How Long Does it REALLY Take to Learn Piano As An Adult?

Are you an adult aspiring to learn piano but wondering how long it will take? In this video, we explore different learning paths and reveal the most effective approach to accelerate your piano journey. Join us as we uncover the truth and debunk common myths about adult piano learning.
We cover how traditional private piano lessons and self-teaching through KZbin may not provide the optimal results you desire. Discover the limitations of these methods and the challenges they present. But fear not! Towards the end of the video, we will share an approach that can fast-track your learning. There’s still hope! Ready to embark on your piano learning journey? Don't miss this video as we guide you toward the most effective path to achieve your musical goals. Hit the play button now and let's dive in together!
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How Long Does it REALLY Take to Learn Piano As An Adult?: • How Long Does it REALL...
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[@TheSpanishInquisition87]

No matter when you start, learning an instrument takes the rest of your life.

[@jamesvanderbilt201]

you could say that about literally anything

[@ronald3836]

@@jamesvanderbilt201 Learning the alphabet can be done in less than a lifetime ;-)

[@jamesvanderbilt201]

@@ronald3836 a more appropriate comparison would be learning a language

[@ronald3836]

@@jamesvanderbilt201 literally anything is literally anything, though ;-)

[@ReadABookAndLearn]

I’m 42 years old. Started piano as a total beginner about 14 months ago with a personal teacher who I met when she was playing at a local restaurant. By the end of my first day I was playing Imagine by John Lennon. I play and practice every single day and I can’t believe how far I’ve come in just over a year. Sure, I wish I started when I was younger. But I can’t turn back time so here I am.

[@ThePeej]

I’m 42 & my dream is to be able to sit down at a piano to play & sing Christmas songs when we visit my in-laws. Thanks for sharing!

[@joeybegoode9067]

I’m 41 and was lucky enough to start playing as a kid and I’m a teacher now. This is so great to hear. An adult can progress far in the first year if they practice consistently and properly. While there are advantages to starting as a kid, an adult understands the value of practice and how it works overall much better than a kid, in my opinion. I too advise lead sheets since there’s less reading. And some kind of finger drill with the metronome for timing.

[@cazfloss1990]

@@ThePeejThat’s why I started. I’m 47 and have been learning for 5 months. Really enjoying learning Xmas songs.

[@realfamilyman]

That could be a testament to your aptitude... or a testament to how simplistic, monotonous, and repetitive pot-head hippy songs are.

[@NPC123UH]

Ok Cher

[@lovepiano4616]

I started learning piano from scratch at the age of 50. I took one on one private 1 hour lesson each week. My teacher taught me techniques, sight reading, songs, music theory, etc. I love classical piano music and have learned lots of songs. I have passed California Certificate of Merit Level 6 test with State Honor after two years of learning. Now I'm 55 and preparing for level 8 (early advanced level) Test in a few months. I need to play 4 memorized songs, sight reading, techniques, and music theory. My teacher said I'm the fastest learner among all of her students. So age should not be an obstacle if you have the will.

[@robbgregorrichard1009]

Wow, indeed, you are fast! I have been learning for 4.5 years and I am not at equal level in the areas you have mentioned. At the moment, the highest level I can perform is Grade 7 and my weakest area is in sightreading (around grade 2-3). Music Theory around grade 5. That's why my teacher have me take the grade 5 piano exam, so that I can feel comfortable, even more so that I tend to have debilitating performance anxiety. As you said, age is a number. I have started with an online program catered for children that mixed the two mentioned methods, which helps a lot for independent learning and targeted practice. As I stayed with classical music, I eventually got a teacher and my time learning with this program helped me build good habits and reach out for help when needed. Totally agree, age is a number. When I took the online course, I have seen children struggling very much, giving up... or refusing to comply because they didn't like the songs. Some were very fast, others slower. Some were struggling with anxiety, others easily retreated to their world when performing. Children are not so different from adults, even in terms of speed, retention and self esteem.

[@drc3po]

You were obviously born with a good bit of musical IQ which is not something a lot of people have.

[@Nick-ui9dr]

Bro only problem with adult learning is sometimes your fingers go broke before your will. 😅 And there's lot of reason for that... Cause your mind is already to mature to understand notes since u being listening to music so long but health is on contrary side. Your fingers won't take as much abuse as a child's or young man can. So u have to be extra cautious about going too strong or too fast a pace. That will only hurt your hand. And no matter what technique or what not anybody says... It's only repetitive physical practice that can enable you master a instrument. Techniques they talk about will come naturally to u as u try go faster or smooth cause u won't be able to do it otherwise. And it's always personel cause everybody hand build differently or has different finger shapes and sizes. What works for one doesn't necessarily means will work for everybody I guess. Especially as u go for higher tempos. Anyway here's a song I am currently trying learn but isn't anywhere near it. I mean the interlude parts. Lyrics of course too slow but not the music inbetween especially some part of interludes. Let's see if yours 5+ yrs of training or those whatever levels can handle it. 😊 Has off to u in advance if u can. Guess it's around 120bpm but for specific interlude art u wud have to be as efficient as 4 notes per beat ..so if u can tackle 4 notes at 120 u can get away with it I guess. Personally I am struck around say 80 I guess. 😊 kzbin.info/www/bejne/nmTNhGqmgdOLn9Usi=mwPJhpBGtjVZIm9u

[@Nick-ui9dr]

And tell u what I have destroyed my right hand in the very first few months of learning keyboard. I mean it got trigger finger problem and now I can't close my left hand first fully for last 2 yrs or so. Why I think adults especially above 50-55 should take caution on going overboard just on will alone. 😊 Otherwise arthritis will hit lot before it should actually 😅😅😅

[@lshwadchuck5643]

Wise advice for most adults. I agree that learning the chords (usually there are only a few) of a beloved song and then reading just the melody line is the fastest way to play a few songs. I started at age 66 and used the Alfred's Adult course along with Hanon scales and Czerny exercises. And I memorized a handful of favourite pop songs. After two years what I was missing was natural rhythm, keyboard fluency (the ability to play without looking at the keys) and quick reading. Yes, that shows I was impatient. I found a private coach who puts rhythm first via improvising on all 24 harmonic chords within manageable chunks of the keyboard. It builds a foundation of musicality so incrementally that you're never playing haltingly (the annoying hallmark of an adult beginner). But you don't get to play your favourite songs. In fact the first video of his I watched was "Stop Ruining your Favourite Music!" It's a radical, long path not for the faint of heart, but I'm incredibly amazed by my abilities now that I'm 72.

