It's Not Too Late to Learn to Play Piano!
The piano is an instrument with so much history to its name. If you’re into classical music, you will doubtless be enamoured by pieces composed by Frederic Chopin, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Ludwig van Beethoven. If you’re into more modern music, you might marvel at the role piano plays in songs put together by artists like Adele, Coldplay, and Elton John. But when we think of learning to play piano, we are often put off. Why? Well, we associate learning instruments with kids - most parents put their children through music lessons, but when’s the last time you heard one of your friends mention heading off to their own music lesson? There are so many myths out there surrounding adult competency with instruments. Sure, you might not be a world famous pianist if you start at a later age, but surely being able to run your fingers across the keys effectively is reason enough to learn? So, if you’re interesting in learning, here are some important pieces of information to bear in mind.
It’s Never Too Late
Let’s start by clearing up some common myths surrounding adult learning. Many will argue that children can learn to play piano because their cognitive paths are still malleable, whereas adults are incapable, because their cognitive paths are already set. It may well be true that cognitive pathways can forge more easily during childhood - children grow new brain cells and some may be dedicated to playing an instrument. Adults have to work with what they already have. But it is possible for adults to create new synapses or connections between these cells too. Another myth you’ve probably heard is that piano is too expensive for most people to learn. It may be a little more pricey than various other instruments on the market, but if you’re savvy with your spending and compare your options, you should make things affordable. Use the Musician’s Paradise to find what best suits your budget.
What about the space that a piano takes up? The idea that you need a huge room to fit a piano in is also a myth. Yes, grand pianos can be huge, but upright pianos can fit into most rooms. And even if you haven’t got room for an upright piano, there’s still the option of an electric piano. Because pianos can be heavy and awkward to move into homes, you’ll likely want to hire piano movers to help you. They can position your piano in the right place without damaging it/causing damage to your home.
A final myth that we’ll look at is that adults don’t have sufficient time to dedicate to the piano around their other responsibilities. Now, this is perhaps one of the myths that are most rooted in truth. Learning an instrument is indeed a time-consuming process, and if you already have a busy schedule, chances are that you might struggle to find the time to dedicate to your music project. But at the end of the day, this will be down to personal choice rather than literally not having time. If you really want to learn an instrument, you will have to re-organise your schedule, perhaps removing other activities from your regime and replacing them with your instrument lessons. You could even consider Piano lessons online, as these can be a great option for you if you’re looking to learn the instrument on a budget and will eliminate any of your valuable time from being wasted traveling to and from lessons too.
Don’t Be Too Hard on Yourself
A final piece of advice is to be patient. Learning the piano takes time and dedication. It’s not a skill that anyone can pick up overnight. So, give yourself time and be accommodating. When the day that you can play a complete song arrives, it’ll be more than worth the time and money you have invested.
Sure, the majority of people who learn to play the piano are children. But this doesn’t mean the instrument is inaccessible to you. If playing the piano is a venture that interests you, pursue it!