Piano Teacher Reacts to Stephen Ridley Piano Academy Ads | SCAM Alert

[@pianotips2623]

Hi guys! Thanks for all the engagements! Since many of you mentioned Scientology, I just wanted to add: I did read a bit about that, but I decided not to mention it because I have no proof, I don't know much about it (so I don't want to talk rubbish) and this channel is about music, so I was focusing on the piano misinformation in the ads. Also, yes, I do have a personal opinion about him, but as mentioned in the video, I will keep that to myself and make the video as professional as I can.

[@martifingers]

It seems ironic that the course seems to suggest sustained practice is not necessary when the practice of Scientology itself involves a degree of extreme repetition which many might find astonishing.

[@judicoady9641]

❤

[@Benlovescheese]

Yeah that’s fine. Leave it to others and you’ll get better results. Either way you look at it- it’s not good and is a scam.

[@GillRockatansky]

It seems odd to cover 'this piano course is potentially linked to Scientology recruitment/screening/grooming' and not mention it, yet still use the 'SCAM' accusations as the basis of your video. Maybe you could have done a bit more reading on that aspect, cos it comes across like you are clueless to the wider discussion, which does come across as pretty unprofessional for a content creator. You, intentionally or unintentionally, made clickbait.

[@carlmagnussen7773]

Forced to watch a 3 min long add! fooooooooooooooooooooooooooooook!!!! And after that you pull another 1 minute add!!! seriously!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@Casso_Wary]

Ridley is actually the best promoter for youtube premium because his ads are so beyond obnoxious.

[@OneFingerSnap]

Best comment ever 😂

[@sospiroso]

😂😂😂😂

[@wilh3lmmusic]

Counterpoint: uBlock Origin

[@patriciahammondsongs]

Truly he is the reason I went over to Premium and actually I feel £12 per month a small price to pay. Every day is a joy now, without having that lid and haircut slammed at me.

[@ThisGuyDude]

I've been YT premium for years and had never heard of this trickster snake oil guy ridley until seeing some reaction videos. Now seeing the ads in the reactions I'm so grateful my life hasn't been encumbered with that bottom feeding cockroach. Instead he is an amusing anecdote I can choose to spend a few minutes mocking.

[@friendlynoise]

As soon as I hear the words “shortcut” or “simple” related to piano learning, I can’t take anything else seriously. 😅

[@bartoszganapati]

Oh yes, or any complex activity (language, dancing, whatever)... Instant scam alarm.

[@nodsib]

Exactly, learning piano take real dedication and effort. It’s the same reaction as when I hear the word “Easy!” in advertising relating to something money related like Easy Payday Loans or Easy Car Financing or Just 4 Easy Payments, I know right away it’s going to be a bad deal if not outright predatory. Getting a deal isn’t easy, and truly learning the piano isn’t simple.

[@guitarislife01]

I really think learning techniques to play and how to read notation along with music theory is the shortcut. It just doesn't happen to be a secret.

[@frankgerace5997]

The same applies to learning any other instrument. There are no shortcuts or hidden secrets.

[@bartoszganapati]

@@guitarislife01 But is it a shortcut then? I mean, you cannot play without technique. Even pressing single keys to play happy birthday is _some_ technique. Of course, I'm just playing with semantics. But when it comes to sight reading - kind of agree. It's a shortcut compared to traditions in which you have to learn anything by ear and memory.

[@suzannedelonas392]

I’m a music teacher and I am so grateful for this video. These ads are insulting every time they come up.

[@kevinm6790]

Same here

[@zantas-handle]

Try BRAVE BROWSER. No ads EVER.

[@MrEMann]

He played piano at a concert, therefore he's a "concert" pianist! 😂

[@sarac.3259]

Yes, at primary school, I imagine - how lovely! I bet all the parents and grandparents clapped even if it was dreadful, because that's what we do!

[@kagomeshuko]

Makes me one because I once played at a piano rally, which was a "concert." I'm no great pianist, but I enjoy playing. It's not my field. I just love music. I mostly use fake books and read melody and chords, and the ones I have are in the Key of C. But, by Ridley's definition, I'm a concert pianist.

[@SeahorsesJay]

Any concert footage he inserts into his ad is actually just a Scientology event. Everybody in attendance is a Scientologist. The whole thing is a facade. Also, KZbin search his version of "Gold Digger" - he destroys a piano my smacking on the lid for percussive reasons. Cringe. The fact his ads were ubiquitous never sat right with me, not to mention the intense creep energy he gives off. Eventually I searched him up, and yup - Scientologist. Makes sense. He has the glazed-over look in his eyes, like they do.

[@spmoran4703]

Go tell Lang Lang that.