[@brandonfullarton-ward1250]

How did you have a problem after alfreds in terms of having to look at your hands? The book literally teachs you to read the music while playing the song. Not read it and looks at your hands

[@lshwadchuck5643]

@@brandonfullarton-ward1250 As I believe most self-teaching people do, I learned Alfred's pieces passage by passage, teaching my fingers the choreography - muscle memory using consistent fingerings. I was aware of note durations, but had no overall feeling for groove. Once I had a piece memorized that way, I could play it faster than I could keep up with it on the score. Gradually I'd be less clear about exactly where my fingers should be and make habitual mistakes. If I failed to practise daily, even that memory faded and I'd be back at square one. Now that my fingers know where they are on the keyboard, if I approach a new piece I vocalize the metre and mentally chunk the chords, then make sure I'm completely aware of where my fingers are relative to the score, not fingerings. So, it's more about understanding the score, driving it with the metre.

[@brandonfullarton-ward1250]

Oh because i do alfreds level 1 and i dont have to look at my hands. I just remember where the keys usually are so i can just look at the music sheet. But i guess its not that hard yet so maybe thats why? :) @@lshwadchuck5643​

[@tietsje]

As a classic educated pianist who has played over 40 years I can tell you this: you need to train your brain to seperate what you do with your right hand from your left. That's why you start out with Mary had a little lamb. Not because it's a great song, but because it's easy. Kids under 9 will pick up and reprogram their brain pretty fast, adults will, if ever, take a lot more time. So if you choose chords, your left hand will play in the same moments as your right hand and that's why starting off with chords for adults is more easy. But it will not teach you to play für Elise or the entertainer by Scot Joplin. This will take years, even for kids. What she does with Coldplay looks easy, but for some adults even that will be a bridge too far. if you enjoy playing along songs with chords, it's a fast way to get results, but it will not teach you to play the piano to a level that will make you play any music you enjoy, especially classical music will become very difficult, because your brain is not reprogrammed to seperate your left hand from your right hand in movement, melody, loudness and emotion

[@DeerMadeline]

Maybe it is the way music is taught... You are right, it takes some time to coordinate the hand movements, but it is doable. I self-taught myself and memorized how to play Für Elise in one weekend when I was 10, without ever having any classes, just a cheap keyboard and I am in no way a prodigy. I later took piano lessons and didn't advance fast at all. The difference? My teacher insisted that the only "real" way to play music was by reading the sheet and translating it onto the piano. How did I learn as a child then? I just took it as a game, I had fun. I memorized which keys to press in what order and with which hand and I just repeated it. I had fun hitting the keys and hearing the sound. Nowadays, after all the classical education I don't even wanna see a piano if it is not to improvise. Classical training killed my motivation and my joy and all I ever got from classical music were elitist teachers, who treated me like a machine, not as a person who enjoyed music. What I am trying to say is that music is something organic that should be enjoyed and people of all ages should give it a try and just have some fun, doing the best they can. It doesn't have to be perfect to feel good and to improve people's lives.

[@valterpsicofelicita9631]

@@DeerMadeline That's basically what I noticed as well. Teachers insisting on strict methods kill the enthusiasm in most beginners: it becomes a chore and not enjoyable at all. I understand it might be good if you want to become a very good musician... but it doesn't work for people who just want to play and enjoy themselves. OTOH, if you want to have fun and enjoy making music, a less serious and more hands-on fun approach is more likely to keep you going on. After all, most people will never become pro musicians... but they still can have loads of fun playing. :-)

[@Pekka.Pekka.1296]

@@valterpsicofelicita9631 I have a teacher (whon I pay) and I can say for a piece she recommends I don't like (because I pay). She totally understands my needs and we always have a simple but challenging popular piece together with Czerny and Mozart. Now I play Einaudi and Chopin and I enjoy it so much sometimes I can't stop practicing. A good teacher is the key: keeps the motivation high, gives feedback, corrects mistakes, teaches good technique and you have a joyful journey together along your music learning path.

[@rproctor83]

Yes, separating my left and right hand is very difficult. I have played classical guitar for years and recently got a piano. In guitar the left hand comes before the right and so it is proving difficult to play things in time. Usually my left hand is early and my right is late. Also, in guitar rhythm and accompaniment come from the right hand, but in piano a lot of it is played in the left, this is also very difficult for me. I need to do more YT research on this now that I'm thinking about it :)

[@Pekka.Pekka.1296]

@@rproctor83 Rather get a teachor. I tried yt-learning and I immediately improved after I've found a good teacher. Ahe could corrext my technique in a subtle but important way I was able to play much much better and learn faster as well.

[@tominmo8865]

I'm 73, zero previous musical experience. Bought a Casio keyboard about a year ago. Played with it for a couple of months and looked at some YT videos, geared to kids. Lost interest. Glad I found this video (and subscribed). Gonna try again!

[@strive4impact]

How's it going? Hope you kept going?

[@crystalmontalbano9798]

I am not that interested in playing " songs" but I do like playing pieces by modern composers such as Einaudi, and classical and baroque composers. Bach is one of my favourites. I started playing age 69 and I play every day, I love it. I love the challenge of taking a piece which sounds amazing but impossible, breaking it down and learning it bit by bit, there's such a sense of achievement when you get there. I don't care how long it takes, I prefer quality over speed.

[@portley777]

You are absolutely correct. This confirms my own adult learning frustrations - the key is to make music and play music you like asap; that's what keeps you going and then onto the more disciplined advanced stuff. Thank you ;)

[@ronald3836]

But I like Rach 3...

[@Gr8FriknApe]

At 70 and self taught at 2.5 years (that's about 2 months practice time (smile)). I learned to read music on my own. It took me about 1 hour and I was playing very simple music on the first day. Currently, I play new music from sheets and have no problem with learning new music (both hands). I can read as I play music but I'm REALLY SLOW (laughing). Therefore, I still memorize most of my songs. I can play at the intermediate level with both hands now. I appreciate people like Pianoly that keep us all inspired. Thank you. My first time here. I guess, what I'm trying to say, for anyone on the fence that really wants to play is, "No matter your age, YOU CAN LEARN and you can learn it fast."

