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In this section I've tried to compile a list of typical questions that people might have about piano lessons, with my answers. If you have a question that isn't answered here or elsewhere on these pages, please feel free to drop me a line. Some of the other piano websites also have lists like this one, so you may wish to take a look at the links pages on the right. 

I would like to start my child in music lessons, but I'm not sure which instrument to choose. Are there any specific advantages to the piano over other instruments?

How do I know if my child is ready for piano lessons?

We'd like to start piano lessons, but for the moment we only have a keyboard, is that ok?

Grandma finally died and left us her piano, but it doesn't sound too great--maybe it needs a tuning. How often does the piano have to be tuned, and what other kinds of maintenance does it require?

Do you have any recommendations for beginner books?

I'm an adult and I've always wanted to learn to play the piano, but I'm not sure if I can manage it. Can you give me some idea what it will take, in terms of time and ability?

How much practice time is required?

How do I choose a teacher?

How can I help out with my child's piano practice?

Keeping to a regular, daily practice schedule seems to be quite a challenge. Do you have any advice on this?

I would like to start my child in music lessons, but I'm not sure which instrument to choose. Are there any specific advantages to the piano over other instruments?

If your child is a preschooler, then I would recommend general music classes designed for this age group. The children learn some basic elements of music through games, rhythmic exercises, and singing, and this is a good introduction. They may also have the opportunity to explore different instruments, and if they demonstrate a clear preference then your choice is made. If your child is over six years old, and hasn't shown a preference, then these are some of the considerations you will have. One unfortunate disadvantage of the piano is that it's such a large and heavy object, while the violin, for example, is light and portable. Violins also come in smaller sizes, built especially for children. If these factors aren't a big problem for you, then you may consider some of the advantages of the piano. Foremost among these is its versatility and self-sufficiency. That is, while other instruments require some kind of accompaniment (usually a piano), the piano allows you to play both the melody and harmonic accompaniment together with ease. In fact the piano is also a percussive instrument, and provides the rhythmic component as effectively as the melodic and harmonic ones. Because of this all-round adaptability of the piano, a basic level of keyboard skill is required for anyone wishing to pursue music studies at a higher level. So even if your child decided to take up another instrument later, their pianistic abilities will never go to waste. I could go on, pointing out how many of the great composers were pianists, what a wonderful and varied repertoire the piano has, the many musical styles it accommodates, and so on, but I think these are the main considerations.

How do I know if my child is ready for piano lessons?

Here are a few criteria you may consider: being able to read and say the alphabet, as well as count; being able to remain reasonably still and focus for ten minutes or so at a time; being physically ready to play the keys on the piano (that is, having a large enough hand--this question would normally only arise with very young children). Besides some mental and physical factors, you may try to see if the child shows any interest in music. Have they been exposed to any musical experiences, and do they respond in a favourable manner? Are they drawn to sing along or clap? Have you talked to them about lessons, and what would be expected? Don't forget though that it's not only the child's readiness that must be considered, but the entire family's. The parents must be willing to provide support and make time in their own schedules for their children's practising and lessons; a suitable instrument must be available, located away from distractions such as television sets, and so on. If the child is already involved in other activities such as sports or dance, then you must consider whether they can really handle one more.

We'd like to start piano lessons, but for the moment we only have a keyboard, is that ok?

Well... you might be able to scrape by for a short initial period, while the emphasis is just on learning the names of the keys and the notes on the staff, but in order to learn to play the piano, you need a piano, there's no way around it. A keyboard is actually closer to an organ than a piano, and while some companies are making impressive advances in digital keyboards, they are still just an imitation of the real thing. But you may find a used piano for a very reasonable price, and you may also consider renting one for the initial period. If you are going to start looking for a used one, I strongly recommend getting it appraised by a qualified tuner technician before you buy it. In our area, we are very fortunate in having a highly qualified master tuner from Switzerland, in the person of Bernie Helbling. He lives on St. Joe's Island, and can be reached at 705-246-0346.

Grandma finally died and left us her piano, but it doesn't sound too great--maybe it needs a tuning. How often does the piano have to be tuned, and what other kind of maintenance does it require?

You'll want to have Bernie look at the piano first to assess its condition and help you decide if it's worth working on (see above). Depending on the original quality of the piano and what it's been subjected to over the years, it may need only some relatively minor work to be brought into playable condition, or it may be unsalvageable. But in general, pianos need to be tuned from two to four times a year--once a year would be considered an absolute minimum. And from time to time they also require some regulating for the action. (There are some good links on piano maintenance and construction under the right-side menus.) The most important factor causing them to go out of tune is humidity and dramatic fluctuations in it. You should try to keep the atmosphere in the room where the piano is at a constant level of about 42 percent humidity, and don't let it receive direct sunlight or place it near heaters.

Do you have any recommendations for beginner books?

There are lots and lots of beginner books on the shelves, and some are definitely better than others. I won't go into a complete review and comparison of all of them here (the Piano Page has some good evaluations and comparisons), but I will mention a couple that I think are quite good. One of the very best is The Music Tree, by Frances Clark, and this one also comes in a single-volume version for adult beginners, called Keyboard Musician. Other good ones are those by Robert Pace and Bastien. Some of the weaknesses of other methods: they may be long out of date, but still being published (with new covers to disguise their hoary age); they may force you to buy many volumes, each of which is rather thin in content (though not in price); and they may be inherently poor in introducing the material (constant vamping left-hand chords against the tune in the right hand). The ones receiving the most advertising and marketing efforts by the publishers are by no means necessarily the best ones--I'll say no more on that.

