If you have just started learning to play the piano, or you’re looking into signing up some piano lessons for your kids, please be patient with yourself and your kids, and know that-

It takes time to learn to play the piano.

(Or to play an instrument in general)

It seems easier to play the piano at the beginning: you can see all the keys there, there’s no need to find that specific spot for the correct pitch on a string, or tune the instrument before you even play. You can just press a key down and voila there is sound coming out rather perfectly (it’s all relative but still it makes a sound!).

But all those note reading (CDEFG-where are they on the lines??), pitch and rhythm, hand coordination, white keys and black keys (what are sharp and flat again???), lines and spaces (why do right hands and left hands have different notes????)- it gets very confusing and eventually frustrating for many beginners, young or mature.

“So, are you telling me don’t bother learning to play the piano?”

No, not at all.

I’m reminding you to simply be patient with yourself (or your kids). Learning anything new at the beginning is always tough. Think about a new language or a new skill that you’ve tried to learn before- was it frustrating at first? But when you toughed it out and ploughed through at the initial stage, you saw the light – that first victory: it might be the first time you made a decent conversation in another language, or understood what someone was saying; you had a great strike at golf; you had a nice workout without feeling you’re going to pass out.

It’s the same with playing the piano. When you get the first taste of playing something successfully or enjoyably, you know you’ve seen that first light.

Certainly I’m not saying it’s going to be a smooth ride (sorry to burst the bubble here!). There’re always ups and downs in piano playing, just like anything else in life. The truth is, if you stay longer and you like it enough to stay when the ride gets tough, you will be able to enjoy the smooth part and get better at the piano.

There’s always a better and more efficient way of practicing and improving at the piano. You just have to be aware and creative about it.

Have fun playing!