[@bacicinvatteneaca]

I never understood what that nomenclature is even supposed to mean.

[@Brogel]

Literally got a Stephen Ridley ad 3 minutes into the video 😂

[@localbod]

Me too. 😂

[@lalala-vk7ex]

I got an ad before the video started 😂😂

[@mikey_b_here]

​@@lalala-vk7ex Me too! Priceless 😂

[@kornygerm]

Same just now

[@KazakhToon]

@@lalala-vk7ex me too

[@markfowlermusic]

He’s an events pianist, just plays at weddings etc.. NOT a concert pianist. Have you seen his new video where he now says he’s been a concert pianist for over 10 years instead of 8, and offers a new free piano book full of the 4 chord songs… in the book of course there’s no sheet music whatsoever and it’s just a list of songs you can sing over. When he says Latin he’s referring to the musical directions etc.. the Italian terms like adagio or prestissimo etc.. as they share similarities the 2 languages. Now as far as hieroglyphics are concerned... that's ancient Egyptian and has never been used in sheet music as far as I'm aware! But hey what do I know this guy is way more credible than me.

[@sigma_z]

He is DEFINITELY a concert pianist. He plays at events, which are defined by him as concerts with the most amazing piano technique abusing poor pianos, so concert pianist in his definition😂😂😂. Perfectly bashing and mashing keys not written down on any manual script. Expression artist of contemporary ear hurting. Haters will say he can't play the piano. But us avid ad listeners who replay ads just because we're loyal fans and masochists knows better. 😂😂😂 His hair is oily and his skin is snake like.... hmmmmm... snake oil salesman is a good definition for him.

[@StormtrippyMusic]

Hey man! Totally unrelated, but I loved your TSFH covers, they're really great!

[@baward]

A very measured and lucid exploration of this fellow. It seems that he means that he once played a piano in a concert, when he talks about being a ‘concert pianist.’

[@charliestaveley]

I noticed the update in years on his ad too. There are no concerts. All he seems to do is mash up a few covers. Painful. Some of his shorts are comedy gold though😂😂

[@spmoran4703]

He is not a concert pianist . He is not listed as one . He is from the North of England . I looked to see if he was trained at The Royal Northern College of Music . They do not know of him as a student.

[@bernarddaigle2830]

$3000 would get you a year's worth of weekly piano lessons with a private teacher.

[@sarac.3259]

More than that. Here in London, my teacher is £20/half hour. He composes, teaches singing and piano, and has been awarded scholarships and prizes for his singing.

[@RebeccaTurner-ny1xx]

@@sarac.3259 That makes it about £1000 a year, which is about $1,275. So you could have over two years of solid, good quality piano tuition face to face.

[@yeahbutthendragons152]

This is EXACTLY what I was thinking.

[@nerdydrew6818]

Almost 3years where I am😅

[@jrobwhydidyoutubechangemyname]

Who the hell is his target market?

[@HC-lf2gn]

The irony of getting a Stephen Ridley ad right before this video

[@JohnBrown-ig5nc]

Me too.

[@gailrivas762]

Me three

[@19jc80]

Me four.

[@singingfan]

Me five

[@Sonicfan-cc1te]

Me six!!

[@no-trick-pony]

This goes actually so much deeper and darker. The whole course is a platform for Scientology. Yes, really. I hope people saw the video by Rafael Comeau about this.

[@IlkoBirov]

True. Scientology teaches obnoxious people to have even more self-esteem, never to say sorry or feel shame about anything, and basically behave exactly like the guy in the ads.

[@sigma_z]

No, it's not scientology. It's actually little green men. 😂😂😂😂

[@xinpingdonohoe3978]

Would you be able to elaborate on what that means in simple enough terms?

[@Minikitty130]

​@@xinpingdonohoe3978 I'm pretty sure Scientology is a cult, you can do some research if you'd like because I don't know much about it.

[@moadot720]

I was going to watch that, next, ironically! This sounds interesting, too!

[@MarcusHCrawford]

Is he really saying that the few Italian words you learn, like “forte,” “piano,” “crescendo,” are somehow anything like learning Latin? What a tool.

[@PedroCristian]

He is thinking about the notes do re mi coming from a Latin prayer maybe

[@bacicinvatteneaca]

​@@PedroCristian that's actually worse.

[@spiffokeen]

And he said at one point something about speaking the language of music. Which is it?

[@cl379]

As a pianist and piano teacher... THANK YOU! I've wondered why more piano KZbinrs haven't been calling this out. What a slap in the face to true concert pianists that have done 15 years of dedicated practice at the piano and have achieved exquisite skill.

[@SongSecretsMomNeverTaughtYou]

Stephen Ridley was the inspiration for me to get an ad blocker. Thanks Mr. Ridley!

