 Photo by Jenny Leigh Hodgins By Jenny Leigh Hodgins
If you’re interested in learning piano, or your child or teen is interested in music, there are some basic things that can help you start your musical journey with confidence. Whether you studied years ago, have a child who had sporadic lessons, or a teen suddenly expressing interest in learning an instrument, the options and information provided in this article will guide you toward having everything needed for your successful start with piano lessons. Find A Good Piano Teacher Although there are plenty of resources available at your fingertips for online learning, you will need to find a good piano teacher. There is nothing wrong with taking advantage of online tutorials, methods, and music education games. I recommend using them as well as piano and music apps as supplements to your piano education. But initially, beginner to intermediate-level students especially benefit from the guidance of a qualified piano teacher. A good piano teacher helps dramatically with the accountability factor. Having someone who knows what they’re doing can help you avoid making mistakes or overcome inevitable barriers more quickly than you would do on your own. This is especially critical in the area of piano technique. There are a variety of ways to find a capable piano teacher. Although local music stores may be the obvious choice, and they can provide wonderful educators, they may not be the best fit for you. Be aware that a music store’s goal is not to provide a quality piano education, but to sell products to you. Go into the search for a piano teacher like you’d search for a new doctor, massage therapist, or realtor. Have the mindset that you are interviewing for the right match to your piano goals and for the student. This includes personality, qualifications, location, cost, policy and communication. You or your child should feel completely comfortable and motivated when interacting with your piano teacher. Read Find A Good Piano Teacher for more details on where to look for a qualified instructor. Get The Best Quality Instrument That You Can Afford Many beginner or returning piano students wonder what instrument is best to start with until the student is fully committed for the long haul of music education. You must consider your budget, living space, family schedule, and preferences before purchasing a suitable keyboard for piano lessons. There are pros and cons to both using a digital piano keyboard or an acoustic piano. For the development of good piano technique and finger muscles, it is important to use a piano keyboard that has good action and tone. Even the best digital pianos are still no match for the authentic feel of a wooden instrument with quality craftsmanship. However, the benefits of electronic keyboards include the convenience of headphones, size, portability, and an abundance of beautiful, quality piano samples that may be used through a computer connection. If budget is an issue, I recommend purchasing an electronic keyboard for the first six months to one year. This is enough time to decide if you/your child will make the commitment to piano learning. After no more than one year, I recommend upgrading to a higher quality instrument within your budget. If you’re considering purchasing a piano or digital keyboard, I recommend you invite your new piano teacher to accompany you to the music store for guidance on your purchase. Piano quality varies dramatically from piano to piano, pending the age, brand, or care of the instrument. Whether looking at a piano under $3K, or a $30K Steinway, it’s helpful to have an experienced piano teacher’s input, as they know how the action and tone should sound. For more information, read What Keyboard Do I Need For Successful Piano Lessons? What Piano Books Do I Need? A competent piano educator will know good method books to recommend and may even provide them (for a fee). Click here for a list of some quality piano methods I have used and recommend. If your teacher recommends any of these, rest assured you are learning from an appropriate, quality, piano instruction curriculum. This list is not a complete list, but includes those I have used as both a piano student and piano teacher with great success. You Will Need Family Support You will need harmonious family support for successful piano progress. Everyone must agree to place the musical instrument in a location that is conducive to concentrated music practice. This means keeping it separate from TV or video game interference, or interruptions from other family activities. The family must be in agreement to support your daily practice schedule. Make sure you discuss your piano practice routine and allow for it to be incorporated into and around family activities or obligations. Decide On A Regular Practice Schedule Decide on a regular time of day to practice. Stick to it everyday or at least 5 days per week. It will take a while to get used to practicing consistently (or get back in the groove of practicing), but if you create your own schedule based on the time of day that works best for you or your family, it will become habitual fairly quickly. The good thing about learning any musical instrument is that the more consistently you do it, even if it’s a short amount of time, the more quickly you make progress. Part of the reason behind that is due to muscle memory. If you skip even one day it’s harder for your muscles to remember what to do. That’s why it’s important to first establish a consistent schedule. Your cognitive memory is also at play, so keeping a consistent schedule helps with memorization and retaining information. How Much Should Children Practice Piano? Young children need about 15 minutes of daily piano practice, which may be chunked into 5-minute increments throughout the day. Older children should aim for 30 minutes each weekday. Splitting the practice session may be helpful for family schedules or to accommodate the student’s learning style. Children, especially those from ages 5-9, particularly need the assistance of a parent throughout the practice session in the beginning. How Much Should Teens & Adults Practice Piano? I recommend 30 minutes to an hour for adults who want to play piano as a hobby. For teens and young adults aiming to acquire piano scholarships for college, I recommend dedicating an hour daily on weekdays and 1-2 hours at the piano on weekends. Practice Piano Effectively Learn how to practice piano effectively. A good teacher will guide you from the start on how to practice for greatest impact toward your piano progress. Make sure you are clear on your practice goals before the piano lesson ends. Clarify what you aim to accomplish by the next lesson. Your teacher will help break that down into actionable practice tasks. Mind Spent Is Better Than Time Spent Time at the piano is not as important as “mind spent” at the piano. Even though a consistent daily practice schedule is necessary, just sitting at the piano during your allotted practice time doesn’t lead to progress. Many piano students waste time at the piano, leading to frustration from their lack of piano progress. Spending your time at the piano with clear, practice goals and concentrated mental focus is what leads to piano progress. For each practice session, you must know your practice goals and focus on each one with full mental effort. When you lose your attention span, refresh your goal focus and try again. If you’re unable to keep your concentration after several attempts, take a short break or call it a day until your next practice session. Practice also includes mental activities away from the instrument, including listening to quality musical recordings of the music you are learning. See What To Do About Piano Practice When You Have An Injury for more ideas on how to practice away from the instrument. Let me know in the comments below if this blog was helpful or if you have a question about starting piano lessons! SIGN-UP HERE to get your FREE download of YCC's Top 10 Things To Help You Reach Your Goals! Plus get more more strategies for creativity, piano, caregiver and spiritual wellness! Stay tuned for a future blog with more tips on effective piano practice. Recommended Articles: Find A Good Piano Teacher Your Top 5 Best Tips From A Piano Teacher What’s The Best Way For A Busy Adult To Learn Piano? What Keyboard Do I Need For Successful Piano Lessons? How Learning Piano Benefits Aging Adults What To Do About Piano Practice When You Have An Injury For more practice tips, click here, or visit my Pinterest Piano Practice Tips board. Click here for music products, books, and software I use and recommend.