[@user-gd7wr4cx4l]

What did you use to learn?

[@Gr8FriknApe]

@user-gd7wr4cx4l I used print outs from KZbin to learn the notes and I bought a book on music theory to understand music chords.

[@user-gd7wr4cx4l]

@@Gr8FriknApe thank you!

[@izham73]

​@@Gr8FriknApewhat book exactly thank you in advance

[@crystalmontalbano9798]

Absolutely. I do think people tend to overestimate the difficulty of learning to read music. It took me about an hour, and even if you struggle, it is well worth the effort.

[@Mr1998Brandonify]

33 years old and I bought a nice electric Yamaha piano two years. Decided to pick it back up again using KZbin. So far so good. Primarily I learned how to read sheet music and now it’s practicing strengthening my hands to play. Pretty straight forward stuff to learn like anything else but I am for trying something new that will accelerate my learning. Thank you for the info

[@Parkwaymania]

This is really cool Kaitlyn and I'm really looking forward to checking out your course. Self taught 40 year guitar player here (learned chords first) and then learned music theory through high school band and I've ALWAYS wanted to learn keyboard. You give me hope!

[@victoza9232]

@Parkwaymania How did you learn those chords and theory? With books? If so, you're not self-taught. The authors of those books were your teachers.

[@julieswank5952]

I am an adult "too long" learner. Definitely chords are more fun than the old-school practice . I too, have tried many you tubes and am so happy to have found yours. Thank you Kaitlynn.

[@pianoly]

Thank you, Julie! I'm glad my program is helping you. :)

[@marienorden8455]

Hi lovely lady. I'm 68yrs and for the last couple of years wanted to learn but felt i was too old , but a couple of friends said you're never too old and it helps to not get something like dementia. I lead worship at my church with guitar(self taught) but didn't learn how to read music. A lady i know is a music teacher and i went round to see what she does, then the next day I found you on YT and so glad i did because i just want to learn how to play worship at home fast, so I've not had lessons from her now.Thankyou so much. Im retired now and have plenty of time to practice. The only thing is she said just get a 61key keyboard which I've just bought.😮

[@ethicalhackerwhitehat]

using Synthesia, I learned in just 6 months. Download your favorite music as MIDI file and just practice. It naturally comes, muscle memory gets it eventually. I'm 41

[@anonglakmoonwicha2726]

I knew I wanted to learn when I was about 8... but I started at 31... studied (classical) with a teacher for 7 years then went abroad and had a long absence from piano. Started again around 55, and it was great how I could recall everything I'd learned... went for some years just doing that, until I realised I needed a teacher again. Now I've been studying with a teacher for about 3 years... I can amuse myself with the piano all day long, but I'd say it's going to be something I'm learning as long as I live... and I love it.

[@PlatinumVanguard]

36. I took private lessons (classical training) from the age of 8-14, then I barely touched a piano for about 25 years. I was looking to get back into it a few years ago, and I got a really good recommendation from a coworker. I just started right back up pretty much where I left off, and I've been learning ever since continuing with mostly the same type of music (baroque/classical/romantic eras sprinkled with some contemporary). It worked out great considering my existing understanding was already pretty solid.

[@Gretchenbrooke]

Wow that described my exact experience in private classes. Lol it did feel like child’s play! I wanted to claw my eyes out lol. I started just learning on KZbin my favorite songs and really started to memorize and pick up and learn CHORDS and now I learn much faster. You are correct on this! Thank you for articulating it for me 😊

[@cafolaadee5920]

I’m 17 so i don’t know why i watched this video

[@ChrisBrunger]

Yeah, come back when you are 18

[@freeflyer6170]

LOL….Best comment yet.

[@cafolaadee5920]

@@ChrisBrunger I'm 18

[@matt8637]

You watched it to be reminded to pratice the piano now before you get older.

[@cafolaadee5920]

@@matt8637 good take

[@BleaK1211]

I am an adult learner, about 5 months in. I have been taking private lessons. I see your point about "Marry Had a Little Lamb", however I think you can't run before you learn how to walk so I wanted to learn music in addition to piano so I can eventually just pick up any music and play it without any issue. A gradual progress from very easy to difficult with the help of a teacher makes more sense to me.

[@trickyfocus]

I started 3 years ago with "London Bridge is falling down" Im doing Beethoven now & Pink Floyd stick with it and it will all fall into place keep practicing & scales is a must

[@Genevieve8002]

I agree with you. If you want to learn well, I think it’s important to learn a good foundation of fundamentals. I’ve been learning for about 18 months now. I take weekly lessons, I’ve passed my grade 1, my teacher has taught me about sight reading, music theory, developing technique, reading music, playing classical pieces for my level - I’m enjoying my journey and my progress.

[@user-mr6xp6nk7q]

You never stop learning or improving. You can't just "learn it".

[@andreasmaier5361]

So true what you say about learning with a classical piano teacher. Three years ago when I started as a 63 year old man I took in total 20 hrs piano lessons with a professional teacher. It costs me a huge amount of money and he wanted to continue giving me lessons. Why? Because he has seen in me a gold mine. After these 20 hours I decided to walk alone. And yes. It works for me so far great. I like to play Burgmueller and Czerny. First I search a piece from them on youtube. Listen to it and than I start practising it by myself. I am aware that I will never become a concert pianist. But this was never my intention. The intention was from the very first beginning to play for myself. Having fun. Having a relaxation time at the piano. And so far it works perfectly for me.

[@phyllisgordon6577]

I like your strategy. I am beginning to think I don't want to pay anymore to learn. I just want to fulfill my lifelong passion of playing for fun and relaxation.

[@pianoly]

Glad you've found something that works for you!

[@JD-72191]

I took about 1.5 years of lessons years ago but I could never practice consistently because I owned a business, worked 60 hrs/wk and was busy raising children. After taking an early retirement over a year ago I decided I would resume playing the piano for fun and pleasure, just like you explained. I had virtual lessons for about 6 months but ultimately I decided to go it alone. I had the basics like posture, hand positioning, and reading music down. With so many resources on the internet like KZbin I learn so much. I even tried a few trial periods of online music courses like Pianote, etc. At this point I feel like I practice 2-3 hours/day and I can progress slowly to where I can eventually play intermediate to some advanced pieces. But I choose my own music. I have already improved a great deal over the last year and having a ball with it. At the age of 57 that’s all that matters to me. Good luck on your continued progress in piano!