[@pratikamatya5190]

He is employeed by KZbin.

[@donna3675]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@Riktenstein]

3000 divided by 4. He's charging 750 dollars per chord. Seems legit to me.

[@diethylmalonate]

That's even more of a scam than chord packs lmao

[@eightcoins4401]

bro is the pro version of pro level chords

[@mikeydflyingtoaster]

That's assuming each chord holds the same value. The third chord in the I V vi IV sequence is particularly expensive, but worth every penny imo.

[@Riktenstein]

@ haha

[@zergnub7426]

They're very special chords

[@benhansen3251]

The guy is a total scammer, flooding KZbin with ads that nearly pushed me to pay the $19 a month for Premium just to escape them. His self-promotional sales pitch is almost unbearable, and it’s appalling that he charges such outrageous prices for his course. It feels disgraceful that KZbin, for the right amount of advertising money, allows such a buffoon to market himself this way-especially on accounts like ours, where we genuinely value discovering new, quality information about piano playing. His business model alone reveals a lack of integrity, and someone really should call him out for his questionable practices.

[@paige135]

pro tip if u set ur vpn to turkey u can get premium for like a dollar

[@AllThisOverASliceOfGabagool]

​@@paige135whoa really!? 😮😮😮 I'll bear that in mind!

[@eightcoins4401]

@@paige135 Pro tip: use an adblocker. They still work. It beats giving youtube money as reward for making the site worse. If you want to support creators: youtube is literally not giving them any money. Its why everyone uses patreon etc nowadays.

[@CinaBeeNava]

Brother just use Newpipe

[@Artemis-athena]

Just install brave. It’s free and you get no ads.

[@godluckNgoodspeed]

How to Chopin nocturne (EASY VERSION): Step 1: wiggle your finger Step 2: 22 over 12 polyrhythm

[@spacebug_exe]

step 3: 4+5+29754/54 time sig

[@stephenward7856]

That made laugh so hard, thanks!!

[@spmoran4703]

And then your Reubenstein

[@carriegriffithsvoice]

😂😂😂

[@supadupahilton6848]

In three weeks you'll be Manachem Pressler LOL.

[@squurdixplays8137]

I like how he is talking to complete beginners like they know what a chord is. When i was starting playing piano i had no idea what a chord even was.

[@biginteger907]

Just my own opinion but I think Ridley's course is a total scam. That price could buy you two years worth of weekly 30 mins private piano teacher lessons, where I'm pretty damn sure you would get far more benefit from. The idea that learning a bunch of chord progressions is a gateway to musical virtuosity is for the birds.

[@Fictionizer]

Exactly this. This was my first thought as well.

[@ThePoetRobin]

Just a gateway to ass soon and quick as possible. He killed me with ''written in Latin'' 😂

[@modern-piano-arrangements]

Hi PianoTips, from a piano teacher and piano youtuber, just: THANK YOU! There's nothing to add to this video.

[@willowmillard]

Commenting to boost your exposure. Thank you for this video, more people need to see it

[@pianotips2623]

You're too kind! :)

[@pir006]

The way he hits the piano keys is giving pub musician who's had one too many drinks beforehand

[@donwrangler]

Yeah the White liquor 😂

[@phoenixrising4995]

He chugged to much Vodka before the video shoot. 😂😂

[@kagomeshuko]

I sat through one of his "one hour" presentations for THREE HOURS (I didn't have anything to do that day). He said he would teach us some of his techniques, and he didn't teach us ANYTHING! All he did was brag! And then he kept saying that people bought the course! I sure hope they didn't. I don't have money, but if I did, I'd be one of those people to buy his course and then expose all the ridiculous stuff in it and let people know not to buy it.

[@stephenbryant7873]

I was curious and started one of his pitches. We went out to a birthday party for a couple of hours and it was still running. He promised to give away a piano and eventually said he did. Did he really? At least it was a decent Roland, but I’d rather pay for that than pay to go through listening to a course by him.

[@martinapiano1910]

16:00 I sat through the whole 3 hours as well…..what a waste of time…. Not one usable technique, just a very long add asking for 3K at the end!! Run away from Stephen Ridley everyone

[@kagomeshuko]

@@stephenbryant7873 No idea if he did, but I'd guess he didn't give away a piano. Probably a some "plant" that claims to have won the piano.

[@steveneccles]

depending on country, $3000 would probably get you like 1.5-2 years of in-person lessons with a decent piano teacher, and you would learn 100x more from them

[@henriksundt7148]

I guess that is about once a week at around $50, minus holidays.

[@perry1309]

Well done for keeping respectful. Thank you for these type of videos that warn us about scams.

