The Many Ways to Learn Piano

I have known many people who play piano and have discovered many different ways in which they have learned what they know. In truth, there is a variety of learning methods out there and most are influenced by the person’s musical goals. Children tend to do what their parents want them to do (well, not all the time), including taking piano lessons.

Then are many adults who learned to play from another family member who was able to teach them one or two songs or a few chords to put with a limited number of songs. Then there are people who find they have ability and want to pursue it in a more academic fashion, taking privately for many years, continuing towards degrees in college or university and making a career of it.

The interesting paradox is that you don’t have to have an academic degree to have a career in music. I remember reading an interview from rock star, Frank Zappa, a few years ago. After being a highly paid musician for many years, he stated that he has always wanted to learn to read music. This was very disconcerting to me and many of my music education colleagues as we struggled to live and breathe music in its many forms every day and will probably not make in our lifetime what Zappa made in one year. Sad, dissapointing… but yet, there it is.

I would classify the various ways of learning music (from a teacher) in the following ways:

1. Classical/Traditional Approach: Starts at the very beginning, playing carefully sequenced pieces that illustrate each musical concept. It’s a balanced curriculum exploring quality repertoire, keyboard technique, and music theory (reading music). This approach takes a while and works well with children who have a few years to invest and for whom music may become a large part of their life, professionally or otherwise.
   
   
2. Chord/Improvisational Approach: This approach contains a minimum of music theory, mostly so your right hand can read the melodies in printed music. This student will spend time building up their repertoire of chords, mainly for left hand playing to accompany right hand melodies. Though not the method for aspiring concert pianists, one can learn to play some non-classical songs in just a few weeks learning this way. It’s a great addition to a person’s day who wants to put more music in their life.

The problem with option 2 is that most piano teachers do not teach that way. One noted piano pedagogue (person known for their teaching methodologies) called it the “black hole of piano teaching.” I may be one of the rare teachers who does teach both options and I actually like to provide a blend of both approaches for all students - children and adults.

In the end, we learn music so it can influence and enrich our lives. Since we learn in different ways and have different musical goals, I think teachers should be prepared to teach music in a “student centered” and not a “teacher centered” approach.