Beginning Piano For Motivated Adults
Beginning Piano For Motivated Adults
I’ve never met an adult that says “I sure am sorry I learned to play the piano so well when I was a kid.” But I’ve met hundreds of adult who have said “I sure wish I had kept up my piano lessons — I’d love to be able to play”
However, some adults who have been out of practice for several years may find returning to piano lessons challenging. It’s sometimes scary to learn to play the piano over again. Starting piano lessons again can be fulfilling though for those prepared to tackle the challenges.
One of the biggest challenges of re-learning piano as an adult is changing methods. Adults who took only a few years of piano lessons as children may have initially learned to play by rote. Playing piano by rote focuses more on memorization and mimicry than on learning to read music and understand chords.
Children tend to learn very quickly by rote. Children who learn by this method appear to progress quickly. Eventually though, as pieces get more difficult, learning tends to slow down significantly. Grasping new skills becomes increasingly difficult. This method is becoming less and less favored by piano instructors today for this reason.
Another hurdle to clear when re-learning piano as an adult is chords and theory. This is especially true if an adult took only a few years of piano lessons as a child. Adults who had five or fewer years of piano lessons likely didn’t learn chord theory. Even adults who learned to read music as children frequently have trouble grasping chords.
Learning anything (piano or otherwise) is always harder in adulthood than childhood. It’s not impossible though. Anyone with a foundation in music is at an advantage when re-learning piano as an adult.
Would you like to tickle the ivories and play your favorite songs? Here are four things to consider before you start:
1. Be willing to put aside old habits. That keyboard is still the same old keyboard. Teaching methods may have though. Don’t discount a teaching method just because it’s different from what you’re used to. Compare different learning methods before deciding which one is best for you.
2. Be prepared to start from scratch. Adults by experience have a better grasp of the physical properties of a piano keyboard. That doesn’t mean it won’t be challenging. Don’t expect to play a classical sonata in the first month. Take things slowly, perhaps even starting with a refresher of the basics (i.e., scales).
3. Be committed to practicing. Remember your mother nagging you to practice as a kid?
Feng Shui Colors For The BedroomFeng Shui Colors For The Bedroom Feng Shui is about balance and harmony in our environments. The bedroom is a very important room (we spend the majority of our day there), so many people naturally ask how to improve their bedroom using color selection according to Feng Shui. As we discuss bedroom colors, it isRead more ... Unique Home Decor – Thinking Outside The BoxUnique Home Decor – Thinking Outside The Box Home accents and surroundings today offer much more opportunity for self expression. Don’t be afraid to try something different. I’d rather decorate my home with items that appeal to my own individuality, than adhere to someone’s standards of what is the norm. Artisan crafted products truly createRead more ... Inexpensive Bedroom Decorating TipsInexpensive Bedroom Decorating Tips Your bedroom should be a place where you can ‘get away from it all. Doing a bedroom-decorating project adds to your individual taste and a key thought. Above all things, you want it to be at ease. Think of your bedroom as a retreat, and let your imagination go! Quality linensRead more ... |
Mom’s not around now, so it’s up to you to push yourself. The results you get in piano playing will be comenserate with the time and effort you practice. Make daily practice time a priority.
4. Find the right teacher. Getting the right piano instructor makes all the difference in the world. Look for a teacher who is experienced with working with adults. Make sure the instructor is familiar with the original method that you learned. The right instructor should be able to evaluate your skills within one or two sessions. He or she will then set you on the right course for re-learning. For self-motivated adults, there are a couple great piano teachers online that can get you playing and enjoying yourself fairly quickly. Type in “play piano” or “piano lessons for adults” in any search engine and you will locate them.
Re-learning piano as an adult can be very rewarding. Not only will you improve your piano skills; you’ll stimulate your brain too. There are benefits galore in many ways from playing piano. Adults who take piano lessons often report a better ability to concentrate. Many also realize a greater aptitude for learning other new skills. These things carry over into other parts of adult life, from work, to hobbies and even raising children.
Be sure to ask for the free tip letter at http://www.playpiano.com. Packed with tons of exciting videos and white papers about all areas of music and piano playing and is titled “Exciting Piano Chords & Sizzling Chord Progressions” Duane is also the author of over 300 books and CD’s and CVD’s on playing piano and understanding music and also of the piano blog at http://www.playpiano.com/wordpress
Beginning Piano For Motivated Adults / Author: Duane Shinn