The Keys to Learning Piano as an Adult

Learning how to play the piano as an adult presents some unique challenges as well as some unique rewards.

Some adults return to learning the piano because they took lessons for a few years in childhood and either just lost interest, didn’t like the practicing aspect, or moved away and didn’t find a new teacher. Others have maybe always wanted to learn to play but just never had the opportunity.

Whatever the case may be as to why you as an adult stopped taking piano lessons and never restarted, or just are wondering if you can even learn to play the piano as an adult, find encouragement in the following suggestions as we explore your unique challenges as an adult learner and how to resolve them so you feel excited to start your piano learning.

Believe it or not, adults have more reasons (in their perspective) than most children as to why they didn’t or can’t practice the piano. While it is true that adults are busy and have a lot to do each day, remember that children and teenagers do as well.

• The key to solving this issue is to be very determined to schedule in a practice time each day, or a set number of days each week. It’s just like adding in exercise to your weekly routine only this is exercising at your piano instead of the gym.
• Not only should you be committed to scheduled practice times, show them the same type of work ethic that you do your job or other responsibilities. Take it just as seriously as you do any other thing that you do each day.
• Setting a timer so you know when to stop practicing is a great help as well. The amount of time will really depend on what level you are, but a good starting point is about 30 minutes each time.

Another issue that faces adults when they start to learn the piano is how physically capable they are to play the notes and rhythms in the music. Coordination and dexterity change as we age and adults need to do certain things to help develop these specific things so they won’t be a hindrance to our success.

• One of the best things any adult pianist can do is go slowly. Give your body time to get used to the hand and finger positions required at the keyboard instead of trying to do them too fast. Sometimes an injury can result if we don’t warm up first and play slowly to allow our bodies to wake up to the keyboard.
• Try to learn pieces and etudes in order of difficulty instead of trying to skip ahead to a piece that is too difficult to really learn well. Don’t be hesitant to play one hand at a time too, when you are first learning a new piece, scale, or etude.

One of the most common reasons that I hear from adults in regards to learning the piano is if they are too old to learn or not. Many seniors feel that maybe it is just too late to learn something like playing the piano or they even wonder why do it at their age.

• Not only are you never …ever, ever, ever…too old to learn anything new much less the piano, science has shown that there are many wonderful benefits from doing just this…learning to play the piano! It is good for your mind, body and soul and will enhance your life, not take away from it.
• Establishing small goals will help you achieve more and feel a sense a great accomplishment at what you have learned. There’s no competition with anyone else…just you and the piano.
• Remember to have fun with your learning! Laugh at yourself a bit and take things lighter so you will stay encouraged and look forward to each time you sit down to play.

​In the following video I go over these points in a bit more detail and also answer some questions that were sent in by my own adult students so you can see what others may be dealing with and how we work through those issues together. 

If you like my tips and lessons, you will love the courses over on my website. Whether you are a beginner looking to get a solid foundation to build on or you are looking to take you existing skills to that next level, the online music courses on my website https://www.pianolessonsontheweb.com will help you do just that.