Why people don't learn piano

[bassteban]

I took piano lessons at 7. all I remember is that I didn't like it, and the middle key is *middle C*. I wish I had been into it but if my parents had made me go any longer I'd probably hate all music now. I applaud you for not shoving it down your son's throat. He obviously likes music.

 

[Joe Gress]

Never did piano lessons. Wish I had. That way I could read treble clef a lot easier, and transposing would be a lot easier.

 

[MatticusMania]

I learned a little bit of piano in a Music Theory class, as my teacher taught theory using the piano, though we never had lessons or anything like that, not even any actual playing time.

As a side note, when I was 7, I went to a bible study class at my neighbors house, not because I was interested in religion (my parents never taught it, nor made me go to church) but because the teacher was a hot 20 something redheaded chick, who once brought donuts.

 

[Baryonyx]

Well, an awful teacher is going to stymie you in whatever you try to study with them.

 

[thesteve]

From the last paragraph of the note, 'If they don't get much out of piano, you know as adults they will only say "my mother/father didn't make me practice. I wish they did."'

In all my years of talking to people about music, nobody has ever lamented about parents not making them practice.

Indeed...it's really bizarre that someone would say that. If anything, I feel like most adults look back and say, "I wish I would've listened to my parents when they told me to practice the piano."

 

[fdeck]

My first instrument was piano, but I crashed and burned, so my parents encouraged me to try a different instrument.

I am glad they took me to lessons and told me to practice. It's one of the best gifts I could have asked for.

Here's my view of it. Assuming a kid doesn't absolutely hate it, they should be given a bit of a push. Kids don't always supply their own motivation to stick with something, even when they are genuinely interested in it. We can supply some of that motivation so they have a chance of actually accomplishing something. If kids are allowed to do whatever they want at the moment, they turn into Blobs.

My kids, ages 6 and 8, are taking string lessons. We tell them to practice. Sometimes it's a struggle but they insist that they are enjoying it. Of course kids need patient teachers who know how to work with kids. Some newer methods, such as Suzuki, encourage the parents to get involved. My spouse is learning violin along with our daughter. I practice my cello along with my son.

I think the family environment makes a big difference. My parents played instruments themselves, and music was a part of their lives. At my house, almost the entire living room has been taken over by instruments.

 

[Bass Viking]

When I was young, a lot of kids went through the Toronto Conservatory method of piano lessons. That meant you played classical music and had to do an exam to pass on to the next grade. No wonder so many people quit! I was extremely lucky to get a teacher who didn't believe in that. We learned classical, jazz, and pop as well as finger exercises, scales, and improvisation. I haven't played much keyboards in the last few years (too busy with the bass) but I'm sure I will get back to it. It opens all sorts of doors when composing.

 

[fdeck]

The Suzuki method seems a lot more relaxed. The lessons are based on books of tunes, which are mostly classical. The kids don't seem to mind -- at their age they are still not self conscious about playing "square" music. And the music will turn them into geeks, so they will never be self conscious.

There are no exams, but there are the obvious milestones of finishing one book and starting the next. There are group lessons that involve both playing and theory. Kids advance from one level to the next when their teacher gives the OK.

A lot may depend on the locale. Madison is a very laid back town.

 

[thehangingmist]

i bought a keyboard hoping i'd teach myself to play some piano from books as i can already read and understand a little, but after 10 months i see that i should go and join some classes

 

[scorpionldr]

I quit for a few reasons:

1) I didn't like the teacher much. Too much "well if you don't learn what I think you should learn first, then you won't be able to play what you want to play". IMO that is a bunch of malarkey. If there's something that excites you to learn, a teacher should incorporate the piece and the excitement into teaching fundamentals. In fact, I learned on my own as I do with all my instruments because of this very reason.

2) I was young and impressionable and thought the piano was a "girls" instrument. Had my teacher helped me learn the songs I was interested in as opposed to "Medieval Dance" perhaps I would not have been so easily coaxed into that prejudice.

Sounds like the teacher is kind of jerky - and if I may assume, your son may also be suffering from unjustified pressure to play a more manly instrument. Ask him to learn a song of his own accord and see if that sparks new interest.

I once had a teacher in uni for sax that was a complete and utter pompous @$$, and one time he was like "ok, since you are unable to produce the results that I have continuously asked for, I refuse to continue teaching anything else rather than what is currently assigned until you manage to perfect them." yup, lots of luck. That was one semester of lessons down the tubes.

IMO I think for most people at first piano is a perplexing instrument; seeing a man in a recital perform a complete masterpiece using all 10 fingers up and down the 88 key range of a piano is daunting to people, considering most have trouble with even putting together three note chords and single note melodies. I think people (me, you, all) have to invest some time in the piano. If nothing else, the skills are something else to add to the resume of abilities. Piano is one of these instruments someone has to sit down at more patiently than others...................JUST LIKE GUITAR.

 

[armywalaby]

I took piano when I was six and was excited to move into book #2. But when we opened it and they took the letters off of the notes, I just kind of ran out of steam. My parents didn't really make me practice either.

Course, when I was 14 I told my parents I wasn't going to church anymore either and this was ok...

 

[Chad Michael]

Parents noticed that I had an idle curiosity in piano, signed me up for lessons around age 10. Had a good teacher, and gave it a go, after several months I lost interest.

In high school jazz band (played bass), we had a substitute teacher for a month or so. An amazing teacher. I started taking piano lessons from him, really enjoyed what I was learning and what I was capable of.

gumby4, it may take a few years, but your son may get back to the piano one day .