| rouble with teaching one's self anything is that the | | | | dangerous is that people will typically make great |
| established methods of doing it are probably beyond | | | | headway in the beginning, which stimulates the belief |
| what any individual could figure out by himself in his | | | | that they are beyond rudimentary lessons. This kind of |
| lifetime. Despite their genius, Mozart, Beethoven, and | | | | thinking is most destructive to the development of a |
| even the profound Liszt and Chopin were at one time | | | | sound pianist. Although the basic and repetitive work |
| aided by the teachers who gave them the necessary | | | | may seem tedious and pointless, they are there to lay |
| musical foundation upon which they later built. Without | | | | the proper groundwork and solidify your technique. It is |
| this fundamental help, perhaps they would have | | | | natural to feel anxious about progressing quickly. But |
| excelled in a race of self-apprenticeship among | | | | be sure that you are thoroughly familiar with the |
| average people. But even with their innate brilliance, | | | | lessons presented to you in your learning materials |
| because of the infinitely broad scope of piano mastery, | | | | before moving on to the next. |
| it's likely that they would have developed quite poorly | | | | A couple of years or so into your training, your skill will |
| next to an average person intimately trained under a | | | | improve considerably and your choice of repertoire will |
| competent teacher possessing the sum of human | | | | become more sophisticated. During these years, you'll |
| knowledge on the subject. | | | | be paying much attention to your technical growth. For |
| If you were to venture into piano study on your own, | | | | tackling the problem of technique, many pianists will |
| it's very likely that you'll be lacking the wherewithal to | | | | recommend a sabbatical from popular works and |
| do it properly in many aspects. You will most likely | | | | concentrating rather exclusively on Bach's |
| endure years of trial-and-error that would, and should, | | | | Well-Tempered Clavier, or "WTC" for short. The WTC |
| be skipped altogether with a teacher's guidance. Also, | | | | is a large collection of piano compositions by J. S. Bach |
| much of piano technique, and even music theory, is | | | | that primarily serves to familiarize piano students with |
| counter-intuitive, which means you will be doing the | | | | every major and minor key and also to provide quite |
| opposite of what you should be doing much of the | | | | thorough technical training for both the left and right |
| time, resulting in poor, possibly damaging technique and | | | | hands. In the strictest manner of training, a pianist might |
| counter-productive training overall. Even though it being | | | | study the entire collection at once and repeatedly. But |
| difficult or even impossible to get a good piano teacher | | | | you may wish to alternate between the WTC and |
| is certainly understandable, the reality is you will already | | | | works of your choice. |
| be with somewhat a huge handicap. Having said that, | | | | Also consider periodic piano lessons. A lesson with a |
| self-teaching pianists need to be extra careful and | | | | good or master piano teacher even once every few |
| mindful of the practice methods they develop for | | | | months can be extremely helpful and guiding. They will |
| themselves. | | | | be able to observe you and point out weaknesses |
| First in order is a good book for beginner pianists. I | | | | you've accumulated that you would have never |
| don't recommend risking time and money on any of | | | | noticed, and they will be able to provide helpful advice |
| the multitude of online or TV piano learning products -- | | | | you would have never considered. Just because you |
| even though some of them might be good -- because | | | | cannot afford lessons on a weekly basis does not |
| the Alfred's paperback series has already been | | | | mean you must shun the notion entirely. There will |
| around forever and is fairly ubiquitous in the formal | | | | never be an adequate substitute for a good teacher. |
| piano learning environment. Get your hands on the | | | | And incorporating even one good lesson a year into |
| Level One book for adults and move your way | | | | your training can lead to an infinitely more rewarding |
| through the series from there. You can find a number | | | | learning process than completely isolated self-teaching. |
| of different Alfred's titles for adult beginners at Any | | | | Piano forums are another great resource of interactive |
| music store should also have the collection readily | | | | learning that are freely available to anybody with |
| available. If you would like to shop for alternatives, do | | | | access to the Internet. These communities are often |
| so, but cautiously. It is important that they are well | | | | brimming with knowledgeable piano students and even |
| received. A good piano book will typically be widely | | | | teachers and are great places to ask questions. has |
| evaluated and should have many positive customer | | | | one of the most active piano forums to date, and you |
| reviews, particularly from piano teachers. | | | | will likely receive a number of educated responses to |
| When studying with books, you have to make an | | | | anything you ask there. You are even free to post |
| effort to take your time. Because you have the entire | | | | recordings of your own playing for critique from the |
| book at your disposal, you might be inclined to rush | | | | members, which can be an invaluable tool in its own |
| through, or completely over, certain chapters as you | | | | rite if you have a means of recording yourself; a |
| so choose. As a teacher, submitting your lessons to | | | | modest digital camera may suffice and will be quite |
| your student's discretion would be dangerous. As a | | | | affordable these days. Generally speaking, as far as |
| student, especially if you are a beginning student, be | | | | what you can find on the Internet goes, this kind of live, |
| mindful of your general lack of knowledge in the | | | | human relay is the best kind of help there is and you're |
| subject and regard every detail of your learning | | | | strongly encouraged to use them whenever possible. |
| materials with respect and importance. In good piano | | | | Finally, have a healthy respect for your instrument. The |
| books, the lessons are thoughtfully arranged and every | | | | predominant reason people will give up is that they |
| exercise is meant to teach you something or enhance | | | | undermine the difficulty involved and become |
| your mechanical technique. In teacher-student lessons, | | | | disheartened when they don't see enough progress |
| it's not that uncommon that entire weeks are spent on | | | | being made after an assumed amount of necessary |
| single pages of piano learning books because the | | | | practice has been done. The piano can't be mastered |
| student hasn't quite grasped and perfected the | | | | at will, even for the most innately talented. Legendary |
| exercise. Keep this in mind as you study, and make an | | | | performers appear to have godlike prowess at their |
| effort to pace yourself, especially when you are | | | | craft, but they are majorly the product of very human |
| challenged. | | | | training over many years. The basic formula for true |
| Eventually, you will wish to depart from the technical | | | | competence is 10,000 hours of practice, meaning 3 |
| exercises of the learning books and venture onto | | | | hours a day, everyday, for 10 years. That is under the |
| actual scores. Here, you must be very careful with | | | | guidance of a good teacher. So do not be critical of |
| your music selection. There is a fairly dependable | | | | yourself or lose your nerve when you are overly |
| grading system for classical works, and you should try | | | | challenged. The great Mr. Arthur Rubinstein spoke very |
| to keep your choice of repertoire close to your grade | | | | briefly on one occasion and the only thing he said was |
| level. I read a thread where a 3-month piano student | | | | in reference to a student of his, "Tell him to practice |
| insisted that he was suited to tackle Chopin's Fantaisie | | | | hard. Bach, and Bach, and Bach." There will come a |
| Impromptu! Thinking back several years to the | | | | point when you will need to relinquish a current project |
| beginning of my own piano studies, I can certainly | | | | and return to the fundamentals for a while. And that is |
| relate to that kind of arrogance. People want to | | | | ok. You are expected to fail repeatedly; it is part of the |
| believe they're vessels of genius. What is even more | | | | process. |