[@michellemonet4358]

Thats the key. Play for you...unless of course you want to be a concert pianist. I believe learning on your OWN is fine....Many pianists are self taught. Elton? Ray Charles? Stevie?

[@michellemonet4358]

3 years ago at age 58 I "Taughr" myaelf by studying the bqsics on KZbin. I am writing a Broadway Muaical and now I bappily feel I can not only sing the songs but.play all the puano and string parts! No better feeling!

[@philipwalker3066]

Started learning piano later in life and your videos have been very helpful - Thank you. Just signed up for the Accelerator training.

[@5dayslater]

I’ve been playing drums nearly my entire life and would love to move my rhythm over to piano to enjoy some pretty chords. It’s very difficult to start over on an instrument being so tenured with drumming. This video helps as an adult trying to learn a new instrument! Thank you!

[@grassrootspiano]

I think the real beauty of learning piano and music is A journey that never stops. The longer you wanna learn the better you play and enjoyment Increases :-) best of luck to everyone

[@pianoly]

So true!

[@bobbyw5877]

agreed!

[@bradsmithstudios8881]

I’m 39 and started 2 months ago after inheriting my mom’s grand piano. Doing the faber books on my own and am 4 books in. I’ve played guitar/bass/drums for 30 years, played in bands, and recorded albums, so the progress initially was super fast. I’m now hitting a point where the curve is slowing and it’s taking more work to progress at the same rate. A little frustrating, but I’m up for it, and I’m disciplined enough to power through the silly songs I don’t like, and I love every second. It’s giving me a whole new perspective on music and I’m actually learning to read notation! I am approaching it with original compositions as my goal.

[@davidhall7275]

I've been taking lessons from a French concert pianist since I turned 73--four months ago. I think already knowing guitar and chords is an advantage. Whatever process one uses, learning something new is great fun.

[@roddelfernando]

I learned to play 1st by learning how to read sheets, memorizing chords, and finally scales. With these three everybody will learn fast. Did everything on my own since teenager

[@raphaelswaran510]

These are such great insights! Thank you for sharing! Subbed!

[@jessicanovack3448]

I began learning the piano at 27. Its been nearly 1.5 years since I started. I first started by using an app and KZbin for the first year, but after awhile I wasn't progressing as I was wanting to. Sure I was able to play normal songs, but I was lacking in many areas. I decided to find a place that does piano lessons and honestly I don't regret it at all. At first, yes I was playing simple songs with their "piano for adults" book series they use. But learning the real basics will go a long way. Understanding rhythm, timing, expression and some theory will help those who really want to learn piano. I've learned so much in the past few months since I started going to piano lessons for 30 minutes once a week and I have progressed A LOT. Finding the right teacher is also important. They need to be able to analyze your strengths and weaknesses as well as working with you to play pieces. My instructor during every session asks what I want to go over and gives me choices of songs to learn all while analyzing the song, teaching basics and going through their 'piano for adults" book.

[@MartianTom]

Started at age 19. Gave up again at 26 having reached Grade 3. Took it up again at 60. 64 now and playing at Grade 6. I've turned things on their head and am learning quicker as I get older!

[@kpec3]

Just play against Spotify playlists. Focus on playing by ear, by feel. When you find something you can't play, stop and figure it out, add it to your daily routine.

[@BassFunMusic]

Never heard music this good in a while! 🎵👏💖 You guys are nailing it!

[@rhn6075]

as someone who cares more about classical music, I think traditional private classes are still the way

[@pianoly]

Yes, I believe that is true for people who want to learn classical music.

[@guylivesay8330]

Thanks for this video. I've played for 30ish years, always played very simple fill-ins and add-to stuff, accompanying great musicians. Joined my old group about 2 years ago after a 15 year separation, and was kinda ashamed of how little talent I had. KZbin videos have helped me tremendously with different scales(blues/minor), hand independence, speed, left hand patterns, and more. I've got miles to go, but can now see real progress over the weeks.

[@MikeM91320]

Hi, like many others, I am an adult leaner and started just prior to my 62nd birthday last December. I mostly started to compliment my trumpet playing and have not taken any private piano lessons. I first followed along with another KZbinr who taught using a begginer book and then came across another KZbin channel that had great hand coordination exercises and used Chords as a major part of teaching. Just came across your page and enjoying so far.

[@FancyPelicanRL]

I am currently 25yo, my parents made my sister and I take lessons when we were younger, and I think that was ultimately where my interest in it quickly met it's demise. I was in private lessons for a few years, progressing at a fairly average rate, training classically, doing the scales, etudes, and pieces. It was clear to see I wasnt really finding much enjoyment in it. I stopped around suzuki book 5, and since hadn't had much interaction with the piano whatsoever. However, this was not the end of music for me, as I discovered orchestra, and went on to play through middle school, high school, college, and even to this day. 15 years later after thinking I'd sworn off the piano for good in my early childhood, I have a newfound passion for playing what I WANT to play, which I can usually do through a short hour or so session of playing a melody by ear and figuring out the chords to go with it. I've recently especially fallen in love with jazz style piano, and gone down many a youtube rabbit hole to learn what I can about the various chord progressions and improvisation techniques, and I'm having an absolute blast doing it! For the time being, playing piano my way finally feels right to me for once, and while I'm not sure I'll ever pursue lessons or formal training again, what's most important is that I'm finding genuine enjoyment in it☺️ Thanks for the insightful video!

[@belenlg5978]

I teach a mix of both methods. I usually dedicate half of the class to teaching a new song with chords and then they are so happy they are open to make the effort and do a little of a more traditional class, using for example the John Thompson books

[@MichaelSimony]

Thank you for a great video. I have tried the first two, you mentioned.

[@amandaforshort]

100% agree on learning chords first for any method. Then you can recognize notes when reading as groups rather than individual. Its like chords are words and notes are letters (I mean they are but you know) It really makes everything easier.

[@Blokfluitgroep]

Nice analogy!

[@golden-63]

So true.

[@therenaissanceredneck8825]

Can you recommend a book on learning cords? Thanks.

[@Thanksimadeit]

I have been watching a ton of videos on KZbin related to music theory and piano, no books though. You can do it! And once you understand how the notes are spaced out for example A minor vs A Major, you understand all the chords.

[@therenaissanceredneck8825]

@@Thanksimadeit thanks! Happy Holidays!!!

