Chapters

The piano can be an accompaniment to almost any musical instrument - clarinet, saxophone, violin, harpsichord, mandolin, etc. Deciding on the musical instrument - keyboard or piano - is your prerogative. Decide whether you want to learn using a large piano or want to press a key on the modern electronic keyboard. Despite being almost the same, there are differences in the playing techniques of both.

Online Piano Lessons or Private: Set Your Fees With These Tips

A piano lesson is more than just looking up a piano teacher with the right amount of teaching experience or piano school or even buying yourself or your child a piano for the learning journey. For example, you will need piano books and learning materials for starters.

While some teachers provide these for students or have copies that they loan out to their students, the majority of piano or music teachers will hand you out a list of resources on the first day itself for you to procure on your own. Help yourself by looking up various websites that offer free music sheets or free videos online. Additional materials may include:

  • Journal or composition pad for taking notes
  • Pencil (we cannot stress this enough!)
  • Metronome
  • Piano tuning services (recommended at least twice a year)
How much do piano lessons cost?
There are several criteria that will affect the price of a piano tutorial. (Source: PublicDomainPictures)

How to Set an Ideal Price on Your Piano Lesson

Let us put your doubts and misgivings at rest with these simple and useful tips on getting the most out of your piano lessons with affordable fees.

Location-based Pricing of Piano Lessons Near Me

If you live in a suburban area of a big Indian city, or in a small town, you may be restricted by the number of choices you get for piano teachers. However, on the brighter side of things, the cost of piano lessons in such areas is relatively lower than in metropolitan cities.

Within the city limits as well, the price of piano instruction can also vary depending on where exactly you’re taking the lessons (your locality or somewhere not too far away). In this regard, you can pick one of the three following options:

  1. Travel to your teacher's home or institute for lessons
  2. Your teacher comes home for one-on-one piano lessons
  3. Sign up for an online piano lesson or video lesson

Find a Piano Tutor Online or an Online Piano Tutor

Whether you’re looking for in-home piano lessons, group lessons, or you're happy to have the lessons at the piano tutor's home can have an impact on the price of the lessons. There are many platforms on the internet that help you find the right fit for your unique piano learning needs. We discuss the best here.

Superprof

Superprof was founded by Yann Leguillon and Wilfried Granier in Paris in 2013 and has since expanded around the world to 14 countries including India. Superprof offers a free service that helps tutors and tutees find each other via a secure and easy-to-use online tuition platform.

Schedule your classes and pay your tutors securely, all from your inbox. The incredible Student Pass gives you unlimited access to all teachers, coaches, and masterclasses for a whole year! Since it was founded in August of 2013, Superprof has become a high-quality resource in the eyes of all who wish to find a reliable and quality tutor for piano lessons. It enables learners to engage in novel and innovative ways to learn.

For more pro tips on how to decide the cost of piano lessons in India, read our one-stop guide here.

How do you choose a private piano tutor?
There's a private piano tutor for every type of student. (Source: allegralchaple0)

What to Look for in My Piano Teacher?

To start off your search, try to create a list of piano teachers in your locality or the general area in which you are willing to travel for piano lessons. The simplest way to create a shortlist of prospective teaching candidates is to contact each one from your original list of music teachers.

What are the traits of an ideal piano teacher? Find out with this quick read.

Moving on to the interview process of the final shortlisted candidates, apart from asking the obvious about how they teach (group music lessons, private music lessons or music lessons in a studio), duration of the course, particular genres they may specialize in and so on, use these additional personality assessment filters to make your final decision.

  • Motivation to teach you how to play the piano, not bore you.
  • Work ethics to be professional as well as approachable at the same time.
  • Honesty matters so that your teacher can tell you where you are going wrong with your notes and keys.
  • Communication is key in any student-teacher relationship.
  • Being organized in their lesson plans and approach to teaching music.
Additionally, the following markers are a great indicator of the quality of a music/ piano tutor. Your ideal piano instructor should have sound knowledge of:
  • Music theory and harmony
  • Music teaching techniques like the study if Hanon
  • Sight-reading
  • Piano Chords
  • Arranging songs and improvisation.

Qualification and Experience

The possession of a learning certificate or a degree in music does not guarantee teaching qualities. There needs to be a balance between qualification and experience.

A qualification certifies you as the master of a particular skill. However, experience tends to plug the many holes that the examination process does not cover.