[@rowanmarc]

I think when he says "Latin" he's talking about the Italian words on sheet music such as 'alllegro,' which are not difficult to learn - but he deceitfully calls it Latin to make it sound harder.

[@ramziel]

Tbh, Latin is easy. I'm a med school dropout and Latin was the easiest thing there.

[@rowanmarc]

@ramziel oh I agree - it's all about the false perception he's trying to create. A lot of people think Latin is impossible to understand, so he lies in order to appeal to that and says music is taught in Latin.

[@albertmagician8613]

It actually is Italian. Even if it were Chinese, it would not be a great burden to learn the meaning of the. 10 words that occur for 99%. Then you have to listen to your teacher to grasp the musical meaning in context.

[@PurpleAmharicCoffee]

Italian is an evolution of Latin, I guess.

[@mmdoof]

He still manages to say out a full lie instead of a half-truth that was right there for him. He could've said you're taught Italian ("Latin") terminology because that is technically true. But he chose to say that it's taught IN "Latin" which is a complete lie. This has to be a calculated decision to curate students who are susceptible to the post-truth psychology that Scientology is based on.

[@andrewclack6599]

I agree there is no ‘quick’ way to learn how to play the piano. I had classical lessons in my early teens but my end goal was to emulate musicians like Elton John, Billy Joel. The lessons taught me about key signatures, scales and correct fingering which massively improved my dexterity. Yes, one can easily learn a few chords to sing along with but listen to any Elton or Billy Joel song and you’ll hear syncopation, arpeggios, runs and chord variations (maj 7, min 7, diminished, augmented etc etc) so much more than simple triads that this chap seems to be teaching. What I would say is it’s easy to get disheartened in the early days of learning and many give up after a few months. As soon as I learned to read music I bought some songbooks and learning “Your Song” and “Sorry seems to be the hardest word” properly (and a number of other hits) helped massively with my motivation to continue learning from my teacher. I suppose one could call them ‘quick wins’ but they really spurred me on. Just thought it worth mentioning 😊

[@StormtrippyMusic]

I share a similar story!

[@TERFClub]

This is how I learned. I don’t read anymore cos it’s been a long time, but I can listen to a pop song and emulate it usually within half hour using the right fingers. That’s what learning properly gave me.

[@arturmaj]

Every time anyone hears the word "shortcut" or phrases like "just in ... weeks/days/hours" in the context of music learning, a red flag should go up. Confronting such clueless 'teachers' in public was presumably not an easy decision, but it’s one that can help protect some people from being scammed. Bravo.

[@w01ter20]

Gratulations Stephen - your reply to this Ridley scam videos is great. I am also fed up by such scam videos and KZbin more and more plays such stuff. I like you and your instructions - thank you!

[@pianotips2623]

Much appreciated

[@captainalpaka1551]

I've played for two years everyday at least 2-3 hours. I just started my 30 pieces of Bach journey. I feel like i just scratched the surface.

[@sigma_z]

You should take Ridleys course then. In just 2 hours you'll be a concert pianist like him. He's amazing. Have you seen how he plays all the right notes with perfect bashing technique. Oh and he sings out of tune and out of time while playing the piano too (singing in the pocket right). OMG the definition of a concert pianist. 😂😂😂😂

[@ThePoetRobin]

Exactly bro. Why play bach when you can play chords... In latin 😂😂😂

[@nancymdowns]

Hi. I am curious about your 30 pieces of Bach. Can you point me to a place with a list like that, or are you choosing as you go?

[@Mmmmilo]

BUT DIDNT YOU KNOW YOU ONLY NEED THESE FOUR CHORDS?!

[@bobcattom5997]

I saw that first ad (for learning all the 4-chord songs) for a long while on KZbin and it made laugh. He mentions learning songs like "Let It Be" and "Can You Feel The Love Tonight?", but fails to show how those songs change chords in the verses and how you - surprise - may need to learn more than 4 chords to learn an entire song! The second ad though is really something else

[@cvc778]

IMO, these people are banking on what is happening in the world, instant gratification. Thank you for making this video!! Some things, like learning and instrument, takes time and some form of dedication.

[@androidfarmer8863]

Fun fact: this video was just interrupted by an ad for…. You know…

[@CyphersBasement]

This is such a masterful teardown, I can't help but poorly write out my appreciation. It helps to hear from someone in your shoes about this whole thing, hence why I've only been listening to musicians comment on this. Have a good Christmas!

