7 Ways to Get More Than You Expected Out of Your Piano Lessons
Sadly, results of a study of secondary school students in the UK showed that "about 50% drop out of music lessons and other musical activities by the time they turn 17".
Of course it’s about mastering a technique that will give you a whole toolbox full of transferable skills. But how can you squeeze the most value out of your piano lessons along the way?
1. Find student-centred lessons
You have your own strengths, weaknesses and preferences. A good piano teacher will respect your individuality, to help you reach your full potential.
Before you start lessons, discuss with them what sort of music you actually want to learn to play. Your teacher will keep checking in with you to make sure that you’re still enjoying your pieces.
2. Keep your eyes on the prize
Take time to identify what your motivation is for learning to play. Then communicate that to your teacher. Whenever things get a bit more challenging, you can draw on that motivation to help you keep going. That desire to improve can only come from you.
3. Focus on the benefits
Composers include so many details that a pianist needs to notice: fingering, dynamics, tempo changes, articulation… the list goes on. It might start to feel like your teacher is constantly having to remind you to pay attention to them.
But don’t give up!
Try to remember some of the key skills that this training will give you:
- Patience and perseverance as you allow yourself to make mistakes in order to improve
- Self-discipline as you train yourself to do something you previously couldn’t do, in spite of the challenges
- Developing high standards by working on your attention to detail
- Confidence and a sense of achievement when you can play a piece or perform it to others
4. Put some colour in your musical life
Young learners can often struggle to identify the 'landmark notes'. Thanks to a medieval monk called Guido d'Arezzo, there’s a fun way around this.
He was the one who came up with the idea of five lines on the musical stave. But he would often use coloured lines as a guide to highlight specific notes.
‘If colour is missing … it will be like a well when it does not have a rope.’ *
As a helpful memory tool, it’s an oldie but goodie. And primary-aged students today are giving it enthusiastic feedback:
- "The coloured lines make it easy to find my place"
- "They remind me which keys I should press"
- "They really help me work out what is coming up" **
5. Free your imagination
Composers provide the soundscape, your imagination can fill in the details. When you bring storytelling to your playing, the music becomes more than just notes on a page. It's so much easier to shape a musical phrase against the backdrop of a narrative.
And you are nurturing your creative powers in the process.
"There are 88 keys on a piano and within that, an entire universe."***
For young pianists, finding resources to spark the imagination is key. Ask your teacher about the concept behind "The Piano Forest". It’s just one example of using fantasy to link both colours and characters to the musical notes.
6. Don’t let neurodivergence hold you back
With a little care, the right conditions can be found to bring out the musician in everyone. Discover ways to turn what you thought was a barrier into your musical superpower:
- Focusing on playing the notes on the page accurately rather than rote learning
- Making a clear lesson plan with your teacher to give you reassurance about what’s happening next
- Collaboratively choosing activities to reduce the impact of hyperactivity
- Capitalising on hyperfocus traits to master a single piece of music, rather than splitting your attention across a number of pieces
- Taking your teacher’s advice about which practice methods are best suited to your needs
- Listening to your teacher’s encouragement and constructive feedback to help you keep perspective (this is for you if you’re naturally self-critical or a perfectionist)
7. Celebrate your achievements
Passing exams brings its own reward. But be sure to recognise all the little wins too. While young learners love to earn their reward stickers, students of all ages benefit from regularly acknowledging how far they’ve come.
An ideal way to do this is to perform to an audience whenever possible, such as at a showcase event.
The sound of applause will spur you on as you go back to your practice.
Every learner is unique. If you’re looking for advice about how piano lessons can work around you, please get in touch.
lessonswithsusanna@outlook.com
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