The beginner piano lesson is an exciting prospect, but it can be overwhelming as well.

The key is to keep things simple and take one step at a time.

Start with a good method book. This will present concepts one at a time and build on them.

Check your music store for piano instruction series. The staff at the store can recommend a particular method that is right for you.

If you are an adult beginner, there are adult piano methods, but it can be fun to use the children's versions. They are colorful with fun cartoon-type characters. Who says adults can't have fun? So feel free to bypass the stuffy adult piano course for the kids books.

These days the piano method books are available with a CD to play along with. Get one of those--it's a lot of fun! The simple melody you are playing sounds simply grand with a full orchestra behind you! Blast into space with the sound of a rocket and strike up the band with a march!

The CD features two version of each piece, with the piano playing and one without the piano solo line. In addition, there are usually two speeds, slow when you are learning the piece, and fast for when you have the notes down.

Don't feel like you need to rush through the books. Take your time and absorb the material fully.

Be sure to read the introductory material as well. That usually includes information about how to sit, how to hold your arms, and how far away from the piano you should be.

Many popular piano instructions series include companion books on different musical aspects, including music theory, piano technique, and solo pieces. All of them will help you learn more about playing the piano and music in general.

Your music store will probably also have piano instruction videos that you can purchase. Think of these as a teacher in a box.

You can play the video or DVD over and over, watch close-ups, and "schedule" your lesson at your convenience.

Once you have worked through book 1 and possibly book 2 of the piano instruction series you have chosen, you might also want to consider an on-line course. These are many on-line, and many are geared to particular styles of piano playing, including gospel music and jazz.

If you are fortunate enough to be taking private lessons, having a background of working through a piano method book will help you immensely to get more out of your lessons and make faster progress.

Have some fun learning a new skill--playing the piano!