"Hey, what's your New Year Resolution for next year?"
"I want to learn to play the piano."
"But you are not young anymore...."
"Well, I can try..."
The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex, overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, then starting on the first one. –Mark Twain
What Are Some Myths about Learning to Play the Piano?
Sometimes you may be interested to learn the piano, but there are many misconceptions or rumours about the piano learning process around you that prevent you from taking that step of faith.
Here are some myths that you should not believe in when it comes to learning to play the piano.
Myth#1: It is easier to learn to play the piano as a kid.
Anyone can learn to play the piano, regardless of their age. The key is to have the right mindset to start and have the perseverance to learn different things in order to progress.
Picking up piano as a hobby or skillset during your adulthood or at an older age does not mean you cannot be a good piano player. As long as you have a growth mindset, your brain will be receptive to learning.
Source: Photo by Centre for Ageing Better from Pexels
Myth #2: I can't be a good pianist if my fingers are short.
Let's be honest. There is no scientific proof to this statement.
Experienced pianists will tell you that it is the effort that you put in as well as the application of the right fingering for both hands that makes the real difference.
Myth #3: The longer I practice in a day, the better I will be at playing the piano.
This is a matter of balancing quantity and quality. As you progress in your piano learning journey, you will realise that consistency always comes before intensity.
Instead of practising only 1 day of the week for 5 hours, perhaps you should try to practice 1 hour a day 5 times a week.
Your body and brain need to relax and rest adequately for you to play more challenging pieces fluently.
What's the difference between Classical Piano and Contemporary Piano?
Whenever we hear people talking about different piano playing styles, the most common two styles that are mentioned are classical music and contemporary music.
You may be curious to know what sets them apart from one another.
a) The emphasis on reading vs listening skills
Those who have received professional training in classical piano are more likely to excel at sight-reading.
They are taught to read notes accurately and speedily. It is also a compulsory tested component in the ABRSM examination.
For contemporary pianists, they are more inclined to learn to play songs by listening. You may have heard of the term "play by ear" when it comes to many freelance pianists who often perform at different places.
b) Diversity in music styles and playing techniques
Classical music is slightly more structured as compared to contemporary music. You can almost hear a pattern when it comes to classical piano scores.
For contemporary music, the piano arrangement can be quite flamboyant and it is solely dependent on the player instead of the original score arrangement.
c) Usage of different instruments and adjustment
Classical pianists are more likely to play the piano whereas contemporary pianists are more inclined to keyboards. Of course, it is interchangeable as long as the range of keys is the same.
The main difference is the sound produced by the instruments. For instance, in a keyboard, there are many variations of piano sounds (adjustable) as compared to the sound produced by a piano.
Source: Photo by Ludwig Kwan from Pexels
Where To Take Piano Lessons in Georgetown?
If you are based in Penang Island, you might be curious to find out the places that offer piano lessons near you.
You can read further to learn more about the music schools around Georgetown.
JL Music House
JL Music House is a music school that offers piano, vocal and violin lessons. It was established in 2008 and is located at Lintang Delima, Island Glades, Penang.
For piano lessons, students will be taught to develop basic piano skills (for beginner learners) as well as equipped for graded examinations (for kids and adult learners). Students can also choose between classical piano or pop piano lessons.
Currently, they have 3 experienced piano tutors to guide students in their piano learning journey.
Excel Music Studio
At Excel Music Studio, students can select to enrol in classical piano lessons or keyboards and pop piano lessons.
Classical Piano Lessons:
- Suitable for learners aged 5 and above
- All-inclusive music education curriculum
- Broad learning outcomes include music theory, sight-reading, keyboard harmony, ear training and many more
- Individual lessons and group lessons are available
- Lessons can also be conducted online
Keyboards and Pop Piano Lessons:
- 3 Levels of Learning
- Level 1- Scales & arpeggios, chords, music theory
- Level 2- Harmony notes, chords, key signatures and improvisation
- Level 3- Advanced scales & arpeggios and chords and song arrangement techniques
- Students can learn by following the provided video tutorials online
Soul Music
This music institution has two main branches that are located at Sungai Dua and Sungai Pinang.
