Once you’ve decided to play the piano, it’s time to determine whether you will choose Online vs in person piano lessons.
Ten years ago, if you asked me if some of the most famous musicians in the world like Harry Styles would be giving me piano lessons, I would have said you were crazy.
I had only assumed that a piano lesson meant going to the old lady’s house across the street that smelled of odd perfume with sheet music that appeared to have been from the 18th century.
Or even worse as I feared learning to play in front of others. Visiting the local music shop and taking part in a group lesson.
Today, both live musicians and computer simulators teach online piano courses that provide immediate feedback when I hit the wrong key.
As I’ve grown in my piano career, I’ve found the perfect combination of in-person training supplemented by online piano lesson.
Using an in-person piano teacher to be a second set of eyes and ears to your playing abilities will allow you to see those things you can’t see (or hear) for yourself.
The best recommendation I can give for starting piano is to get started with an online piano course and then moving to an in-person instructor once you’ve got the basics down.
There is a hybrid option. You can take music lessons via a skype online lesson.
This is a great option for you to get immediate feedback from your piano teacher, while the savings benefits of an online piano lesson.
Think of this as taking your general education credits at a community college and then transferring to the University for your specialized classes.
Not only will it save you money, but you will be able to learn at your own pace.
Online vs In Person Piano Lessons Pricing
Online courses will typically cost around $120/year. At the same time, In-person lessons would cost you $100-$120/month.
Online courses allow you to learn at your own pace and schedule. Because they are often less personalized, you can get lessons relatively cheaper.
Equipment costs will be a factor when learning online. You will need your instrument since you won’t be traveling to a music studio, which you could you the instructor’s equipment.
Can Children Learn Piano Online?
I’ve heard many people comment that they believe it is too difficult for children to learn online. I’ll then see those same people have their children watch hours of tv or play video games.
I can guarantee you they are learning things (whether good or bad) from those hours of TV and video games. So why not have it be something a little more productive like learning the piano.
My recommendation is to try a short online course with your child. There are plenty of free ones to try.
Some children need human interaction, and that is just fine. But I’ve found most to prefer the online courses.
Growing up, I had a friend that was learning to play the piano. He would fight his parents every week about going. The truth is he enjoyed the piano, and you could tell from his hours of practice at home.
The reality was, he didn’t like going to the piano instructors’ home. It made him feel uncomfortable for whatever reason.
As you become more advanced in your playing, you may begin to find it hard to move on to the next level, and you may need to add or change the technique to fit your skill level. When you take online music lessons you can quickly move to the next level. You do not have to go through the same process when taking online courses when taking a group class.
Disadvantages of online piano lessons.
The main disadvantage is that you get what you pay. Online programs aren’t as hands-on as you’d get from an in-person music teacher.
Cost savings are significant, but if you need an instructor to interact with directly and get feedback from, it’s not worth holding yourself back.
Give a skype piano lesson a try if you are looking for a happy medium between a live instructor and online savings.
80/20 Rule For Piano Lessons
80% online, 20% in person. My strategy for everyone learning to play the piano. While there are various benefits to online classes, there are also advantages to taking classes in-person for music.
You don’t have to go with one or the other. Start with online practice to get used to things and take more traditional practice lessons later on.
Pairing with a good Piano sheet music book, is a great way to jumpstart the in-person options. A favorite by many piano instructors is the Absolute Beginners Piano Book.
How To Play Keyboard: A Complete Guide for Absolute Beginners
$12.25 in stock
23 used from $5.98
Features
| Is Adult Product | |
| Language | English |
| Number Of Pages | 48 |
| Publication Date | 2013-05-29T00:00:01Z |
Confidence Building Lessons
To become great at the piano, you need confidence and discipline.
As you master one lesson, you will be able to move on to the next with a great deal of confidence as your skills start to improve. It’s this confidence that is going to keep you wanting to play the piano and increase your musical knowledge and ability.
When you have that confidence, it makes the discipline aspect of daily or weekly practice to keep you going.
Online courses allow you to move quicker, building confidence, but sometimes you need someone there to tell you what a great job you are doing. When that happens start looking at trying a private lesson.
Choosing an online course:
A quick google searches and you’ll see you can learn just about any time of piano online. You can learn worship music, jazz music, rock music, classical, really anything.
Find out what excites you or your child taking lessons and take that. If your child’s school is focused on classical music, but your child loves jazz music. Let them take a Jazz course. They will easily translate what they learn into the school work, and they will love doing it far and will pay off in the long run.
How to play piano: The basics, Piano Lesson #1
This is a video lesson intended for people who...
Online Piano Course Reviews
There are certain things you should be looking for before you sign up with any online company. Good reviews and many people taking the course are your number one indicator of the right piano lesson.
Make sure to read testimonials and customer reviews. Google reviews are often a bit more honest than the testimonials on the online course website.
Check the course curriculum to ensure the video lesson includes popular songs you actually want to learn.
You want to be sure that real people have successfully used the program to learn how to play music.
Another thing to look for is the ability to learn at your own pace. You want to be sure you can complete each lesson plan within your time frame before moving on to the next one.
A few courses have strict timeframes or are disguised as group lessons.
You also want to be sure each lesson is comfortable enough to grasp the lesson concept on your own. You don’t want to move forward without being 100% confident that you are ready to learn something new.
Can learning piano online teach you quicker?
There have been no official studies that show learning online will produce you into a better piano player faster. The more time you spend at your keyboard, practicing is what makes the most difference.
Learning online saves you the trip back and forth in traffic from the music studio, getting gas, and allows you to play any time; there is no pressure to be at your lessons at a scheduled time.
Imagine getting one extra lesson in a week on Saturday when your in-person classes are typically not open. Over the year, you could get 52 more lessons in.
Finding In Person Music Instructors
Finding a music instructor is a lot like dating, you have to find someone that you work well with. Just like online dating made it easier to find that special someone, the same holds true to online lessons. In the online world, it’s much easier to shop around and find a great fit for your music lessons. But if you are determined to find a in person instructor, here are a few places you can start.
Ask the School’s Music Instructor
Ask Around At Your Church
Call a Music School Near You
Top-notch instructors
If you are lucky enough to live in a populated area with numerous qualified piano teachers where you live, online lessons are maybe less important.
If you live in a rural area, and the most experienced piano instructor in town has no real piano education. Online classes are absolutely the way to go.
On the other hand, the internet has allowed just about anyone to post online piano course videos. Again, can’t stress enough, testimonials from several different people should indicate satisfaction with the website you choose.
Don’t settle to learn from an inexperienced piano player.