[@enriquenietojr5452]

Hello Kaitlyn; This is my first day in learning to play the piano, I have been watching your programs on Adult beginners, and I am working with finger tone and movement. I gave myself a fifthteen minute program twice a day in order to get finger tone. I will work a little more the next time with some of your routines. Thanks for the concern. E. Nieto, II

[@drtrovet5383]

Now..I learn piano lessons you teach on you tube.just .chords and rhythms and then I can play and sing my favorite songs.Thank you for your goodness.

[@huntarius1172]

If you you think it will take too long to learn a new skill you have 2 options: Don’t start, and the same amount of time will pass anyway with nothing to show for it, or start now knowing that future you will be glad you did.

[@user-sl3dm3mu7r]

I’m 19 and started at 18. December 15th 2022. I was extremely persistent with it from anywhere between 2 hours to 8 hours a day. Self taught from KZbin videos etc. I started COMPLETELY from scratch, no music experience, Theory, technique, nothing. . I always wanted to play from memory and NOT from sheet music. Like those public pianist kind of stuff. I never learned happy birthday or Mary had a little lamb or anything, my first song I learned was interstellar but only chords and a few arpeggios, not the super famous one but a more simpler one. . As of now almost 1 year later I learned to Play -interstellar (simplified) -La la land theme -Comptine D’un Autre Ete -gymnopedie no. 1 - where is my mind - Penn ar roc’h - rue des trois freres - moon river - Je te lasserai de mots -most of canon in D (current piece) Keep in mind I haven’t master e music theory or have the ability to improvise yet. I can just play those songs but I still struggle with music theory, chords, etc. so within the first year you can play songs but it’s hard to understand the music. . In my opinion the first year the hardest pieces you can play assuming you start completely from scratch is either Claire de lune or Chopin waltz in C sharp Monroe. But the more you are able to play songs the faster you learn songs. But these are the songs I can play from memory. With sheet music you can usually play through a song much faster as a beginner, but you also struggle to play through memory. I don’t list the songs I can play through, I listed the songs I could play from any moment beginning to end.

[@gopikrishnan3976]

Can you tell me your method of learning. I tried learning some songs from youtube tutorials and it felt really difficult at times.

[@larryfer4526]

Yes! Took private lessons also ordered self study,now youtube. I agree your advice on lead sheets I actually picked up a couple of books with the self study I ordered and I am on board with learning that way. Thank you 😊

[@vic6695]

Wow, I'm glad I found you! I'm 66 and have been taking lessons for 3&1/2 years. I've completed the Alfred Adult series and am currently on level 4 of Snell, which I find kind of tedious. I really like my teacher and we're getting into using a fake book, but I'm still not playing the music I really want to play... older popular tunes and jazz standards. I don't think I want to continue into the next level of Snell since I really don't like the music much. I'm going to ask him if, after I finish level 4, we can concentrate on chords and lead sheets. He is starting me on improvisation. Do you think that sounds like a good idea?

[@Polksalad615]

Great advice, thx❤

[@dean3tuns]

I have been learning? For a while, but I think that your tutorials are easy to follow. I own a bar in England and all I want to be able to do is to host a sing song playing regular tunes that people can sing along to, and also to play some carols at a Christmas

[@ivanmarchany7404]

Hi: I'm 68 years old and commenced piano lessons 4 years ago. I commenced with an instructor who teach me how to read music, how to use the fingers and have played many songs that are not familiar to me. But I developed the agility to read, play the notes in the piano on so on. I already have the song sheets of the music I really want to play. Therefore to me was quite important to learn how to play the piano by reading song sheets. Then , I commenced on my own learning from many videos on you tube. finally, I commenced learning chords and so far I have been practicing about 70 chords. the real challenge has been to memorize all of them. I do practice at least 2 hours 3 to 4 days a week. I prepared a spread sheet outlining all of the warm up exercises, study material, my repertory and the new songs I'm learning. However, it has taken me a lot of effort to easily play these chords. I used the Alfred method to learn how to play the piano and I'm about (95%) to finish the advanced level. Do you think I'm on the right track lo develop my skills on the piano? It appears to me that I would need to practice 5 to 6 days a week for at least 4 hours to get to the level I need to play the songs that I like. The genres I'm currently playing are pop and salsa. Would you please provide to me feedback? Thanks a lot. Ivan

[@annmatteson6547]

I took traditional lessons years ago, I love playing classical music. But, I also love playing music with lead sheets, they work great! You can use both! Thanks for your great info!

[@dougnickerson]

I started with a few private lessons where I learned scales and a few pieces from Mikrokosmos . Then I tried various jazz books - many of them the style with the chord on the lh and the melody or improvisation in the right hand. Although I could ply songs , I wanted to put more into an arrangement, different ways to employ chords and melodies in both the rh and left hand and left hand . I returned to private lessons for a year - I agree it would take me a lot longer to finish that Chopin prelude and the Bach invention - but private lessons do help a lot 😀

[@linzkirk]

Totally agree with you. I started playing piano in December 22 on my 50th. I had had one piano lesson years ago and really didn't get on with it because of sheet music. Im heavily dyslexic, I can't read English very well so sheet music was a no. In lockdown I learnt guitar, loads of music theory, improvising, soloing etc. i'm now playing at open mic's. So starting on piano I used the same approach, and a lot of transferable knowledge. With Piano I started with the key of C. Playing a C major the moving it up to D minor and so on. I realised that if the chord exists in the word "Dead" it would be a minor chord eg. D minor and A minor apart from B Diminished. Once I figured that there are so many song in that diatonic chord set. I started with "Let it Be", a song I love and in that key. But that was just the beginning. I have learnt other chords and scales, composed my own pieces, improvised and learnt one of my favourite piano pieces, Comptine d'un autre été (from Amelie) . You tube has been a great teacher, but I needed to figure out my own road map. One really important thing is to have your piano out, set up ready at all times. Every time I have 10 mins spare I will play as its just calls out at me. Just found your Chanel and im looking forward to trying some lessons. ive subscribed

[@waltobringer2928]

Thank you yet again!