[@ThisGuyDude]

8:09 thank you for the momentary respite from the cacophonous cesspool of his pounding the piano. Just those few tinkling pretty notes you played allowed me to carry on through the rest of ridley's shenanigans. I'm learning piano and it's an incredibly hard and tedious slog of a journey interspersed with moments of revelatory joy. So far, just barely able to play with both hands, sing and play to the metronome. Whew! Exhausting but worth it :-)

[@tzodearf2596]

I sat through his webinar for the free finger exercise book. Being broke is the greatest sales resistance. Ridley hustles hard and does a hard sell that rivals Unison chord packs ads. He is targeting bored, rich people to whom $1000 or $3000 is as relevent as 30 cents.

[@kagomeshuko]

I sat through one of his presentations in which he bragged and bragged, but he never taught us anything like he promised. I've taught people more and I'm not a piano teacher.

[@themusiclands]

You are absolutely right sir. I am also a piano teacher, I follow your videos so that I can teach my students piano better. Millions of respects and thanks to your education and to you🙏

[@alieninsectbass]

In high school, I was trained by elite piano teacher Gail Lew. I was a beginner, and because of my struggles in high school due to my cone dystrophy (which made it really hard to read the music) I wasn't able to put in as much effort and care into my piano playing as I wanted. Even despite all those struggles, through careful training and targeted focus on my fingering (since that's what I always used to bungle up), Gail Lew maintained faith in my progress. With her training, even though I wasn't even able to put in 100% effort, in just 3 and a half years, I skyrocketed from Level 1 to Level 7 in Certificate of Merit, got multiple National Awards in National Guild (the golden frame for the certificate), and earned spots to play music in two piano State Conventions. Piano playing became something I was proud of. I think this serves as a perfect example of why Ridley's claim that it takes 15 years to even just get decent at piano is absolutely crazy. In those State Conventions (among many other piano and harpsichord concerts I've been to and performed music at) the pianist whose turn it is to perform walks onto the stage, bows, silently walks to the piano, and starts playing. The pianist *never* just blatantly starts singing his heart out while playing. Sometimes it shows on the list of songs and their players that there is another person performing; a flute player, a violin player, a guitar player. Or, a vocalist. The vocalist sings while the pianist focuses on playing. With that context, I burst into laughter when Ridley told that he's a concert pianist, only to then bang basic chords on the piano while singing to a cheering crowd. I don't think that's what a concert pianist is at all.

[@charles-cf1wt]

Great to see people responding to these ANNOYING ads

[@zantas-handle]

Try BRAVE BROWSER. No ads EVER.

[@ImAtLevel53]

Hi stefan A brilliant honest video and bravo for doing what you do On Sunday December 1st he held one of his seminars. He said it was live *THIS WAS A LIE* the live Q&A was stooges, and the winner of the £4000 piano was an actor/actress . No I am a classically trained musician. Im a tuba player but to get my masters I had to be able to play the piano and had to pass Grade VIII. So I can read music, I understand music nuances. I was a brass band musical director and have conducted on stages like the Royal Albert Hall, St George’s Hall in Bradford, Opera House Blackpool, plus many many more venues. I can read music, I can read scores I can direct musicians when I’m conducting, so when on Sunday Stephen slagged of music students and claimed the 4 chord idea was his (Axis of Awesome have been doing this a lot longer than Ridley) I got pissed off (pardon my language) I then noticed in his “live broadcast” he never mentioned any of the folks commenting indeed the ones he did mention their names weren’t in the comment section. The winner of this 4 grand piano is was not a real person. He is a patronising deceitful liar. Don’t get me wrong his enthusiasm oozes from the screen but that’s my only compliment. I worked hard for my BA and then my Masters to be publicly humiliated by his comments was not very nice. The reason I watched his lecture was I have been diagnosed with *polycythemia Vera (*blood cancer) and stage 3A bladder cancer, I have had a radical cystectomy, a prostectomy a double orchidectomy months or radiotherapy and now chemotherapy so I thought you know what I may just get some good news and fingers crossed I could win. I realised it wasn’t live even though he was maintaining it was live. THE BEST WAY TO LEARN THE PIANO OR ANY OTHER INSTRUMENT IS GET A REAL TEACHER A MUSICAL ONE LEARN THE THEORY LEARN THE ITALIAN NAMES & PHRASES, LEARN HOW TO REWAD SHEET MUSIC AND SLOWLY YOU WILL IMPROVE OR LEARN THE 4 simple chords C major F major G Major A minor and nit understand the instrument Any musical instrument should be an extra arm or leg. It should be part of you and you part of the instrument He is a con man Ridley isn’t a virtuoso he is fake

[@victor7282]

I hope the people who were thinking about buying that course see this video

[@DamoOne]

Excellent commentary. Very fair and to the facts. I agree with everything you said. While music is not my profession I have been playing piano for over 30 years (classically trained originally for the first 10 years) and I practice regularly - so I have a fair idea what I’m talking about. It takes me about 3 mins to open my piano lid because I don’t want to damage it though 😀.

