommended beginners start with the song “Autumn Leaves” because it’s a good intro to playing jazz piano.

If you want to learn how to play famous songs on the piano, you don’t necessarily need to read sheet music. Once you learn how to form piano chords, you can Google the chords of your favorite pop song and play it! It may take some practice to get the right rhythm and switch chords fast enough, but you’ll get there if you stick with it.

If you want to compose your own music, it could really help you to learn how to read sheet music as well as learn to play by ear. If you’re a singer-songwriter/artist, you can write music just using the chords you know and may not require sheet music. But if you’re looking to become a composer of pieces that other people (like orchestras) will play, you will need to learn how to read and notate sheet music.

This is the most basic level of playing piano, but one of the more honorable ones. Take the same approach as you would to play pop songs (see previous subheading). Songs that kids typically enjoy usually have simple chords and rhythms, so you should be able to pick it up in no time.