Founded in 2009, Soul Music offers an extensive list of music courses including piano and keyboard lessons.
Experienced piano teachers are available to guide students to enjoy and excel at their piano lessons.
Online piano lessons are also available for students of all ages.
Superprof
As a knowledge-sharing platform that connects tutors and students from various parts of the world, Superprof offers you the best piano learning experience right from the very beginning.
All you need to do is just key in your preferred learning subject, physical location, preferred learning mode and you will be directed to a list of tutors that fits your requirement.
Let's say you are looking for a piano tutor that is based in Seberang Perai and you are open to online lessons. Your current level is a beginner and your maximum rate for your hourly lessons is RM60 per hour.
You can just click on various selections and adjust the filtering tabs on the homepage of Superprof.
Superprof also allows you to locate piano home tutors around you.
You may be staying at Petaling Jaya and prefer a physical one-to-one learning session at the comfort of your home. You can easily find piano tutors from Petaling Jaya who are willing to teach you at your home.
Source: Photo by Pavel Danilyuk from Pexels
Here's another tip: You can also find out the average hourly rate for piano lessons for different cities in Malaysia before deciding. This is extremely useful if you are considering online lessons.
Most tutors also offer their first piano lesson for free at Superprof!
You can learn piano basics from a piano teacher from Shah Alam if you find that the rate is cheaper there.
Why Should You Consider Learning Piano Online?
Online piano lessons are now becoming the norm wherever you go. You can now access many online piano tutors from various cities in Malaysia.
In fact, music examinations have been conducted online during the lockdown in 2020, especially when examiners could not travel to various countries for both the piano practical and theoretical examination for the ABRSM test, for instance.
Here are some of the main reasons why online piano lessons are totally worth your time and monetary investment.
a) You get to arrange your own learning schedule
Learning in the 21st century is all about flexibility. This means you are not subjected to having a fixed time for learning the piano.
Having an online piano teacher means you are free to arrange and change your time of learning in the most convenient manner.
This is especially relevant for adult learners who might have different family commitments or time constraints due to work.
b) You get a wider range of piano teacher selection without geographical limitation
With online classes you get to choose your piano teacher without worrying about the distance and location. For instance, even if you are in Seremban, you can still take piano lessons from tutors that are based in Kuala Lumpur.
You get to review and compare the profiles of the tutors at your own pace and connect with them once you are ready.
Source: Photo by Omar Prestwich on Unsplash
c) You can get cost-effective yet high-quality piano lessons
Remember, you are not just saving on transportation fees. The overall piano lessons are relatively cheaper. There is no extra resource fees or special registration fees by a specific music school.
We understand that the rate of piano lessons plays an important role before you decide on a piano teacher too.
After all, you would want to learn the piano without feeling financially overwhelmed. For example, if you are based in Petaling Jaya, you may find that the average piano lessons in your city are slightly more expensive as compared to piano classes in Ipoh. You can then proceed to enrol in a piano lesson from an Ipoh piano tutor.
The only difference is just the locations, not the learning experience.
d) You can record and replay your lessons anytime and anywhere you want
Online lessons can be really interactive and effective when you maximize the features of online teaching. Firstly, online lessons allow you to record the whole session smoothly.
This means you can repeat, review, pause and replay the videos when you are practising on your own. Furthermore, you will not "forget" about what your piano teachers have mentioned (guidance, effective pointers) during the lessons.
The best part? You could also do a clear comparison of your piano teacher's playing and your own playing simultaneously whenever you want.
No other acoustic instrument can match the piano’s expressive range, and no electric instrument can match its mystery. – Kenneth Miller
Wait no longer and grab your first free piano lesson with Superprof today!
Enjoyed this article? Leave a rating!
Loading...
