Learning Piano as an Adult
Remember being a child and your parents “forcing” you to take piano lessons and practice? Then you gave it up as soon as you were old enough because it was “hard.” Now, you are wishing you had stuck with it. Well, one is never too old to learn (or relearn) the piano. However, adults approach learning differently than children.
Adults tend to assume independence and take part in the process of developing instruction as well as taking an active role in the evaluation of their performance. They work at their own pace and expect their results to reflect their experience. That is why the best way for an adult to learn is by one-on-one study rather than in a classroom environment.
While young learners can adapt to a learning environment, adults generally feel uncomfortable taking lessons in someone else’s home. For that reason, they will generally hire a tutor to come to their home to teach so that they have the comfort level and attention for learning.
Adult piano learners are cautious and overly critical of themselves. They want to be able to do things right the first time and will often question the teacher about specific areas of music before even performing it. It is as if they are saying “I’m not sure about this part, so if I mess up, I’ve given you warning.” Adults don’t like to be embarrassed and will preempt it whenever possible. For this reason, the music and teaching method needs to respond to the adult learners need for detail and affirmation.
When an adult is learning to play the piano, they are doing so in order to apply their knowledge. For example, they probably aspire to play at church or in a small band – they are not learning just for the sake of learning something new. So, they will come to the lessons with a goal and expectations.
Because some adults believe they are “too old to learn”, they will look to lessons with apprehension and fear. So it is important that the teacher create a pleasant and comfortable environment for the adult student. And adults need just as much encouragement as children when learning piano.
Overall, an adult piano student will be easier to teach than a child. They come with a motivation unmatched by younger students and a determination to learn as quickly as they can. They will commit to practice and will most likely reach weekly and monthly goals set by the teacher with no problems. |
