18 March 2021 It Takes Years To Learn To Play The Piano

It Takes Years To Learn To Play The Piano

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Wouldn’t it be great if you could sit down at the piano and play a song? 

The good news is: you can. The piano is one of the most unique instruments in that we have an innate ability to hunt and peck, press the keys, and play something that resembles a song. We can make “music” the very first time we touch the keys. 

However, it’s also an instrument that can take a lifetime to learn. 

As a piano player, you start out simple. As you add to your knowledge base, your concept of music grows. Ultimately, how fast you learn depends on several things:

Your practice time – how much time you give to learning your new skill. While it’s typical for a beginner to practice 30 minutes a day, it also depends on what you achieve during that 30 minutes. Banging out the same song over and over won’t help you improve. It takes focus and concentration to work your way up to becoming a better player. 

Your lesson time – in most cases, players spend time with an instructor once per week, often just 30 to 60 minutes at a time. In group sessions, you’ll share the time with other players. Even in one on one classes, you’ll have to spend part of the time reviewing your process rather than diving into new things. The amount of training you get per week varies greatly. 

Your desire – many piano players start out with a strong desire. But if you don’t see the results you were hoping for, your attention can move to other things. That can penalize you and change the track you’re on for growth. If you hope to make piano a part of your life forever, you have to learn to enjoy the process at every stage of your ability. 

Mindset is everything. 

Piano playing is more than a hobby. It can be a lifestyle if you allow it. 

Instead of expecting rapid change, enjoy the process. Play because you love to make music. Play because it relaxes you after a difficult day. Play because you hope to enjoy it for life. 

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3 July 2020 It’s Never Too Late To Learn To Play The Piano

It’s Never Too Late To Learn To Play The Piano

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I wish I’d started learning to play the piano earlier …

Have you ever said that? 

Many people have. You hit a certain age and you start to analyze life skills and hobbies you wish you’d started earlier in life. 

There are certain hobbies that you can engage with throughout your life. Football? Other than watching it, it’s a young person’s game. Piano? It’s something you can stay active with from just a few years old until the day you die. There are many benefits to doing so. 

Think about your age right now. If you’re in your forties, you might long for going back to your childhood and learning to play the piano at a time when you could quickly grasp new ideas. But you’re in your forties – you still have decades left! That means by starting now, you can master new skills, you can become the piano player you’ve always wanted to be. 

There are many examples of musicians who got started later in life. And they made it their professional careers!

You don’t have to be young to become good at playing the piano. For some, starting early is a hindrance, not a helper. 

Think back to when you were young. You had so much to do. Was playing the piano anywhere on your list? In some cases, when parents add “playing the piano” to their kids’ to-do lists, it becomes resentment instead of passion. It becomes another chore in the daily to-do list. And that never makes for a good musician. 

But when you choose to play the piano later in life, it’s on your own terms. You choose to play the piano because you desire to do it. And that right there is a great reason to pursue it. 

It’s never too late to learn to play the piano. Whether you choose to do it yourself, take online lessons, or sit down one on one with a teacher, dedication will see you through to success. 

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29 November 2016 The 5 Most Popular Piano Styles

The 5 Most Popular Piano Styles

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Let’s face it, we don’t all like the same kinds of music in the world today. And with so many different varieties available, why limit yourself to one or two genres?

Unfortunately, many piano teachers approach learning in this manner. They start with the basics and push for the classics. If you’ve been bored in the past, there are different ways to learn. Learning to play the piano should provide you with music you enjoy playing right from the beginning. Overall, there are five different piano styles that top the list.The 5 Most Popular Piano Styles

And when you know the composers, the performers, the style and the sounds, it assists you in your ability to play.

Classics
Throughout the 18th and early 19th centuries, classical piano was performed for royalty and the upper class throughout Europe. Bach, Beethoven and Mozart led the way. Over time, this music was transformed by other great composers, including Chopin, Handel, Wagner and Tchaikovsky.

Classical piano is where most people start because it forces them to gain a strong technique and knowledge of music theory. And with this in hand, it’s easy to pick up other piano styles.

Jazz
In the early 20th century, pianists such as Joplin, Jelly Roll Morton and Fats Waller influenced the music scene throughout the United States. Jazz was a rebellious type of music, as it deviated from the classical rules of play. It incorporated swing, improvisation, ragtime, boogie woogie and bee bop to create new and interesting patterns.

Musical Theater
Broadway composers and lyricists are the foundation for many of the songs we know and love today. Where would we be without greats like Rodgers and Hammerstein, or Gershwin? Today we can also add popular composers like Andrew Lloyd Webber to the list. In all cases, piano is the foundation of what makes live theater as exciting and memorable as it is. And with this type of musical training, it makes very good sight readers and versatility in playing.