[@saucecav6933]

At 75, I became a Utube follower, but until I heard your specifics and the chords are not just straight forward; they need to be learned (you used a specific term), sounded deminished, but maybe not. I have never seen anyone discuss a "second" chord pattern to memorize. Kutos to you. I am really impressed with your planner, as well. You mentioned a way to know what needs to be addressed right away; but I need to look at it and PLAN! Because I play and put everyone to sleep, I will be calling your staff to see what they recommend for me. When my ears hear a beautiful sound, my fingers want to sit awhile and take the moment in!! Thank you for being so specific. Your knowledge is evident. Don't give too much away; make us work for it*!*

[@delhibill]

I taught myself the basics of the guitar way too many years ago and am still a decent rhythm player, so starting the keyboard with chords and lead sheets was natural. Making good progress after little over a year. Good to hear this is a sound approach. :)

[@claude5125]

I am an adult. I began to play the piano 12 years ago. I practise 90 min per day, almost 7 days/week… piano is a passion for me. Since 3 years, i also play clarinet ( it help me also to play the piano). Since the beginning i have a teacher. I had 3. The last one is my teacher since 5 years. I use KZbin to go deeper in a specific subject. With KZbin, impossible to have direct feedback. Lead Sheet, i really like. With lead sheet, you could play the same song differently… it will follow your progression… BUT, i noticed that piano teachers are less able to teach « impro » of the lead sheet if their background is classical. If they studied in Jazz/popular, it is a lot more natural fit. Once you know chords and the most popular progression eg. 2-5-1, etc, you will not only play the music, but make music…

[@DesertRat332]

Didn't start studying piano until 7 years ago. I'm in my 70s now. For some reason I enjoy playing songs more on the guitar than on the piano. On the piano I enjoy working on my scales, inversions, arpeggios, and hand independence. I especially enjoy trying to learn to read two clefs at once. It's like deciphering a code. It's rewarding the few times the hands just seem to know what to do by themselves. But, I like your chord method. It's how I learned guitar as a young man, and probably why I fall back on it to play songs.

[@holgerzywicki3080]

Im 57 and started learning piano in January 23. I take private lessons and my teacher uses the same method you suggest. I really enjoy it. Of course you have to practice. I'm still looking forward to every lesson.

[@peterpandaluki6663]

In my childhood, I trained in classical piano. It was so exciting that I took up guitar and dropped piano. To me, the chords approach makes sense and is much more fun.

[@rik-keymusic160]

Long, it’s an infinite journey… you’ll never master the piano because there is so much to learn !

[@user-nq3qh5qy3s]

This is incredible advice!!

[@Brisbanetinnyadventures]

Love your humour!😊 Thanks for the tips!

[@pianoly]

Thank you and thanks for watching!

[@roberthaakell-xl6ln]

You've nailed all the videos topics the most helpful channel

[@FriendofWigner]

You hit the nail on the head regarding method books. When I got into Ukulele, I didn't even bother with 'lessons'; I just watched YT vids and bought song books with chords. I have some method books for Piano, but I never got more than half-way through them because the songs were all old public domain pieces, half of which I have never heard before. This is true for all the instruments I have studied (sax, piano, guitar, and harmonica). I have actually found a couple books I plan on working with; Ukulele Aerobics and Piano Aerobics. They basically have simple daily exercises to teach you chords, scales, playing patterns, etc. That way I can practice the fundamentals, and then spend the rest of my practice sessions working on songs that were written since the advent of sound recording, or just noodling around. To be fair, I spent four years playing sax, plus a year of piano, in school, so I already know how to read treble clef. The bass clef is what gives me grief; I got if figured out, but I can't read it in real time.

[@uwegenosdude]

Thank you very much for this video and all the other videos too. Learning just chords sounds for me as if learning to play an arranger keyboard could also be a good way making a lot of fun. Am I right? I have all the backing tracks (styles) and can even playing very cool chords using AI fingered more or advanced mode.

[@jeromejablonski4322]

I started self teaching…..moved to app learning….then private lessons with an instructor. My issue is the length of time it takes to learn songs. This was very helpful and I’m looking forward to trying it out with some of my favorite songs. Thanks.

[@jbentonio]

I agree with you that KZbin can be a great reference for tricks or techniques or exploring a new topic and that it isn’t a good long-term solution. There are many channels I follow (including yours!), but without a program and time spent actually PRACTICING, KZbin can really just be a distraction. Excited to check out your course!

[@ronald3836]

For a while I needed KZbin tutorials to get visual proof that humans can in fact play these sequences of notes. Now it seems I have gotten a lot better at figuring out fingerings myself 🙂

[@mysticjoe295]

I agree. I’m a bass/guitar player and started with online lessons, but got bored quickly and “instinctively” started learning scales then moved to chords. More fun and more progress. I am trying a few private lessons and see if that helps within the context of what I’m doing. Will also check you your offerings -thanks!

[@user-cf1zy2hh2w]

Thank you, good advice, wish I'd seen this a year ago. By trial and error, I had come to the same conclusions myself! Happy now with learning Burt Bacharach's chords.

[@pablopazmino7860]

Thank you very much, greetings from a new subscriber!

[@PanteRan]

I loved what you did with the c major in your last lesson...im less into songs and more into shapes that can improve my control on scales

[@neilhawkins1212]

Never had private lessons, self teaching from watching KZbin. What i learned very quickly is that you can overload yourself from watching too much KZbin. The only way to learn the piano is to play the piano. For every 5 minutes of watching KZbin I put in at least 15 minutes of playing and that, as an adult learner, is starting to pay off. Question is Kaitlyn, which path did you take to get where you are now?

[@thebuggy736]

What would recommend as a first keyboard on the budget? Thank you.

[@LearnCompositionOnline]

I started with 18. Painful, but possible. But need a lot of talent, passion, and right professional choices principally. Later i became employed church pianist in Salzburg.

[@TMAJGATB]

Yes, that‘s exactly how I approached it (the third way). It is really efficient and most importantly fun. Still there are great lessons on KZbin, especially for intermediate players 👍🏻

[@DailyOwO]

Thank you teacher! I've been looking for where I can learn to play for days.

[@1DumbSquirrel]

I just started playing this morning, and i can play and read sheet music already. Yah im kind a genuine genius

[@flyurway]

Very amusing, really got a kick out of your antics here. I've been playing longer than you've been alive, yet I am STILL The World's Slowest Music Reader! Over 60 years of "reading" music and no one is worse at it than I am!! From Beethoven to Liszt, Rachmininoff, more recently, ragtime, and I'll spend months deciphering each and every little black dot in a pathetic stupor of frustration. I just stick with it to the last page. Chords are easy, but improvisation has mystified me forever, I understand reading music better than I'll ever understand improvisation!

