Determine the rhythm of the piece. Look at the time signature (the fraction located to the right of the G clef symbol). The top number of the piece indicates how many beats there are per measure (in simple pieces, this number is mostly likely to be 2, 3 or 4). Use both hands and clap the beats per measure.
The key signature indicates which notes are to be sharped (raised one-half step) or flatted (lowered one-half step) throughout the piece. If a note is to be sharped, play the note one place to the right (it could be a white or black key). If it is to be flatted, play the note one place to the left (again, a white or black key). In the sample above, the piece has two notes that will be sharped throughout, F and C.
Often, sharps and flats are not noted in the key signature but are simply noted in the music where they occur. In those cases, play those notes sharped or flatted until the end of the measure in which they appear.
Read the melody line, which is usually played by the right hand. Almost all music is written using the G-clef staff of five lines with four spaces between them. The bottom line of the staff is E, the space above it is F, the line above it is G. The next space is A. (The music scale goes from A through G and starts over again.) The top line is F.
Look at the first note of the piece and place one finger of your right hand on that note on the keyboard. Place another finger on the second note and so on.
Play the measure slowly, counting out the rhythm of the piece as you play. (In the sample below, the count is 1-2-3-4.)
Most music uses variations of whole, half, quarter and eighth notes and rests. Whole notes last the entire measure (in this case four beats). Half notes last half the measure (here, two beats) and so forth. A note with a dot after it extends the length of the note by half its value, so the dotted half note here lasts three beats: two for the value of the half note plus one (half the value of the half note).
In the example here, in the first measure, each of the four quarter notes lasts one beat. In the second measure, each of the two half notes lasts two beats. In the third measure, the whole note lasts the full four beats. In the last measure, the quarter notes each last one beat and the eighth notes each last a half beat; so the count is 1, 2-and, 3, 4-and.
Follow steps 1 to 4 in section one above for the harmony line, which is usually played by the left hand. Traditional piano sheet music often has a Bass-clef staff below it. The bottom line of this staff is G. The space above it is A, the next line is B and so on. The top line is A.
Often, instead of a Bass-clef staff, the harmony may also be indicated by chord symbols above the G-clef staff. Use a chord dictionary to determine the proper notes. (For example, the C chord indicated here means to play the notes C, E and G simultaneously. Play the chord until the next chord is indicated.
There are many ways to play the chord: hold the notes continuously, repeat the chord for each quarter note; play a broken chord (in this case, C, then E, then G and so on). Experiment with the rhythms and use the variations you like best.
Once you can comfortably play the right and left hands separately, try playing the piece with hands together. Start at first measure and follow steps 1 to 4 from playing the melody. You may have to play very slowly to coordinate the movement of both hands.
Once you can play the melody and harmony together smoothly, experiment with the dynamics; try playing the piece louder and softer. Try to capture the mood of the piece: happy, sad, romantic or angry.
When you feel you can play the piece well, record it and assess how you sound.
Play the finished song for your family and friends. Playing for an audience is an important part of musicianship. Because pianists often perform solo, it is especially important to learn how to play for others.