Pop Rock
Of course, pop rock is probably the most well loved music of our generation. It’s where most of us migrate to early in our playing process. And with famous piano players like Elton John and Billy Joel, that can be a very good thing. Pop rock allows you to explore new sounds and be able to hum the tune as you play. It’s often easier to pick up because you already know the tunes.

Religious
Religious music is found in all religious practices, bringing their own unique sounding music to the culture. In many cases, it has been passed on from generation to generation, with songs still being an important part of ceremonies today.

Which popular piano style is right for you? Explore your options and find a piano teacher that can help you achieve your music goals.

Filed Under: Buying a Piano, Owning a Piano Tagged With: ,
12 January 2016 Should I Buy A Piano If I Want To Learn?

Should I Buy A Piano If I Want To Learn?

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Ready to learn the piano? What are the first steps you should take?

When it comes to piano playing, practice isn’t everything. Even the best musician would have trouble focusing and playing a piano that is of poor quality. Imagine playing your favorite song and half way through, a tinny, out of tune note throws off your focus. The rest of the song is off. You can’t get your head back into your music.Should I Buy A Piano If I Want To Learn?

That makes sense for a top professional. But what about a person just starting to learn? After all, they won’t play a complete song for quite some time. Is it really that important to own a quality piano? Can you use a smaller, inexpensive keyboard? Are there other options?

Learning to play the piano means acquiring a variety of skills. It requires locating the notes, controlling the tempo, reading the music. It demands attention to detail and a thorough understanding of the technical aspects of playing, including positioning of the body, controlling the touch of the keys, and the speed in which you press down on the keys to create music.

When it all comes together, it allows you to become a better piano player.

The feel of an acoustic piano or an high quality digital piano will provide the highest level of satisfaction, and give you the best results as you navigate learning to play. Yet playing on high quality equipment doesn’t have to equate to buying an expensive piano. There are many ways to ensure you receive high quality workmanship at a budgeted price you can afford.

Think of buying used. Because quality pianos have been in the marketplace for generations, you’ll find quality in both the used and the new. If a piano is used and has been well kept, it can offer you years of enjoyment at a lower price than if you purchased one new.

Go digital. Digital pianos allow you to own a high quality instrument that takes up less space in your home (perfect for people living in small quarters), and gives you the opportunity to move your piano anywhere you choose.

Restoration. Have a piano passed down from generation to generation? A little restoration may create a piano you can be proud of for many more.

Not sure what’s the right direction for you? Start by visiting our retail location first. We can help you understand the differences between new and used, acoustic and digital. In no time you can define the right instrument for your needs, and choose one budgeted perfectly for what you hope to achieve.

Filed Under: Buying a Piano, Piano Playing Tagged With: ,
14 June 2014 Should You Learn To Play The Piano On An Inexpensive Piano?

Should You Learn To Play The Piano On An Inexpensive Piano?

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One of the most common questions people ask us is about purchasing a piano for the very first time when you have a small child ready to take piano lessons. Since no one else in the home plays, and the parents aren’t sure if the child will really enjoy the piano, can they buy the least expensive piano they can find to “test the waters” before moving up and investing in something of better quality?Should You Learn To Play The Piano On An Inexpensive Piano?

The short answer to this question is no. Buying a piano should never be about price alone. You should never buy the least expensive piano you can find just for the sake of getting a piano. Instead, you should focus on getting the best possible piano you can at the price you are willing to spend.

Here’s why.

When you focus in on price, you’ll wind up purchasing a piano that may be anything but musically inclined. Let’s say you purchase a piano off of Craigslist. Its been sitting in storage for several decades until the family clears out the home to sell it. They sell the piano for “nothing” because they are simply trying to get rid of it and make a little money in the process. It hasn’t been played or tuned in years. And it may or may not be in need of serious repair.

When your child sits down to play, she starts out playing a few notes and simple songs. But as she taps out the tune, it doesn’t make sense. What she hears at her piano teacher’s place isn’t what she hears on her own piano. The notes are off and don’t create the same musicality she hears on one that was well taken care of. She doesn’t “get” the song or understand the tune because it simply isn’t there.

Her frustration grows. She fights about practicing. And the entire concept is dropped as she moves into some other activity in her life.

If you’ve ever heard a musician play slightly out of tune, you understand how detrimental it can be.

In order to appreciate music, you have to be able to hear the tune, no matter how simple your beginning songs may be.

Which is why purchasing the best instrument you can afford, and making sure it’s the best quality it can be, is vital to starting and continuing to play the piano.

If you get the best instrument you can afford, you won’t be sorry. Your child will appreciate the sound she is making and hearing, and possibly continue down the path of playing for a much longer period of time. And because a high quality piano holds its value as well, if you do choose to sell it in the future, you will be glad you made the sound decision of purchasing a high quality instrument.

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