If you’re interested in learning a new talent, such as playing the piano, keyboard, or some other musical instrument, one of your criteria may have something to do with the degree of difficulty it is to learn. Perhaps you’re wondering how hard it is to learn to play the piano well.
One thing you must realize is that the answer to this simply isn’t as straightforward as you might want it to be. There are several factors that contribute to how easy or difficult it is for you to learn.
Consider the following factors that might make it more difficult for you- so that perhaps you can avoid them.
Trying to Learn without a Teacher
The best way to quickly learn and progress is by employing the help of a private piano teacher. They will help you by doing the following:
Help you establish good habits:
One of the biggest parts of successfully learning to play the piano is learning the proper posture, finger movements, and hand positions. Of course, it’s also true that there’s no guarantee that you’ll become a concert pianist, it’s best to break bad habits during the learning phase instead of later on, after you’ve been playing for some time.
Corrects stylistic problems:
It’s best when music is played at the appropriate tempo, rhythm, and volume, right. Plus, it’s also easier on you when you are using the proper hand movements and fingering.
Since you’re a beginner, chances are that you won’t notice your own small mistakes without a private teacher to point them out. One-on-one feedback simply cannot be given by a textbook- and you need this feedback to progress to the next level.
Provides additional resources:
If you are struggling with comprehending music theory or reading music, chances are that you’re not going to assign homework to yourself.
However, a private teacher will recognize the areas that you’re struggling with and recommend some additional exercises that can help you to get better. If you don’t have this extra push, you’ll struggle with these things longer than you should.
Keeps you accountable:
Think about this- it’s fairly easy to set a resolution for the New Year, right? However, it’s not always easy to keep it. When you have someone there to keep you accountable, you’re much more likely to reach your piano playing goals.
Your piano teacher is going to set specific expectations for you and hold you to them, which makes it harder for you to give up and quit.
Refusing to Practice
The question at hand is in regards to the difficulty of learning to play piano. Another factor that determines the degree of difficulty is your willingness to practice.
If you are only practicing once or twice between lessons (or not at all), then you’re not going to progress the way that you might like to. You are wasting your money on lessons if you are refusing to practice between them.
Generally, you need to spend at least 30 minutes per day in practicing. You must be willing to put in the time and effort if you expect to improve from one week to the next.
Having Little to No Musical Background
While it’s true that it’s not impossible to learn to play the piano with little to no musical experience, you should expect that it will take you a bit longer than someone that is already familiar with basics such as reading music. However, you must be patient with yourself- and keep your focus and positivity.
Using a Cheap Keyboard to Practice
While it might seem silly, if you don’t have a regular, 88 key piano, then you are placing limits on yourself and making it that much harder to learn. The very last thing you want is something else that could cause you frustration as you are learning to play the piano.
Your number one option to give you an authentic playing experience is an upright piano. Of course, there’s nothing comparable to playing a concert grand piano, but an upright is much more affordable and doesn’t take as much space.
If you are going to your piano teachers home/studio, chances are they are teaching you on a real piano instead of a keyboard. You will find that it really does help when you are practicing on an instrument that’s comparable to what your teacher is using.
As you can see, there are a few factors that relate to the degree of difficulty in learning to play the piano. You will find that you will benefit from hiring a teacher instead of trying to learn on your own.
Of course, if you’re motivated enough, perhaps you will be able to teach yourself. So- the question is this: is it hard to learn piano? The answer is this: no it’s not hard- as long as you’re willing to overcome these obstacles.
