The Adult's Guide To Self-Teaching Piano
Are you thinking about teaching yourself the piano? It’s takes discipline to do so, but it’s an extremely rewarding pursuit. This blogs outlines some expectations to keep in mind, and it provides guidance on how to teach yourself.
If you want piano lessons in Westchester County, piano lessons in White Plains, NY, or online, please don’t hesitate to reach out - I’d love to guide your learning.
What To Expect When Teaching Yourself The Piano
Learning the piano is a noble pursuit, but aspiring adult pianists sometimes have unrealistic expectations or an incorrect idea of what the learning process is like. Here’s a bit of guidance:
It Isn’t Exactly Relaxing - At The Beginning
Many adults start piano because they have an ideal evening in mind: dim lights, a glass of scotch on the table, their favorite music on the stand, and a few minutes of flawless, effortless music from their own hands. This will be you at some point, but probably not in the first year.
In fact, the piano is such a great hobby for adults because you can’t let your guard down and relax. It demands all of your cognitive function, and it absolutely arrests your attention when you practice. The piano is hard. And as a result, it will genuinely clear your mind from the day’s stress. When you finish a rigorous 30-minute practice session, your mind will be refreshed because you won’t have had time to think about work or the issues in your life whatsoever.
It Takes Time
You will have to regularly practice for at least two years before you can play music that you would genuinely enjoy listening to. Just like learning a language or undertaking a martial art, you will get frustrated at your perceived lack of progress at times.
Just keep in mind - your “lack of progress” isn’t real. You are making tremendous amounts of progress, it just doesn’t show in the music you can play just yet. Which brings us to the next point:
Skill Plateaus Are Real
At the beginning, you will be amazed at how much you are learning and applying. Because of the positive feedback, you’ll want to keep practicing. Then, you’ll hit a plateau.
This happens with every hobby, sport, or discipline you undertake, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise when you hit plateaus. But don’t get discouraged -- the breakthroughs always follow a plateau if you are practicing correctly.
The Benefits of Learning The Piano As An Adult
The piano is the most popular instrument to learn because it’s such a desirable skill, and the benefits are innumerable. Just a few:
The piano will deepen your knowledge and appreciate of music - you will enjoy listening to music more as an amateur piano student
It will allow you to connect with friends and other musicians - you can jam together, play duets, or collaborate in chamber music settings
It gives you an artistic outlet, and in today’s work-focused culture, it’s more important than ever to have a creative or artistic side if you want to lead a fulfilling life
How To Self-Teach Yourself The Piano As An Adult
Here are a few steps to follow when learning the piano - don’t skip steps or you’ll have a shaky foundation.
Learn Proper Technique First
Before you have the chance to learn bad habits, get comfortable using good posture, correct hand position, and proper arm weight at the keys. If you learn to play the piano with unnecessary tension or bad posture, you are at risk of injury or tendonitis in the future.
Learn The Notes On The Keyboard
It’s fairly simple - there are only seven different letter names you must learn: A, B, C, D, E, F, G. Those notes then recur on the keyboard in octaves. After you’ve memorized where each letter name is on the piano keys, familiarize yourself with the concept of sharps and flats: a sharp raising the pitch a half step, and a flat lowers the pitch a half step.
Learn Notes On The Staff
Up next, you’ll need to be able to read the notes on a page. There are two “clefs” in sheet music -- the treble and bass clef -- and there are plenty of mnemonic devices to help you remember. For instance, “every good boy deserves fudge” is a device to help you remember the spaces in the treble clef. You can get a full list of note memorization devices here:
https://www.dummies.com/art-center/music/piano/mnemonics-for-piano-notes/
Practice Site Reading
You will then have to get used to applying the notes on the staff to your piano keys. A great way to do this is to simply find very easy music that you’ve never seen before and try to play it slowly! When you can do this one note at a time, you can try putting hands together.
Learn Chords & Key Signatures
Once you’ve memorized the notes, you’re ready to start memorizing chords and key signatures. For instance, the key of C has zero sharps or flats, and a C Major chord has the notes C, E, and G. Now, when you see “C” on a lead sheet, you know what chord to play. The key of G has one sharp (F sharp), and the G major chord is composed of G, B, and D, and so on and so forth.
Methods For Adults
Here are the two best books you can purchase if you want to teach yourself the piano:
Alfred Self Teaching Adult Piano Course
Faber Piano Adventures For Adults (don’t get the kids version!)
These books will take you through all of the above steps in an intelligent fashion, and you’ll also learn scales and plenty of music theory.
What If Self-Teaching Isn’t For You?
If you realize that you aren’t quite the auto-didact that you thought you were, or if you get frustrated by your lack of progress, it’s never too late to contact a teacher. In fact, teachers love working with adults who already have some musical knowledge! Better yet, you will have demonstrated your willingness to work hard and learn on your own.
I’d be happy to help you reach the next level in your piano study, so don’t hesitate to call (516) 534-2422 if you’d like a trial lesson. I offer piano lessons in Westchester in addition to Westchester and online.