[@clafoutis2758]

The way he talks about music notation really makes me sad. Learning to read music, especially when young is a gift that gives you the freedom to play any piece of music you have ever heard and enjoyed. Or open up a book and discover the sound of something you’ve never heard before. Musicians who don’t read music can improvise but hey can’t just pick up a beautiful piece of Mozart and play it. This Ridley guy is a total charlatan. Thanks for making this video.

[@eightcoins4401]

It's because every scam like this is specifically trying to target frustrated beginners

[@iriniselini]

Oh my god I'm so happy finally someone says something about this guy. As a composer and singer (and singing teacher) myself I have been feeling like I'm crazy, he's everywhere and saying so many stupid things - just to rip people off. It infuriates me so much. Honestly seeing the way he plays and talks about music I doubt that he has the educational journey he claims he had.. Anyway, great video!

[@lapoetapr]

My keyboard piano will arrive in January and I can't wait (I'm 39). I'm studying musical theory at my own, because I started learning music at nine (bells and classic guitar) but in a public school in Puerto Rico. It was three years learning and playing using a "dummy method" because there wasn't time to teach us how to read a pentagram. At home, we could barely eat decently, so I couldn't attend a formal music school. Hope I can make it three decades (and two kidney transplants) later.

[@janefrost1856]

Good luck with it

[@lapoetapr]

@janefrost1856 Thanks and Merry Christmas

[@Jamie-js3qw]

me too at 47

[@lapoetapr]

@@Jamie-js3qw 💪💪💪

[@janefrost1856]

@@lapoetapr thank you so much, I really appreciate that, I would like to wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year as well, let's hope that we get to achieve all the goals we have for our future

[@matteamusic]

Exactly that ad from the intro came before the video, that was kinda funny

[@Pixeliarmus]

7:08 The video in front of the Eiffel Tower made me shrivel like I tried to eat a huge lemon as a whole.

[@TamsinJones]

Beautifully articulated argument, especially in your closing summation.

[@yoemeuunitoful]

I literally got an for his book just as the video transitioned (7:13) I thought it was still part of your video.

[@shrinkhh79]

Same haha

[@MikeG77701]

Same

[@boywon]

4:57 Bro has pretty solid vocals

[@MostDecentNA]

Yeah, I was surprised. Kinda wanted to hear him sing the whole song 🤭

[@jeanmtiger]

Thanks for setting the record straight. There are no shortcuts to piano mastery, only constant practice supported by a good teacher.

[@judicoady9641]

“I can play piano!”, ‘wow, what can you play?” “Chopsticks”😂 Thanks for the debunk Stefan and your polite and professional approach in doing so. PS your teaching videos are great, thank you❤

[@DuncanHarbison]

That first advert is basically him trying to charge $3000 for that 4-chord comedy song that got popular a decade ago

[@MUZIXHAV3R]

Waiting for his ad claiming "Shortcuts for liszt - la campanella" 😅

[@2wheels42]

😂😂

[@kevinm6790]

Except he wouldn’t say La Campanella because it’s “Latin.” 😆

[@MUZIXHAV3R]

@@kevinm6790 haha, genius 🤣😂

[@gailrivas762]

I’m grateful that the silly ads led me to your page. I’m enjoying and learning from your content.

[@thewanderingweave6286]

Thank you for this. I have taught piano for 32 years snd am saddened by this man's disingenuous adverts. I agree with everything you say.

[@cliffsmithguitarlessons]

Thanks for speaking up. His ads are the ads I hate the most. I get them all the time as well. It seems like obvious BS to me. The guitar teaching world has a few of these characters, but Ridley has turned it up to 11 with these ads. Learn 4 chords and nothing else and you can play 100 songs… that all sound exactly the same (but nothing like the original) 😂

[@janl5651]

Great that you and other professional musicians/teachers call out his scam. In addition to blocking, it might be advisable to report the videos. It is easy and quick.

[@PimGeerts]

The Dumbing down by apps and AI was just spot on and exactly what I feel about the music these days.

[@eightcoins4401]

Ridley's scam is actually an old classic finance scam recontextualized for learning an instrument. "Shortcut to get rich "they" would never tell you about" selling an expensive course/investment is a type of scam that's been around longer than even electricity. All he did was change "get rich" to "learn the piano".

[@teamtomii]

As someone who's been attending another (MUCH cheaper) piano course for almost three months now, I hope this video reaches a lot of people who don't know better! I hate to see people in a creative field do shit like that. Hey, maybe YOU should buy some ad space to target the same audience but with a condensed version of this video, hehe.

