Timing

[pianoob]

Hello everybody. I just wanted to say that i just started taking piano classes and need some advice. Well im having some trouble timing the beat each notes are supposed to take. For example for a 1 beat note in a lets say 2/4 pentagram i have trouble measuring how much time it is supposed to last until i let go of the key. If anyone has any tips on how to overcome this id appreciate it. thanks in advance!

[pianistimo]

this is a basic question - but a good one.  breaking the beat down helps.  for instance if you are playing a fairly slow tempo - you let go of the first beat slower than you would if you were playing a fast tempo.  usually with faster tempos - you just say 1 2, 1 2, or quarter quarter (and move to the next note - by letting go simultaneously with one finger as you play the next).  but, if you are getting into slow precision...  you can say 1 and-a 2 and-a, 1 and-a 2 and -a and let go of the note on the 'a.' 

ps if you want to hear the beat evenly spaced - you say one e and a, two e and a, etc.   

hope this helps!

[jepoy]

I won't worry too much about your problem, precisely because as you said, you're just starting out with the piano. With a good teacher, you will overcome this problem after a few lessons.

One thing I can advise though is that by all means, keep the habit of counting the beats when playing the notes albeit uneven at the start. With time, it will even out. This helps you acquire good control over your fingers as well as instill in you a firm grounding of rhythm.