A Beginner's Guide to Starting Piano Lessons

I wish there was someone in the family who could play the piano! – You, walking by the piano that is mostly a piece of furniture at this point.

Sound familiar?

It's never too late to start piano lessons! And it's actually easier to get started than you probably think.

Here's what every beginner student should have before they start:

A piano—either digital or acoustic will work to start out with!

If you're going the digital route, go for weighted keys (meaning they feel like regular piano keys) and at least 61 keys. You don't need the bells and whistles, but go for it if you want.

If you have an acoustic piano, make sure it's in decent working order. We know some great piano tuners if you need it!

A time and space to practice—just a little bit of practice will yield amazing results if you're consistent. If you need ideas, read last week's post on fitting in practice time!

Especially for kids, it's also important to get rid of distractions around the piano during practice time. Try to put your piano in a separate room from the TV/computer/etc. so that piano time can be focused. (Actually, not a bad idea for adults either.)

A metronome—This might seem like a small thing, but it's honestly SO important. Some students are born with good rhythm, but anyone can learn it and a metronome will help immensely!

My personal favorites are quartz metronomes, but I also use a free metronome app on my phone pretty regularly.

Books—There are several great methods out there. Your teacher may provide books for you, but if not, they should be able to recommend a series.

Remember to pick out some music that you like and are excited to learn, too!

You need a teacher! A great piano teacher has been where you are and beyond—they'll know how to take you from beginner to advanced. (We know that finding the right teacher for you can be overwhelming. Check out this post to learn what you should look for in a teacher.)

Last but not least, you need a willingness to learn and work hard. All good things take time and work, and piano is no exception. But we're sure it will be worth it!