[@fourtweven]

I just finished giving a 13 week piano class at my church and had a similar approach. I taught chords first and then worked on theory. I had 2 students and they've both come a long way. When I was learning, I had a lot of other beginners get on to me for not knowing a lot of the stuff they did theory wise but fast forward some years, I either play a lot better or they simply don't play anymore.

[@Eric-Marsh]

I'm 70. I've taken a shot at the piano a few times in the past but never made it far. Now that I'm retired I have the time and the interest to make a more serious effort. I had a teacher for a little while. He quickly pushed me towards some simple composition and improvisation. I felt that was going too fast - I wasn't even hitting the keys correctly many times. Also, I do want to learn to read music so that I can work off the sheet. To a certain extent I have a type A personality and perhaps my eyes are bigger than my stomach, I would try to learn classical music that was too complex for me. But I have decided that rather than just trying to barge ahead I should slow down, focus on my weak points and create a solid foundation that I can build upon. So I've backed all the way to practicing scales and I just started the Hanon book. Doing this it's easy to see my progress and that gives me the satisfaction I need to stay with it. But there's another aspect to this too. Realistically, at my age I'm not very likely to master any complex works. Rather than setting myself up for failure I reevaluated my goals and decided that a good strategy is to simply spend time with the piano and have fun. Often the road itself is more important than the destination. I bought Logic Pro and have a Macbook Air with Logic Pro dedicated to music. I'm piping MIDI from my Roland FP30 to Logic and I'm leaning about the synths that are available. That is a major undertaking in itself but I think it's fun from a creative aspect. I had a friend in a local band ask me if I want to play with them. He gave me some rock music with a bunch of chords to play. Frankly I think that it's boring but I do spend a little time on that music too. I have learned the basic chords with inversions for a couple songs but would really be interested in playing something more complex than that. One example I'm tinkering with is the Door's Riders On The Storm. It has some nice piano work. I need better sheet music for that song though. I continue to evaluate what I'm having difficulty with and try to work on my weak points. I'm finding that a number of things simply require repetition to build muscle memory. That's OK, I have time. But I have found that I am doing better at going straight from the sheet to playing after a few readings. I think that's significant progress.

[@GonzoTheRosarian]

This came up on my feed as I am looking for a program to learn the piano. I took lessons as a child but found lessons boring and, though I like classical music, what I really like is playing ballads, jazz and RELAX. The Minuet in G by Bach was not particularly relaxing not what I wanted to play, so sadly, I abandoned it (it was also before the time of portable keyboards and once I left for college finding a piano to practice on was difficult). Now as an older adult I want to give it a go again, your approach seems what I have been looking for!

[@Craig_Tucker48]

Oof, you have just described my private weekly 30 min lesson journey and experience. Finding time to practice every day with a busy full time job is hard, particularly when the songs you have to focus on are uninteresting. Very hard to motivate yourself and then you feel guilty. I finally was recommended Prelude in C major this week, and because that song is so beautiful and not too complicated, I have been finding myself practicing way more and it not feeling like a chore. I will keep up with what I am doing, but thank you for finding the root of what was bothering me and how to combat it!

[@robford3211]

@craig _tucker Motivation just does not go far enough and is easy extinguished . Learn a 15 minute habit everyday and in a year you could be playing an hour or more everyday just as a habit no motivation required

[@worldclass777]

I take from a private piano teacher and absolutely love it. So there.

[@kaleimaile]

What advice do you have for an intermediate/advanced player? I learned Mary Had A Little Lamb when I was 5 years old. I had theory and played classical till age 14. I didn’t fool around with the piano again till age 18 and taught myself chords. I actually never saw a KZbin video on how to play and I would not recommend those videos b/c ppl would pick up bad habits. I am planning on going back to private lessons b/c I want to be able to pick up a piece and play it as soon as I see it. My friend was impressed that I could take a piece and play it with both hands. I want to get to the really hard stuff.

[@johnwebb4499]

Took me 3 years with help from YT. (I can play any song now) No private lessons. Didn't spend a dime.

[@drproton85]

Been playing for 2 years now, self taught. Me? 10 months. I tracked my hours. One hour per day Sun - Fri, 2 - 4 hours on Saturdays. Today I'm very affluent with playing the piano. I also am the pianist at my local congregation. However now I want to learn to read sheet music while I play so I can play every hymn out of any hymnal so that's will be accomplished by December of 2024.

[@Glenowan]

I went with traditional method for about 6 months. It's not the fastest and tests my patience at times but knowing how to read is so valuable that I can pick up from where I left off a few years later and make solid progress. I agree with learning chords first, they are much easier to learn than the traditional approach. That's what worked for my friends who wanted to pick it up.

[@Sevennotespiano]

All videos are very good with easy methods of teaching piano.

[@ckatheman]

I had some experience as a teenage with keyboard/piano but the lessons were all hyper focused on sight reading, and I couldn't grasp it, switched to guitar as a result. Returned to piano at age 45 or so (about 4 years ago), and hammered music theory into my brain as it pertained to the instrument, not dots on a page (to understand what I was playing and why) and then just picked tutorial songs off of KZbin. No sheet music needed. Via that method I found I was able to learn just about any any pop rock song I wanted and play it well, arranged how I like and fully retained in memory - a huge repertoire in a short period of time. And not easy stuff - some of the more difficult Elton John, Billy Joel, Steely Dan, Bruce Hornsby etc... Being free from reliance on printed music was so huge, personally. Now I enjoy it with no stress. All I need at most is a chord chart from one of the guitar sites and can fill in all the rest - but most times I can just figure it out myself (it just is quicker if I have the chord chart - I do not have perfect pitch...). Granted, I did have some previous experience in my teens (and another instrument) but the progress I made in the last few years as a middle aged adult is staggering.

[@PiriyaSambandaraksa]

The approach holds true in many fields. I used to learn classical piano, classical guitar and alsways scoffs at my friends who only play chords without 'proper training.' Guess who gave up first? lol. Now in my thirties, I've taken up re learning a lot of things the way my friends were doing in our childhood years and that is to just enjoy the process. No kiddie song, stuff like fundamentals can come in later once you have a grasp of what you are doing and it'll make much more sense.