Don't Forget to Ask for a Demo Lesson

This is the last step in your screening process. Once you have shortlisted two or three prospective candidates for the post of your piano teacher, ask for a demo lesson. This would help you check out their teaching technique.

This not only ensures the student-teacher compatibility but also gives you a fair idea about the qualifications of the teacher. You will also ideally develop a good idea of your teacher's temperament.

What are piano tutorials like?
During your first piano tutorial, you'll get to know your tutor rather than play the piano. (Source: nightowl)

Find Piano Classes Near Me

Whether you learn piano, guitar, drums, saxophone, flute, or harmonica, learning to play an instrument for the first time can give you butterflies in the stomach.

Ask Questions!

We learn through our curiosity for knowledge. So, don't be afraid to ask questions! For example, based on your learning objectives, you may name a few songs you’ve always wanted to play on a piano or your favorite pianists whom you have always wanted to emulate. Here is a beginner's toolkit on asking some useful questions to your piano instructor before starting out:

  • What musical equipment, music books or other accessories will I need?
  • How is a typical lesson structured?
  • What do you expect of me as a student?

Remember, most teachers enjoy teaching and are inspired when they see someone who really tries. In fact, a good teacher will tell you that the best way to learn is to learn from your mistakes so that you may learn how to avoid the problem in the future. Whether it is an issue with fingering, hand position, eye movements or any other aspect of learning the piano.

Mastering Piano Techniques

The piano may appear to be a big and bulky instrument. But, you need to handle it delicately. Feel your way along with the keys until you get the tap just right. Training the fingers (various fingering techniques) to control these piano dynamics is one of the basics of piano study.

Learning How to Read Musical Compositions

The most efficient way to study compositions is to learn the most difficult sections first. This is so much better than the typical way of learning music by picking up the first part first! The problem is that we often stop pushing ourselves to learn the later parts as the music gets sloppier and slower, and we start growing frustrated.

We guide on what to expect from your first piano lesson.

Playing by Ear

This requires a fair bit of interpretation of the chords on your part so that your personal version of the song can be easily recognized. Not surprisingly, we often come across sayings such as "you must have been born with an ear for music to be able to play like that!" However, we say, "anyone can learn how to play by ear." All you need to invest is a little bit of effort and a lot of devotion to learning.

Learning the Piano Through Popular Songs

In case your ultimate learning goal is to play popular music, you don't necessarily have to start by studying how to play classical piano. We often ignore the great value in studying popular chord technique and improvisation.

Sometimes, the best way to study music theory is through popular music!

The reason is attributed to the straightforward nature of chords (often referred to as 'guitar chords') which does not even require the reading of music!

Where can you find private piano tutors?
An old brother or sister might teach you a thing or two about the piano, too. (Source: NeiFo)

The Search for My Piano Teacher

Fulfill your dream of becoming the next Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, or Schubert! But, where to start looking for a good piano teacher? We explain here.

Find a Piano Tutor Through Word-of-Mouth

This one is a tried and tested formula for finding almost anyone in the world! It works in the case of finding a good piano teacher as well. Friends and family may have recommendations of their own, based on their personal experiences. Or, they may be able to ask around in their respective social circles and get a good lead from someone they know.

Asking at the local schools and colleges (in a specific department for music) may also be an excellent option as teachers are usually up for recommending other quality teachers to their own students. Music and piano stores are a storehouse of information. Source them out for recommendations on good piano teachers. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social media platforms are also good sources of gathering knowledge and information about prospective piano experts.

Online Piano Lessons

There are free online libraries where one can find a wide array of piano lessons and learning resources to help you get started on the piano. Some of these include resources on piano theory, piano scales, and piano modes improving your counting; learning piano through popular songs, development of skills to improvise and so on.

Many digital platforms offer live piano lessons for free, on a regular basis, teach pro tricks and share fun tips on how to become a master pianist.

Bonding Over Music

There’s surely someone you know that can play the piano and could teach you the basics (reading sheet music, coordinating your left hand and your right hand, etc.) Ask them if they could lend you a hand or even teach you for a fee.

Need a Piano teacher?

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Shreyanjana

Shreyanjana is an archaeologist who ironically finds the written word to be the most powerful means of storytelling. A travel buff and a photography enthusiast, she has been writing and sharing stories of all sorts ever since she can remember.