Once you are past the beginner level, then the Royal Conservatory's graded series and associated exams and theory requirements are excellent, and have always been so. The RCM program was originally modelled on an equally fine British original, the Associate Board program, and has been a stalwart companion and guide for Canadian music students for over a century. To the best of my knowledge, nothing similar exists in the US.

I'm an adult and I've always wanted to learn to play the piano, but I'm not sure if I can manage it. Can you give me some idea what it will take, in terms of time and ability?

Well as for the ability part, I wouldn't be concerned about that at all. As long as you have enough interest, you will surely be capable of learning to play the piano up to a reasonable level. The main requirement will be your ability to fit in regular practice sessions in your schedule. To begin with, a half-hour a day should be enough, but it's important that it become a daily routine, or as close to daily as possible. Trying to practice for longer periods but on fewer days in a week is not really a good idea--you need to be doing it every day. And you need to think in terms of a long-term prospect. You should be able to start playing simple pieces fairly soon, but learning an instrument well takes years of committed practice. Of course, all the hard work should also be enjoyable and rewarding; each of your daily practice sessions should leave you feeling with a sense of accomplishment and pleasure.

How much practice time is required for beginners?

For young beginners I suggest twenty minutes to half an hour a day, with perhaps one day off a week. Very young beginners may do better with a parent sitting with them as they practise, so they don't feel completely alone and abandoned to this new task. As students advance to higher grade levels, they will be working on longer and more complex pieces, along with other elements of the musical curriculum, and they will naturally require longer practice sessions. Besides learning to make practising a regular, daily routine, it's equally important that each minute of the practice time be conducted with full concentration. After all, if you're sitting at the piano going through the motions of playing, while your mind is in fact thinking of what you plan to do later, you can hardly expect to accomplish much. If you find your attention drifting as you play, better to stop for a moment and gather up your mental focus, and always try to be aware of this tendency to lose concentration.

How do I choose a teacher?

I think most people go by the recommendations of their friends and acquaintances, and that's probably a good approach. But you should still find out about the teacher's qualifications, background, and experience. A good teacher will normally have an RCM diploma at the very least, and may also have some university education in music, including piano pedagogy courses. You will normally have an opportunity to meet the teacher before starting lessons, and just as the teacher will be inquiring about you or your child's readiness for music, you may use the opportunity to ask the teacher about their background and teaching approach. One common mistake that parents make is to begin lessons with a very young teacher with minimal qualifications, but low rates. The thinking is that if their child shows enough interest, they can find a more qualified teacher for them later. The problem here is that those first steps in learning an instrument are so important, and poor habits learned from the start can be very difficult to undo later. If you are going with a student teacher, then try to find one who is working under the supervision of a more experienced teacher, rather than on their own. Another obvious qualification any piano teacher should have: they should be able to play the piano! You would think this would go without saying, but there are some teachers who seem to stop playing once they've attained their diploma. You should expect to see your teacher regularly participating in some musical activities, such as accompanying other musicians, or playing in recitals.

How can I help out with my child's piano practice?

This is a good question to ask your teacher as you go along. You will want to find a good balance between being a supportive parent and trying to help too much. Even if the lessons are not taking place in your home, you should be allowed to sit in on them and become familiar with the various practice tasks that will be expected of your child. At home, you don't necessarily have to sit right beside the student while they're practising, but even from the kitchen you can monitor the practising and ensure that everything is being covered. If your child is more comfortable confiding in you than in the teacher, you may also help in communications at the lesson. For young children who are just learning the skills of concentration and discipline, a great deal of the motivation must come from the parents. Hopefully they will be able to ensure that adequate and regular practising takes place, without it turning into some kind of drudgery or unwelcome chore. I've found a wide range of attitudes among parents, from those who seem to pay little or no attention to their children's lessons, to those whose support verges on becoming an impediment because of its overbearing nature. The middle road is usually best.

Keeping to a regular, daily practice schedule seems to be quite a challenge. Do you have any advice on this?

I think the most important factor is having the best mental attitude. People can come up with millions of excuses for not practising, but generally I don't think it's a problem with busy schedules. It's much more a problem of allowing a poor attitude toward practising to develop. Maybe it's the persistent notion that sitting down at the piano for a half-hour's practice is not likely to be fun in any way, but must surely be an undeserved penance, to be gotten through as expeditiously as possible. And maybe this notion derives from a very old image of the piano teacher as some kind of ogre, constantly rapping the knuckles of the poor student victims at each mistake. Since your teacher will surely not be anything like that, you can then cultivate a good attitude towards practising, and I guarantee you'll soon find yourself looking forward to it every day. For example, since music is all about enjoyment, before you sit down to practice, make sure you start smiling, and tell yourself how eager you are to play through your pieces again today, so you can play them and enjoy them more and more. If you make a habit of cultivating good thoughts about it, you should find the discipline of regular daily practice easier and easier to manage. I think that every aspect of the practising should be enjoyable--if for some reason it isn't for you or your child, then we need to find out why and come up with a solution.

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