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 The right piano keyboard is essential for successful piano lessons. By Jenny Leigh Hodgins Are you an adult who’s looking forward to finally learn piano? Do you have a teenager eager to explore music? Are you a parent looking to start your child’s first piano lesson? Having a quality instrument is critical for successful piano learning. There are many ways to learn piano. From note-reading to aural training, from digital exploration and beyond. Regardless, the quality of a keyboard instrument is essential to successful music progress. Some of the most important points to consider are:
WHAT’S YOUR COMMITMENT? If you have always wanted to learn piano, and now have the time and energy to devote to it, a piano may be a great investment. For adults, buying a quality piano is a beautiful addition to decor, adding value to your home. Practicing on a quality-crafted piano inspires hours of dedicated musical progress. Making a strong commitment to your love of piano music is a great reason to buy a good piano. If you have a young child, or a teenager with sudden interest in piano, your child's attention span may not be clear. How long will your child stay motivated for the long haul of musical study? For these cases, consider an electronic keyboard. A digital piano may be an inexpensive investment to explore your child's interest. An electronic keyboard is usually less expensive than a piano. A 61-key, light-action digital keyboard would be acceptable as a smaller investment for initial music exploration. After a year of piano study, I recommend investing in either a piano or an 88-key, weighted-action keyboard. Over time, a student’s repertoire grows. This will encourage accurate, physical technique, and the full piano range. CHECK YOUR SPACE & SURROUNDINGS A beautiful grand piano brings artistic flair to a large room. Piano playing brings lively fun to the entertainment of guests. Playing piano in the home adds festivity with holiday music. It also fills the home with beloved musical expression year-round. If you’ve got the space and the budget, no investment brings as much enjoyment to a home. If you don’t have a large space, consider a smaller baby grand, or an upright piano. Playing a real piano offers authenticity. The action of a real piano (how the wooden keys respond to the touch of your fingers) lets the player achieve healthy piano technique. An acoustic piano sends an organic, gorgeous, sound reverberating throughout your home. For even tighter spaces and budgets, consider an electronic keyboard. An extra advantage of having a digital piano is the use of headphones. This feature allows music practice at any hour without disrupting others.  Digital keyboards open the door to computer-based music. WHAT’S YOUR STYLE
Consider your personal preferences when choosing the right keyboard. If the touch of a real piano is inspirational for you, buying a piano may be infinitely more satisfying. Traditional classical and jazz repertoire is often preferred played on a real piano. The popularity of modern music is another point in favor of buying an electronic keyboard. Teens and adults may be more inclined toward digital music production. Digital keyboards open the door to computer-made music. Using a digital piano and a computer allows you to create music with virtual instruments. In our technology-driven world, much of the future's music-making will be digital-based. This offers opportunities for electronic music-production. Music technology offers opportunities in composing for video games, commercials, film and TV. HOW BIG IS YOUR BUDGET When selecting a keyboard, consider your budget now. Weigh that budget against the longevity of the instrument’s life and use. One of the best investments you can make is buying a piano. This is because craftsmanship and longevity add to the value of a piano. The piano's beauty as an aspect of your home decor adds artistic value, too. If you’re tight on funds or space, start with a smaller digital piano or upright acoustic piano. Consider upgrading a necessity when your music skills progress. Get an instrument that suits your current needs, to last as long as possible, based on what you can afford. WRAP IT UP Are you looking to explore contemporary music with a digital piano? Delve into the vast musical repertoire from the traditional masters? Or tread lightly into the first moments of piano learning? Whatever your interest, there is a perfect instrument for you. You will make the best piano keyboard choice for you when you consider your commitment, style, available space, and budget. Like, comment and share this blog with someone who may benefit from this information! SIGN-UP HERE to get your FREE download of YCC's Top 10 Things To Help You Reach Your Goals! Plus get more more strategies for creativity, piano, caregiver and spiritual wellness! Recommended Articles: How to Find A Good Piano Teacher What Do You Need To Know, Have Or Do To Begin Piano? Piano Method Books I recommend: For the Adult For the Older Beginner For Young Children For Very Young Children CLICK HERE for a list of piano and music-making resources I use and recommend. |
PIANOIn my PIANO blogs, you'll find ways to overcome boredom, get past musical and mental blocks, explore the creative process with piano, and improve musical progress through piano teacher recommended best practices and effective piano practice tips. Archives
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