Learning piano as an adult can feel daunting, but it needn’t be with these helpful tips on what to expect.
Contributed by Belinda Williams for the Roland Australia Blog
If you’ve made the decision to learn piano as an adult or return to piano after learning as a child, congratulations! No matter your age, making time for playing a musical instrument has been proven to be both rewarding and beneficial. If you’re interested in reading more about the benefits of learning piano as an adult you can also read our blog post here.
What to expect when learning to play piano as an adult
The wonderful thing about learning piano as an adult is the only expectations are the expectations you set yourself. If you learned as a child, you may recall endless hours spent practicing scales or playing one song over and over again. You may not have even enjoyed learning piano as a child, and a parent frequently had to encourage you to practice.
The good news as an adult is you can set your own goals. Perhaps you’ve always wanted to be good enough to play in a rock band. Or maybe you’ve longed to learn an iconic classical piece – the decision is yours.
Before you start learning piano as an adult, it can be helpful to consider what you want to get out of it. Maybe you’re just happy playing at home. Maybe you would like to make music a more social experience by getting involved in a band. Having a clear idea of your objectives at the outset is important. This ensures the process of learning piano is more rewarding as you progress towards your goals.
You’re more resilient when you learn piano as an adult
The saying goes ‘you can’t teach an old dog new tricks’. Fortunately, this isn’t the case when it comes to music. Learning a musical instrument at any age can be challenging. The benefit of being an adult is you’ve got more life experience behind you. This means you’re unlikely to throw in the towel when it gets hard. Learning piano takes a bit of dedication and stamina, which children often lack.
You’re in control as an adult piano player
Learning piano as an adult also gives you more control. You get to decide how often and when you will practice. You can choose what songs to learn. You can make decisions about how you will learn. For instance, perhaps you’re quite self-driven and you’d prefer learning in the comfort of your own home. With the many piano learning apps now available this choice is now a reality.
Learning piano should be fun – even for adults
It’s highly likely that if you’ve made the decision to learn piano as an adult, you’re juggling it with work and family commitments. This is why your time playing the piano needs to be enjoyable. If it becomes just another chore on your already long list of day-to-day responsibilities, your motivation will fade fast. Keep it fun and don’t be too hard on yourself when life gets in the way of practice.
In my experience, maintaining joy and enthusiasm for playing should come before everything else. As a child I struggled reading sheet music. I spent two years undertaking classical training despite preferring contemporary pieces. It was almost enough to make me give up piano altogether because I didn’t enjoy it. Now as an adult I choose to play popular music and I’m happier playing by ear rather than reading music.
Remember, the best part of learning piano as an adult is you’re in the driver’s seat. Or should that be, the piano stool!
About Belinda Williams
Belinda is a pianist, songwriter and singer who performs in a cover band whenever the opportunity allows. By day, she writes professionally as a marketing copywriter and fiction author. She enjoys nothing better than combining her love for music and love for words.