[@backtoschool1611]

I am self taught, and I learned amost of these skills taught in treditional Lessons playing songs I ENJOYED. I did not have a "lesson book", I used my choir music, Wee Sing books, encyclidedias, etc. I nearly lost it all when I went to music school. I really do believe the TEACHER is just as important as the "method" uaed!!! You can have a wounferful treditional music lesson experiance with the right teacher!!

[@niinakukkonen7728]

Good video. I had tried to learn piano all of tree of them. I started about age of 11 (yes, as a child) - my sister had been piano lessons and she teached me to play right hand and later on I started to learn play chords and add them to piece. Later I started learning the left hand notes by my self. Later I have taking piano lessons, it were good, I think I needed it, because I never learned to play right on the sheet. I had took at KZbin some tips. After a while I have noticed that good practise is everything, but practice isnt use if You playing wrong all the way. Thats why private lessons are important, but I would started first on my own, so You can see yourself what do want with piano.

[@SeniorEliteStrike]

I'm in love. Subbed

[@Robertrdggarcia]

Hi hi I really like your videos very good of you to share your knowledge with us. Thanks very much👍🙏 I had tried learning the piano exactly how you stated it here the traditional way but as you said it's too slow and boring will take forever to learn. My goal is to learn exactly how you're explaining in your videos and play by ear that way I should be able to learn much faster with practice. Keep up your wonderful job take care and be safe👍😉🤗

[@adriankanis8107]

I like you approach to learning the piano . I’m very interested in learning. But I love classical music.

[@axelnnz]

So true. I was at level 0 and I started with private lessons but didn't work, after 4 months I quit without learning not much at all. In retrospective I reckon the teacher didn't knew how to approach adult teaching either, although he was a musician and did his best. Trying to read the music notation was a real pain and not seeing progress was really frustrating. I did played guitar on my own and after some time I did learned major scales and discovered chords, sequences, etc and that was a breakthrough that reopened curiosity for piano too.

[@robertgainer2783]

Learning chords will accelerate progress initially, but it will only take you so far. The traditional method will be very slow initially, but will give much greater facility when it comes to advanced playing later on.

[@keyboardheuvelrug]

Hi Kaitlyn, I'm a private piano teacher in the Netherlands, but my lessons aren't dull at all. Most of my students play their favorite songs within weeks or even in the first lesson. I adapt my lessons to the students that visit me. Some want to learn traditional notation (and are good at it), some play completely by ear and everything in between (e.g. youtube Synthesia movies etc.). So whether or not adult private lessons are boring, it completely depends on the teacher :-).

[@robynferguson4070]

As a piano teacher of almost 30 years,I agree! Many teachers are wonderful at tailoring lessons to the individual ( adult or child). Enjoying the piano as fundamentals are learned is absolutely possible! Getting to know each student and being flexible helps teachers find the best ways to bring joy into lessons. There are so many options!

[@paulkramer7844]

I began piano lessons in 1959 and quit in 1964 after the piano teacher chronically assigned me music I didn't like -- so in 1971, I bought sheet music of Beehoven sonatas and Chopin polonaises, and learned on my own, mainly during vacation time during my student years. I took up piano again (and flute) in 1998, after a 20 year hiatus, but in 2004, a hand injury forced me to quit. I began piano again in 2019, relearning some of the Beethoven, Brahms, Mozart, Schubert & Mendelssohn pieces I learned earlier, and began one by one seven more Mozart sonatas. I am focusing now mainly on Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms & Bach. I still cannot play as well as I did in 1976 and in 2004, but my steady progress indicates it won't be too long before I can play well again.

[@josephvhoang]

Thank you For the Advice. Wishi ng You Seccess.

[@santodomingo1605]

While it is never too late to learn playing the piano the real question is what level of competence is attainable for an adult beginner? A young adult will make better progress than a mature adult: the older the adult, the lower the ceiling of competence. The reason for this is twofold. Firstly the brain as it ages loses neural plasticity. With a younger person neural pathways are created, altering the brain. These pathways become permanently fixed. I see this when taking on new adult tutees who have retired and might not have touched the piano for forty years or more but reached a reasonable standard in their youth. Within four to six weeks they can be back to that same standard and can even extend their competence a little. By contrast, a person the same age who has no established neural pathways will not be able to create new ones required for any real level of competence. This does not mean that they cannot play anything - it just means that they will reach a low ceiling of competence beyond which further development cannot take place. Proper coordination of the hands - let alone moving hands to new positions - becomes laboured and practise will make little or no difference as neural pathways connected to movement are not being created. Secondly, as one ages proprioception (fundamental to any sort of kinaesthetic learning) starts to diminish. That fact explains why elderly people suffer falls. As well as affecting reaction times it also affects digital representation in the brain. Mature tutees slowly process each note in turn and have to look down for visual confirmation that they are sounding the right key with the right finger. I’m reminded of a gentleman I’ve been ‘teaching’ since 2017 who started as a beginner aged 71. His level of competence was reached after about a year and he has not progressed beyond pre-grade levels since although he enjoys lessons. A boy who started the same year and is now fifteen is working towards an associate diploma having passed Grade 8 piano with a high merit earlier this year. In short, anyone at any age can learn to play something on the piano, but one has to be realistic about what can be achieved.

[@myapinion7532]

Yip, l'm 67 and can remember at age 13, after two years of piano lessons, that l was just beginning to really sound good and was probably almost ready for my first exam. I really regret giving it up. I always thought that it was just the confidence of youth. Now l'm trying to get back into it, but progress in learning to sight read is unbelievably slow. It's so frustrating. So many on here though with the same story. Reading comments on other yt channels from adult learners, I sometimes wonder why so many of us feel this same draw at the same age. 😊

[@santodomingo1605]

Has it never occurred to you that almost all professional musicians started learning their instrument as children? The definition of belief, meanwhile, is to accept that something is true, especially without proof. If your teacher 'believes' that kinaesthetic learning, proprioception and neural plasticity is unaffected by age which poses no limits on improvement then she defies the facts of science. As for my own teaching - it’s up to mature tutees to decide whether they continue, but all those who started learning in their 60s, 70s and 80s are realistic enough to remain content with playing very simple pieces.

[@user-xb3qw9vt6b]

I am officially bummed out now- I’m 64 practice about 1-2 hours a day - started a year ago- I have progressed some but not enough to my liking… this explanation says a lot