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How to Find the Best Teacher for Adult Piano Lessons

February 1, 2023

How to Find the Best Teacher for Adult Piano Lessons

Taking piano lessons as an adult can be intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be! With a little research and preparation, you can find the perfect teacher who will help you reach your goals. 

Let’s explore how to choose the right piano teacher for adult students.

Is Learning Piano Over 40 Hard?

Learning piano over 40 might seem like a daunting task, but there are many ways to make beginner piano lessons for adults easier:

  • Setting reasonable expectations, finding a suitable teacher and practicing regularly are just a few of the tips to bear in mind when starting out. 
  • It is also important not to compare your progress too frequently with younger learners since it may detract from your motivation. 
  • Taking some time away from the piano can be beneficial as well – using this time to rest and focus on something else can boost concentration when playing the instrument again. 

With this practice and mindset, learning the piano as an adult can become a fun and meaningful experience.

Ready to start taking online piano lessons for adults? Look no further than TakeLessons when you’re trying to find piano lessons for adult learners. Not only will you get 1:1 instruction, but you’ll have access to countless resources, like the video below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wQ1ZXph1HI 

Tips for Finding the Best Teacher for Adult Beginner Piano Lessons

Piano playing transcends age limitations. Some people start with piano lessons shortly after learning to walk and talk, while others begin learning later in life. If you’ve decided that learning to play the piano is something you’re interested in as an adult, there are few things to keep in mind when considering adult piano lessons – one of them being finding the right teacher for you.

Finding the Right Instructor

For children learning to play piano, taking private lessons from an instructor is relatively straightforward. These students need an instructor that works well with the younger generation, can provide adequate praise to support effective learning, and can keep the pace of instruction at a speed that fosters adequate learning as well as enjoyment.

For adults, however, the situation is a little different. You might have trouble keeping a consistent schedule for lessons every week, or even at all, depending on your work and home life. If your work requires a significant amount of travel during the week, you might not be able to schedule a weekly lesson at all. And if your family requires you to be home immediately after finishing work for the entire evening, this is another reason that weekly scheduled lessons may be tough.

Do You Need a Flexible Schedule?

Adult piano lessons can be challenging to coordinate, so finding the right instructor to work with is imperative. For instance, if you can find a private instructor that is willing to come to your home for your weekly piano lessons, you won’t have to worry about leaving your children alone while you’re at the lesson. Another option would be using Skype or Google Hangouts for online lessons. While you won’t have the benefit of the instructor sitting next to you watching every aspect of your playing, they are a great alternative for busy students. Unless your daily schedule is allows for “traditional” scheduled lessons at the same time every week, having a private instructor with some flexibility to move things around is a necessity.

Does Their Experience Match Up With Your Goals?

Another important consideration in selecting the instructor for your adult piano lessons is his or her musical choices for your learning. If you’re most interested in learning popular or contemporary music, an instructor that only selects classical music might frustrate you and make you less motivated to attend lessons. Before your first lesson, discuss your goals with your instructor. The right instructor should tailor your lessons around what you want to do and what your goals are.

Evaluate Your Lessons

Along with finding an instructor who can be flexible or use alternative teaching methods for your adult piano lessons, it’s also important after the first few lessons to take stock and evaluate things. After around a month of lessons, reflect on how things are going. Are there any issues with scheduling that you haven’t been able to work around? If so, make sure to bring these up before they become a bigger problem. Are you satisfied with the way the lessons are progressing and the type of music you’re learning? If you’re not, make sure to have a few different ideas for your next lesson. It’s possible that your private instructor is teaching you the basics of piano playing, starting out with simple chords, scales, and melodies that you’ll recognize, and then will progress into music that you’ll enjoy learning and playing.

Either way, this is something you should check in with your instructor about if you’re feeling frustrated.  It’s possible that your instructor isn’t familiar with the songs you’d enjoy playing, and is sticking to the classic music that he or she knows best. Again, your teacher should be tailoring the lessons to what you want to learn – if this isn’t the case, it may be time to think about switching to a new private teacher.

Adult piano lessons can be successful for even the busiest of students, as long as you have the right teacher guiding you and motivating you. Just don’t forget to practice!

What is the Best Piano Course for Adults?

If you’re an adult looking to get into piano playing, TakeLessons could be a great choice for you. It’s one of the most popular online resources for learning pieces in different genres, working on technique, and broadening your horizons when it comes to music. 

The course starts with basics such as hand placement and posture and builds up from there, so it’s ideal even if you’re a beginner. You’ll also get personalized feedback from experienced instructors as well as access to interactive practice tools, so you can put your knowledge into action quickly. 

With TakeLessons’ flexible system, adults who are just getting started can learn at their own pace – taking lessons as often or infrequently as they need.

How Long Does it Take to Learn Piano for Adults?

For adults who are new to learning the piano, it’s important to understand that there is no set timeline for when you will be able to master the instrument. 

On average, adults will need at least six months of consistent practice before they begin mastering basic techniques and being able to play simple songs from memory. However, this timeline can vary depending on a number of factors including experience level and dedication. 

It is important for adults who are starting out with learning the piano not to set unrealistic expectations for themselves in terms of how quickly they will progress. Learning an instrument requires dedication and patience; it may take longer than you initially thought but with patience and hard work, you can eventually reach your goals. 

Are Piano Lessons Worth it For Adults?

Learning an instrument like the piano takes commitment and dedication but ultimately provides a rewarding experience regardless of experience level or age! 

For adults looking to learn how to play the piano, six months is typically considered a reasonable amount of time needed before beginning music mastery while individual timelines may vary depending on dedication levels and other factors. 

If possible, enlisting help from a professional instructor or mentor can make the process much more manageable by providing valuable feedback along your journey towards becoming an accomplished pianist!

Photo by Christopher Michel

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author
Megan L. is a writer and musician living in San Diego. She loves supporting independent artists and learning more about music every day. Megan has been working for TakeLessons since November 2011. Google+

Megan L.