While I considered learning piano, I remember hearing people talk about two different styles: ear playing and reading from the notes. And, well, you cannot simply pick one. In fact, the greatest majority of the online piano classes today provide teaching for both styles. The best of both second worlds! I remember how I was when I started learning piano: I was a little kid who could hum a little melody after hearing it just once; for me, sheet music was a totally foreign language. Then I came to understand that both skills have their value, and being able to employ both on occasion really benefits you as a player.
Playing by ear involves listening to a sound/recording and trying to duplicate it on an instrument, without referring to any notes. Some possess the gift of playing by ear, but it is something that cannot be taught with practice. It is like learning to speak first before learning to read. A person develops an intuitive feel for the music. You start recognizing patterns and get an idea of how songs are constructed. I was so proud the first time I played a song by ear! It might not have been perfect, but I felt the music in my fingers.
Sight reading is precisely that: reading sheets of music and playing it on the spot. It could be nerve-racking when one is a beginner at this. But once you’ve gained a little experience, it really is a super power. You can whip together a piece of music you had never even heard of. I can vividly recall having a rough time with my very first piece. My hands were sluggish, a sight on the keyboard every two seconds, but the moment I finished within a heartbeat, I almost jumped off the bench out of joy.
Both teach flexibility into your playing. Playing by ear brings enjoyment to music and connecting with one’s emotions. It’s good for pop songs, improv, or jamming with friends. Sight reading makes sure you carry new pieces in no time and master classical or complex music. If you have both, you are not stuck and can switch accordingly.
How Online Piano Classes Support Both
Most online piano methods are tailored toward learners who wish to master both areas at their own pace with videos, audio clips, and interactive sheets. Some will let you slow down the music or highlight the notes as you go along. You can practice as much as you want with no one rushing you.
Whether you are a beginner or returning to piano after years away, it is very much possible to learn how to play by ear and sight-read. It might be tough at times but really worth it; it makes music more fun and more alive. So go on. Try both. Explore. Mess up. Laugh a little. Enjoy every single note that you play.