What is the ideal age to start piano lessons?
Young children from ages 0-3 are best served by early childhood music classes. Otherwise, any age is the ideal age. No matter what age you start piano, becoming a virtuoso (or piano expert) is only accomplished through many years of regular, intentional practice. You can start at any age and find success, but it will always take work. In 10 years, you will wish you started today! Contact me today to start your piano journey!
But what if I don't have talent?
You will never know unless you try. I adjust my teaching style and presentation of piano concepts to capture the interest and motivation of each student. Regardless of talent, you need to work hard to become skillful. I personally believe that talent may actually be a natural inclination to learn an instrument. Check out my blog post about this topic.
What kind of piano do you recommend?
I require that students have a piano or keyboard at home. Any acoustic piano, new or used, is suitable. As long as you enjoy the tone quality, it will be an instrument that you enjoy returning to time and time again. Please make sure all keys are working and check the pedals before purchasing. It is important to have your piano tuned at least once a year.
If an acoustic piano is not a good fit, a digital 88-key keyboard is recommended. Make sure it has weighted keys and touch sensitivity. For very beginners, a 61-key keyboard can work for a short time. Make sure it has touch sensitivity. Weighted keys are not usually found on 61-key keyboards and therefore make it difficult to build technique. This article is a great resource to help you: Features to Look for and Avoid in an Electronic Keyboard.
How much should I practice?
This depends on each individual. I request that each student comes prepared for their lesson. My suggestion for a beginning student is to start with 10 minutes a day, 6 days a week. Advanced students may need 2 hours a day, 5 days a week. Students who practice consistently through the week show the most enjoyment and progress in their lessons. It is best to practice a little bit every day than to practice one long session once a week.
How much do you charge?
Please contact me to learn about tuition costs. I do charge by month and request payment at the start of piano lessons.
How long are lessons?
I offer 30-minute, 45-minute, and 60-minute lessons.