[@Appassionato]

I rarely watch reaction/commentary videos, but I watched your entire video. Thank you for calling out all the misrepresentations / misinformation in these ads. As an amateur pianist with some music background, I fully agree with what you have presented 👍 😊

[@joshuanesbit]

great video, don't feel bad - I think you gave him more grace than most people would!

[@SCK586]

Excellent video !-Those fraud scenes in the ads show pianos being abused by the unmusical thumping

[@judicoady9641]

You can block any ad. Press on the ad and some icons appear top right. Click the 3 small dots and options appear.

[@nicklongland260]

Absolutely agree. It’s not about banging the keyboard in a fast and clever way. it’s about capturing the emotion of the piece of music. There are no short cuts! Practice makes perfect!

[@stavrosk.2868]

Language teacher here. One day, someone tried to convince me that there áre these wonder methods/courses where you can learn any language in two weeks or months or whatever. So I asked him, how many languages do you speak then? Silence.

[@Mmmmilo]

It reminds me of when multilevel marketers say “you can make six figures from home!”, yet when you ask them if they make six figures from home, they get very annoyed and change the subject.

[@sonyakahn]

Thank you! You nailed it. I couldn't bear being bombarded by his videos any longer. I've been frustrated by the distorted perceptions, ignorance and misrepresentation of concert pianists. It all began with recording labels in the United States, run by an undereducated mafia, and was further amplified by PR companies that craft misleading images to deceive the public and boost sales.

[@JamesLodewijk]

So happy there is finally a video like this. There should be a law against people like Ripley and maybe against KZbin as well for spreading so much nonsense that actually can hurt people.

[@liul]

I've seen another video about this. Don't remember from whom, though

[@eightcoins4401]

@@liul Tantacrul did atleast 2 videos on similair scams aimed at beginner musicians.

[@EmperorsNewWardrobe]

Literally got one of his ads as the initial ad for this video

[@Arvga8662]

I had a Stephen Ridley ad before your video, scary stuff

[@mrmatt24]

You're too kind. Scam is exactly what he's doing. Thanks for the video. (From a violinist of 33 years)

[@vanessas.4625]

So great! Brilliant! 😂👍 I love your channel and videos like that! Thank you! 👍

[@pianotips2623]

Thanks

[@olgarogach8868]

This guy is a fraud. I am sick of his constant advertising!! Thank you for speaking on behalf of us, pianists and piano teachers of the world. Obviously he has a huge following of individuals that believe in quick learning. There is no such thing as a shortcut in ANY learning. Shame on him!!!

[@watchingyoutube7330]

I thoroughly enjoyed your reaction video and it was quite a reaction. I only wished that you were wearing a heart monitor and a blood pressure cuff when you got to the part about "Wiggling your Finger." Great job Stefan - very entertaining. By the way, your Czerny book is great

[@alisontrelfa]

You are absolutely right. I was very glad to hear you mention music being like Lego because I actually teach music through Lego on lots of occasions and it really works. It also breaks down the barriers between printed notation and braille music because Lego can apply to either. As a blind music teacher, I use my ears a great deal and memorising is essential. Perhaps if I wiggle my finger, I might be able to master the guitar because I’ve never managed that. Ha ha.

[@ukdavepianoman]

I've seen a few Stephen Ridley adverts and they were so annoying I skipped them. What is particularly annoying is the amount of BS he comes up with about how piano is taught and learnt and has the audacity to charge $3000 for it. This is a great video dissecting this nonsense.

[@Mark-Book]

Honest instructors like Stefan are a godsend, their knowledge and professionalism is priceless. The sensory and spatial coordination; the dexterity and insight developed through learning the piano extend well beyond the keyboard and throughout a pupils life.

[@josephwagner7277]

How fitting that I get one of his ads before this video.

[@theyouofyesterday6254]

"Music is about expression, feelings , artistry and different colours. Of we only have one colour we're not going to ve an interesting musician." I paraphrase, but you've summed up there exactly what has been annoying me about Ridley's ads. 😊 Thanks for this very fair and calm video on this topic. All that Latin and hieroglyphics...! 😂

[@mikedhonau2874]

I think you are very generous in saying that it is not a scam!

[@carriegriffithsvoice]

I’m so glad you made this video! As a fellow musician making educational videos on KZbin I also find these ads irritating as learning an instrument takes time, patience and practise. I’ve had a number of people (not musicians) suggesting I make vids like this. Yes, you can play along with lots of songs using four chords but this doesn’t take into account the key of each song. I think the underlying premise of making the piano more accessible and fun is great, but I think it could be done more authentically. To be fair, ads rarely give a realistic outlook of the product. Thanks again.

[@allenmorgan]

So happy that my dentist has a certificate on the wall showing that she spent 5 years studying toothology rather than taking an online course.

