Piano teachers know that you are never too old to learn to play the piano. Adults ask them about taking lessons all the time. It is often one of the most frequent questions asked of any piano teacher. Adults either want to complete lessons begun when they were children, or they want to start lessons because they never could. There is something magical about playing the piano that makes it a secret dream of lots of people. Here is what piano teachers will tell you about it.

You actually may start piano lessons at any age. Teachers often disagree about the best ages to start, but most will agree that an average starting age may be around 6 years old. The reason? This is when you start to read and write, and learning to read piano music is simply another language. You can learn to read and write your own language and music all together at the same time. And, the coordination it takes to navigate over piano keys starts to form around that time.

Starting when you are an adult means that you will basically need to acquire a new language, except that the language of music includes not only reading it, but playing piano too. This is really the most difficult part for adults, usually. The understanding of how to read the music comes very easily, but the coordination problems of actually playing the keys is often quite frustrating. Adults need to develop their piano skills at about the same rate as young children. Just keep that in mind when your fingers get tangled.

The frustration that adults feel when they practice piano is that their intellectual abilities are in stark contrast to their physical ones. Adult fingers can feel very clumsy when starting out on the keys. Adults simply need to be patient with themselves when developing their piano technique. Lots of slow and steady practice is important, but most adults master their fingers well enough to enjoy playing favorite tunes.

Finding time to practice can be another factor to consider. If you are a working adult, you may feel challenged to find time to practice. Adult responsibilities often collide with wishes to play. It is not that there is no desire, it is that there may not be enough time available on any given day.

Once you have made the decision to become a pianist, you will want to devote enough time to yourself to be able to do it. Just as with any other exercise plan, you should schedule time for it, and not allow other appointments to undo your practice time. Retired adults often find extra time to practice piano much more easily than working adults. So this is a plus for a very late start.

Another great plus for starting later in life is that you might be able to learn piano along with your grandchildren. Many active grandparents are taking time to help raise their grandchildren, and find that they are the prime transportation to and from piano lessons. Why not study at the same time? This plan works well because children often forget much of what is studied during their lessons. Having a grandparent to remember and review helps both to do better.

More frequently than not, older adults start because they can finally afford to do it. They may have dreamed of learning for years, but their parents could not provide it for them. Some of the best piano learners are adults who have survived poverty, war, or other difficult times. They appreciate the beauty in life quite fully, may have spent many years working productively, and come to the time when money for lessons is no problem. These adults can be the most dedicated students. You are really never too old to learn to play the piano if you are willing to spend the time, energy, and money to do it. Just put aside your concerns, become a kid again, and go for it.

Author Bio: Merriam School Of Music 75-3175 Rutherford Rd, Vaughan, ON L4K 5Y6 (905) 829-4489 http://www.merriammusic.com/ Music school and piano store in the Greater Toronto Area. Offers piano lessons for children and adults. Also sells instruments, music and related products. Visit our Vaughan location!

Category: Entertainment
Keywords: music, entertainment, guitar, piano, lifestyle, living, business, family, leisure, recreation