| The piano is a beautiful instrument, there's no doubt | | | | your area, with whom you believe you can get along |
| about it. And in the hands of someone who knows | | | | with, and go to regular private lessons. They will |
| how to play, it can stir emotions in you that I don't | | | | develop a program for you, and ensure that you |
| believe any other instrument can. It is one of the only | | | | develop your skills, although depending on where you |
| instruments which can accompany itself and still sound | | | | live I've found 2 drawbacks:i. It can be difficult to find a |
| good. I'm a fan - can you tell! | | | | teacher who has any free time to take you on as a |
| So how do you start learning to play the piano and | | | | studentii. It can be very expensive - again depending |
| become one of those people who can transform it | | | | on where you live it can be anywhere between $30 |
| from a lovely piece of furniture to an emotion-invoking | | | | and $100 per hour, which will mount up over a period |
| instrument which carries you away somewhere on a | | | | of time as you progress. |
| musical wave? | | | | So which type of beginner piano lessons would I |
| 3 steps | | | | recommend? |
| -Find a way to learn that works for you | | | | I'd recommend the last two, in that order. Here's why... |
| -Start | | | | -The first way, of teaching yourself, is fine for a few |
| -Keep practicing | | | | weeks if you want to mess around, but let's face it, |
| That's it! | | | | unless you're a highly disciplined, focussed and |
| Let's look at each of these steps in turn: | | | | structured individual, you're not really going to learn |
| -Find a way that works for you - there are probably 3 | | | | anything. |
| main ways you can learn the piano (or learn anything, | | | | -A structured home study course of will mean that |
| come to think of it) | | | | you can start to learn the basics, develop your |
| -Teach yourself - with no outside help, just sit down at | | | | piano-playing skills. Some of these piano lesson |
| the piano and try out different notes / see how they | | | | courses have enough in them to take you from total |
| sound together, and basically play around until you get | | | | beginner to an advanced piano player (just be careful |
| a feel for what sounds good and what doesn't. Then | | | | about which one you go for - they're not all good), |
| move on and start trying to listen to whatever type of | | | | without any help from any teacher. You will have to be |
| music you're into, and try and copy it. You will need to | | | | disciplined with yourself to go all the way with this, but it |
| be very focused and try to structure some sort of | | | | is very possible to do so. Another benefit is that you |
| learning system for yourself, which measures your | | | | can get hold of a top quality home study course for |
| progress and ensures you're moving in the right | | | | under $200, less than the cost of a few private |
| direction and developing your playing skills. | | | | lessons, so it's a good way to try it out and see if |
| -Buy a Home Study course - these are very readily | | | | you're interested in taking it further. |
| available these days over the internet, and there are | | | | -Move to the private piano lessons when you feel |
| many different options, from CD's to DVD's to watch | | | | you're ready. You should learn enough of the basics in |
| at home and play along, to learning with an online video | | | | the home study course to know that you have an |
| system. This way, as long as you choose a good | | | | aptitude for it, and that you'd actually like to learn more. |
| course of lessons, it will be structured for you, to | | | | So once you've chosen a Home study course of |
| ensure that you learn the basics, apply them, and you | | | | beginner piano lessons, just go to the next steps - |
| keep developing as long as you keep following the | | | | Start, and Keep practicing. |
| program. You can also move along through the | | | | Self-explanatory, really. |
| lessons at your own pace | | | | Enjoy! |
| -Private piano lessons - find a piano teacher local in | | | | |