Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum Can i learn piano by myself?

Hi Guys,

I will tell you what i have been through.

I bought a piano and i registered to a music school. But the people were so unrespectful. So, i quited after only 1 lesson.

2nd music school was fine but we had issues about prices and i couldn't even get a lesson.

Yesterday i called a teacher, whom i found on a website. He came to my house a couple hours ago. It was the funniest 1 hour i have ever had because HE COULDN'T PLAY PIANO. He was just doing some accords to look like he could play but he couldn't. I told him "Sorry sir. But you don't know how to play piano". This was the weirdest thing i have ever done . But he deserved that.

Anyways, i am so pissed off now. I can play Jingle Bells and some simple songs that i learnt by myself from my piano book and i believe i can move forward with the help of online lessons. I know the notes. I need practice on sight reading.

What do you think? Can i do it alone? (I am 22)

Let's say you think i can do it alone. But how will i get over solfege???

TY

Yes but most learn much quicker and better with a teacher.

I can only say that I have been told so and hope to do so myself. Like the above poster said however, most people will learn faster with a teacher. You must remember however, that hundreds of thousands of people in the United States have learned to play either by themselves or with just a mentor to give helpful hints and tips. In today's computer age these hints and tips can be gotten off of the Internet. With all we have available to us there certainly should be no reason why you could not teach yourself. You have to remember that for every instrument there was ever made throughout time someone somewhere taught himself to play it for the very first time in human history with no guidance whatsoever.

The method books and resources we have today are excellent. For instance the program I am using, which is from the now defunct US School of Music, was used by Lawrence Welk to teach himself accordion, which as I understand it is about the most difficult instrument to learn, and was good enough for him that after he turned 21 he left the family farm to study music at the Conservatory all while being a professional musician to support himself and put himself in graduate studies. Although that program is no longer available Alfred's Teach Yourself Piano or the Alfred's Basic All In One Piano Method books 1 through 3 Are Great place to begin.

Sure, you can learn on your own! It won't be the same as if a caring, knowledgeable teacher is also invested in your endeavor, but perhaps that is not what you are actually looking for?

Yes, ages ago, people taught themselves to play each instrument ... and then, throughout the ages, documented successes and failures in all fields have taken place on behalf of humankind and to the benefit of instrumentalists. You can get helpful hints from YouTubes, yes, but that alone doesn't give you a second set of eyes and ears to help you understand whether or not you are actually enacting what you feel you are learning.

I believe it is better study appropriate hand positions with a teacher.
Although some self-tought people play very nice, I am sometimes terrified to look at their hands - you can also hurt yourself by using incorrect technics.
But is is my humble opinion.

Like guitar, but unlike violin unless you're the next Vivaldi, it is possible to learn the piano without a teacher. But it isn't possible for everybody.

A lot of the answer depends upon what you mean by "Learning" to play piano. If you mean ... Can I learn to play the right notes on a few tunes ? .... you have already done it with Jingle Bells.

If you mean ... Can I learn to be a concert pianist ? ... probably not.

If you mean play a few songs for my family and friends at get-togethers the answer is probably ... yes.

It all depends upon how good you wish to get.

Starting (and staying) with a teacher is probably the most dependable way to learn to play well. Going it alone, while possible, is not the surest way to go.

If you can afford a teacher, I might suggest you trying to find a credible teacher instead of all of these bad news things you have been trying and then see how it goes. There are very good teachers out there, you just have to find one that works for you.

Paul McCartney quit piano lessons after just a few lessons...!!!

Of course you can do your own research n teach yourself. I often come across some people called themselves self-taught pianist, self-taught artist, self-taught plumber, self-taught mechanic, etc.

BUT a good teacher has a lot to offer. S/he is your loyal audience who gives you positive n productive comments, your motivator, your supporter who understands what you are struggling with. A good teacher also knows what you can and can't do, and assigns you the proper pieces and exercises to work on to help you succeed.

I don't understand the solfege comment. Can you explain?

Yes, you can learn by yourself...I did...just remember, the only person you need to please is yourself.....if it sounds good to your ears, thats all that matters.

You can get "ear-training" programs -- some free.

They'll give you practice in solfege (which I think we call "sight singing" in North America).

Also, there are some music teachers using Skype (and other internet software) to give lessons. You might look for one of those.

One reason for a teacher is to tell you:

. . . You're playing that wrong.

If you record your practice, you may be able to figure that out yourself. But it can be tricky, especially as the music gets harder, and the rhythms become trickier.

. Charles

Yes, you can.
And don't forget to have fun.

Short answer - Yes you can.

For myself I resumed playing the piano after over 45 years. My experience with piano lessons was a rather painful one, my mother would punish me if I didn't learn the lesson as fast or as well as she wanted me to, so naturally when I was allowed to quit to learn the violin, I did so eagerly.

However, I decided once I was in my 50s that I needed to let go of these childhood traumas, perhaps it helps that I've had enough lessons on both the violin and guitar that the basics are firmly instilled. I've resumed the piano using the Alfred's Adult course, at my own pace and this time, I'm enjoying it.

Oh, when I started playing the piano again, my youngest sister sent me my old lesson books. I looked at the progress I made when I was 6 and thought my mother was way off base. If I had had an actual teacher like my younger sister did who knows how far I would have progressed? But the point is I'm playing now which is what really matters when all is said and done.

DAVID

>With all we have available to us there certainly should be no reason why you could not teach yourself.

I do not agree here. Yes probably all mistakes and missteps are documented somewhere on the web but that does not really help unless you can (1) read them (at least a significant part of it) (2) put them in the right perspective. I don't believe a beginner is in the right position to do this. A teacher is there to bring the right info forward at the right time and to explain it.

Guys, i thank you all so much. Great suggestions and experiences about that.


Thanks to Bill. I bought Alfred's book that he mentioned. And i already got to chords in a couple hours. I am having a great progress. I will keep going.

All your encouragements gave me a great appetite to do that alone. Maybe i will get a teacher when i really need it. Maybe i post some of my videos here. So you could play how my progression is going. It seems like , yeah , everything is doable without moving where you are with today's technology.

I learnt even Fly fishing on the web while there are no fly fishers in my country. How great is that? Glad that i can speak English...

Just one more caution for you Faith.

Your focus seems to be on how FAST you can go through things.

Be careful with that.

You may get to the end of the book and find out that you cannot play anything very well and have to start all over. It happens.

Try to take pride in playing things very well.

Make sure you play with correct timing and play musically.

Good Luck.

Without a teacher, there is a real risk of picking up bad habits that are difficult to break. A good teacher is indispensible for learning good technique.

Very true. Also, a good teacher will challenge you while making certain that you don't overextend yourself.

Hi
No you cant . Find a good teacher as soon as possible