Piano-Returning Player

Everything you need to know to

Get Back into Playing the Piano

Playing an instrument is a skill that never leaves you. Sure it may take a few weeks to brush off the cobwebs, but all of that hard work you put in as a kid will quickly pay dividends when begin playing again.

The main advantage is you already know your way around the piano! Imagine if you had to start again from the beginning! These days there are some great learning tools that will take what you already have, and turn you into the player you always wanted to be – in no time.

Many people, when they return to playing, find the whole experience much more satisfying. They can play when they want to, learn the songs that they love, and enjoy it when their playing improves.

Getting back into playing the piano

Of course, simply diving right back into playing isn’t always easy. Finger strength and dexterity can be an issue if you haven’t played for some time. But because digital pianos typically offer variable key touch settings, you can adjust exactly how hard or effortlessly you want to play.

Digital Pianos can also connect to tablets and smartphones via Bluetooth and USB, so we can use apps to assist us. Certain apps, such as Piano Partner 2, allow intuitive learning, whereby the app will play the right or left hand of a piece, while you play the other hand.

What are the best apps for learning piano?

The use of smartphones and iPads has skyrocketing during the last decade. With that, apps for learning to play musical instruments are becoming more and more common. As someone who learned piano as an older child, I would have given anything to have access to the sorts of apps children have available today.

That being said, while apps can make learning to play the piano seem easy, one app doesn’t necessarily fit all. It’s important to understand what sort of piano player your child is before selecting the app that’s right for them.

Learning Piano as an Adult and Finding the Right Teacher

Learning piano as an adult

Learning to play piano again as an adult isn’t as hard as I thought it would be. That being said, I have set the bar at a reasonable height by focusing on enjoyment rather than excellence. I also love listening to music even more than before and I have started to write my own songs.

If you are on the fence about getting back into playing the piano, my advice is to follow your heart. You never know where it will take you. Start off with simple pieces of music. Relax and take your time.

Choose a song that you love. Listen carefully and try to get a feel for the dynamics and the emotion used to ‘tell the story’…

Finding the right piano teacher as an adult

I want to say that your asking the question, “How do I find the right piano teacher,” reveals something about you in a very positive way.

In finding a good teacher, your study of the piano will yield wonderful benefits. It will help you feel that you’re capable of progress; that you’re worthy of being supported in your learning; that you can set goals, and achieve and succeed.

Most importantly, it will give you a way to express the beauty that’s there inside of you. Through music, you’ll feel wonder and joy and be able to bring that joy to others.

In finding the right piano teacher–which I sincerely hope you do–you will experience all these things!

6 benefits of getting back into piano as an adult

1. You want to play the piano: This goes back to enthusiasm. I can remember having to learn piano as a kid and it wasn’t much fun. To this day, when I hear ‘The Itsy Bitsy Spider’ and ‘Mary Had a Little Lamb’, I get a sense of impending doom.

2. You know the type of music you want to play: This is a big one! When I started playing again, I went straight to learning my favorite songs. No ‘E-i-E-i-Os’ for this budding pianist.

3. You can choose how you learn (by ear, teacher, apps, by your mistakes etc.) There are lots of ways to learn the piano, especially with digital pianos, YouTube and Bluetooth technology. I am a huge fan of teachers too!

4. You can choose when you will learn (night time, weekends, public holidays) I use headphones and a digital piano, and it sounds like I am playing a Steinway in an auditorium (badly). I can also play anytime with out disturbing the family.

5. You know why you want to learn (relaxation, enjoyment, stardom etc.) This was an easy one for me. I just wanted to play (and sing) the songs that I love. I also wanted to impress my wife and kids, but that‘s been a little more difficult that I thought…

6. You can learn at your own pace (walk, jog, catch me if you can) This can be good and bad. I think if you are doing all of the things above correctly (enjoyment, playing what you want to play etc.) then you will surprise yourself at how quickly you learn to play.