[@donna3675]

😂😂😂

[@Sdween]

STEPHEN IS THAT YOUR NEW BOOK? Has resulted in me nearly thrashing my phone, tv, computer numerous times. I so wish I could say I have become immune to those ads, but sadly, I have not. Ludacris claims to shortcut piano skills without thorough practice.

[@peteratkinson8957]

There are no shortcuts to any place worth going!

[@indymustang1969]

So glad you made this video. I sat on his “giveaway” video yesterday, 12/15, for over 3 hours. Morbid curiosity I guess. He literally never had anything that resembled a program or the secrets of his program. He just banged on the piano a lot and said it’s a great program.

[@pratikamatya5190]

Was it yesterday ? Damn. Who won it ? (I sat few months ago in his first giveaway. I thought people had become aware he is a scammer 😢)

[@TenorCantusFirmus]

"Taught in Latin with Hyerogliphs" really makes me angry... Anyway, I've paid a decent teacher 25€/week to prepare my Score Reading Exam - Doing some calculations, that's 900 Euros in per year, one third of what he wants to teach you banging some chords on a piano while singing your favorite songs, something everyone can do by ear. This guy is dangerous, expecially since on top of everything he's suspected to do recruitement for Sc1entology.

[@aceaxel9542]

Thank you for the reality check! I almost bought into that "Masterclass" course!

[@schrire39]

A Ridley advert popped up for me in the middle of this video! O! The irony.

[@chagadelica]

Me too!

[@denaraptis3716]

And right after the video was over. Help!

[@35milesoflead]

He has probably spammed keywords in his advert, so anytime someone mentions his name, the ads get triggered. Anytime someone uses the term "piano" in their title, his ads get played.

[@Betchigorota]

Thank you for doing this! High time! I just started to learn to play keyboard but the first time I saw his ads, it already irritated me so much that I cannot wait to click "skip" as his ads appears!😂I am so relieved whenever his ads disappears in my screen!😅 Being loud does not mean being good! Again thank you for this!👍🏽👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@steveballzack1409]

Haha, I just got one of his ads on this video. Anyway, I hate that guy. "The reason you suck at playing is because you're hitting the wrong keys!!!", ya no shit buddy. "All it takes is 2 minutes of practice a day!!!" , if all you can muster is 2 minutes a day then maybe you don't really like playing the piano? "I've been a concert pianist for over 20 years!!!" , lol ya sure, you play covers of pop songs for tweens.

[@gaugeonesteam]

it's very simple with music. if you've got some natural ability/talent you can learn piano, guitar or whatever instrument pretty quickly with good tuition. if you haven't it's almost impossible. (I could never get past grade 5 on piano but I did run a fairly successful piano sales, piano tuning and piano transport business for many years. This guy's right. playing some chords to support singing a melody is not really playing piano music.

[@mariazaparenko6999]

Thank you for this video!

[@BaileysIntWild]

Thanks so much for saying this! I am a drummer of many decades. I started at 11. I am now learning the violin at 43. The proper way. It's so enjoyable, I have no idea why someone would want to skip the process.

[@InTheMindOfAPianist]

❤YES. I am so grateful that you are standing up against the trend of oversimplifying, and taking the beauty of the devotion, mindfulness, discipline, and personal growth out of the art form. I am right there with you in fighting this good fight! Subscribed.

[@therealdualipa]

got the exact same ad you put at the beginning i thought my phone was broken

[@squidleyskidley]

I think he should have marketed his course toward singers who want to learn enough chords to accompany themselves, like he did in his videos. That would be more authentic.

[@heifetz14]

Maybe,if he could sing a bit better.

[@Mmmmilo]

But he’s not a very good singer either…

[@athomewithmusic8698]

Thank you for this video! I teach piano here on KZbin as well, and his ads are misleading, to say the least.

[@teresahucal836]

He’s also a Scientologist, another strike against him IMOH. I click this add off ASAP. I’m so glad I found your channel.

[@jrobwhydidyoutubechangemyname]

Aaaahh that explains the ADHD+Narcsisim combo vibes that those folks have. A big chunk of that $3000 will go to subjugation and imprisoning people at the HQ of the church. Gross.

[@phoenixrising4995]

that is why you pay $3,000 a pop. Your paying his membership fees to the guild of celebrities. 😂😂

[@monstermegahoschi]

It's hilarious that I got this ad delivered right in front of this video!

[@marshac1479]

That pops up so many times. It's so annoying and so is he.

[@Betchigorota]

Thank you for doing this! High time! I just started to learn to play keyboard but the first time I saw his ads, it already irritated me so much that I cannot wait to click "skip" as his ads appears!😂I am so relieved whenever his ads disappears in my screen!😅