Have been dreaming to play piano...since always? Umm...how do I know? Well, this is the story of most piano learners out there. Just like you, I also wanted to become the next Clara Schuman once I grew up. Now, I don't about becoming Clara Schuman, but I do know how to sing and play piano at the same time. Collars up! Not boasting at all. But, now that I know how to play piano, I think I would have become a professional pianist way before if only I knew a few things about myself. I have written this blog just for you with all the questions that you need to ask yourself before taking piano lessons. Go through the blog, so that you don't make the mistakes I did and ended up wasting years in the process.
10 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Taking Piano Lessons Congratulations on your decision to start playing the piano. But, there are several things you need to keep in mind before going for your first piano lesson. Let's discuss them to help you start playing better.
1. Why Do You Want to Play the Piano?
This is the first question you should ask yourself before taking any piano lesson. Why is that? Is it because it seems interesting or, do you genuinely want to learn to play the instrument? Ask yourself if it’s only a hobby or random interest. If it is like that, you shouldn’t invest a huge chunk of money on a piano, instead, you can buy a decent keyboard and just learn how to play it. On the other hand, if you want to become a professional pianist, or want the same for your child, you should find the right piano teacher and think about taking a piano lesson seriously. Some people love to learn the instrument even for themselves. It is about their internal urge to play the instrument. For instance, I was always fascinated by the sound of piano, so I have decided to learn to play the piano for myself. If you are a beginner, I would suggest you think it through before enrolling for a piano lesson.
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2. Do you have a Piano?
Like any other hobbies, learning to play the piano also requires the instrument. Let’s face it; pianos are very expensive. So before deciding to go for the class, or enrolling your kid for a piano lesson, ask yourself, would you be able to invest the huge amount of money to buy a piano? If you have a grand old piano or a keyboard in your home, then it’s fine. But if you don’t have one at your place, you need to invest a lot of money to buy one for music lessons. Buying a piano is a huge investment. So, I would suggest you to go for a good one if you want to keep it for long. Otherwise, you can buy a keyboard for now if you can't afford an acoustic piano. If you are a beginner, it will serve your purpose of learning and playing the instrument. If you continue your piano lesson further, you can buy a piano once you set your hand on the keyboard. Don't forget to checkout the Best Piano Brands before buying one.
3. What kind of music would you like to play?
Have you already made your mind on playing the keyboard? That’s good, you have come a long way. But before taking up a piano lesson arbitrarily, ask yourself what kind of music do you want to play? Are you a classical music fan and want to play like Beethoven someday? Or, is it jazz that appeals to you? Before starting to play the keyboard, decide what kind of music you are going to play. For your information, classical is the toughest genre among all. On the other hand, R&B and Jazz are relatively easier than classical pieces. If you are confused about choosing the right genre, I would suggest you consult a professional pianist or a piano teacher.
4. Find the Right piano teacher
I hope you have already decided what kind of music you are going to play by now. As you have already made up your mind to learn to play the keyboard, all you need to think about is finding the right teacher. According to your preferred genre, find the right teacher for you. As you are a beginner, I would suggest you to go for a teacher that teaches you from the basics. A good teacher will not only guide you with playing, but also criticize you and help you get better in music theory. Also, don't forget to learn music theory. A good teacher will make your playing improve.
5. Are you ready to dedicate yourself to music?
Just like any other thing, music needs dedication to learn it properly, especially from a beginner. In the busy schedule, it is hard to take out time to dedicate yourself to learning to play the keyboard wholeheartedly. If you have made up your mind to learn to play the keyboard, you need to ask yourself if you are dedicated enough to have the patience to complete the initial learning process. Playing your favorite instrument shouldn't feel like a boring task, instead, enjoy the time you are playing beautiful melody.
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6. How much time can you spend playing?
Practice is the key to excellence and sadly, there is no alternative to it. So, before joining any piano class, think of the time you’re going to spend in front of the piano. Regular playing is the only road towards excellence. If you take the classes and then don’t practice it is not going to help you learn anytime soon. If you want to get better and improve your musical skills, I would suggest you think about the time you can spend practicing. Also, it builds dexterity when you start taking piano lessons and start playing the keyboard regularly. If you are concerned about your child, then ask them to make a routine and follow it rigorously for enhanced musical ability.
7. Are you ready to invest in your learning process? As I have said earlier, learning to play the piano is not only about your passion. Sadly, it requires a lot of monetary investment to learn to play the keyboard. Even if you have bought the keyboard, you will have to buy the necessary equipment for regular playing. As you are a beginner, you will have to take piano lessons from a piano teacher. Suppose you are going to take lessons for at least about 5 years, the monetary investment can be huge for each piano lesson also.
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8. Are you flexible enough to learn better? This doesn’t seem important for children, because they will learn as per their piano teacher's instructions. But, adult beginners tend to be more rigid when it comes to learning something new and fascinating, such as keyboard or piano. But if you are learning something as a beginner, you have to be flexible and follow your piano teacher’s instructions and mold yourself to learn better.
9. Encourage your child to explore
Before taking piano lessons, the beginner should grow genuine interest in the instrument. If you are thinking of enrolling your child for piano lessons, the best thing you can do is let your child play with the piano or the keyboard. It will help your child grow interest in the keyboard and they will eventually learn better and faster. Tell them the stories of their favorite pianist to inspire them. If your child voluntarily gives in to music, their hand and eye coordination will improve dramatically.
10. There is no alternative to practice And the last but most important thing is practice. Your piano teacher can teach you how to play and make you understand the music theory but, as a beginner, if you want to get better, you have to practice the chords and notes regularly. Take out time off of your busy schedule for piano lessons and practice regularly. As a beginner, you will be surprised to see how much better you will do in very little time with the keyboard. Also, regular piano lessons and practice will help you adjust your hands on the keyboard faster as a beginner.
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FAQs How do I prepare for Piano lessons? Before taking a piano lesson, make sure that you are ready to do it. Ask your piano teacher whether they want you to read any book before starting. Now learn to get accustomed with rhythms and the tempo of music. Lastly, listen to your favorite pianists to improve your musical sense.
What should beginners practice on Piano? Firstly, beginners should do a lot of hand practices on the keyboard to get accustomed to the playing. Also, a beginner must learn and practice all the major and minor chords. Once you are done with this, you can learn other scales.
What makes a good piano lesson? A good piano lesson is the perfect blend of both practical and music theories. If you are a beginner, your piano teacher should start from the beginning and teach you the basics. Also, piano lessons should never be boring. So, you should have fun learning the instrument.
How can I learn Piano at home? Nowadays, it’s easier to learn piano at home. You can go for free music lessons on YouTube. And if you want to take personal lessons, there are numerous websites offering excellent piano lessons for all kinds of learners.