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Saturday, December 20, 2008

Is A Piano Coach Necessary To Learn The Instrument?

By Raddy Antric

Is there really a need to have a teacher in order to learn the piano? That is what most people will tell you and believe in. But considering the number of famous pianists throughout history who have been self taught, it could be just as true that the piano can be learnt without having professional guidance.

There are still many who do not realize that one can even learn the piano without professional instruction. A popular misconception is that you can never become a skilled pianist without a teacher. On the contrary, the ability to acquire those skills will have to come from within the individual.

A piano teacher might not guarantee the proper development of the student pianist. There is the issue of personality conflicts and methods employed by the coach might not be suitable for the student. This is hardly an issue in the case whereby someone is trying to learn the instrument by him or herself.

Without a doubt, enlisting a piano teacher will set one back financially. As the saying goes, quality requires substantial monetary compensation. So if you want a good coach, be prepared to pay expensive monthly fees. On the other hand, learning how to play it yourself requires no cost whatsoever, except buying a piano of your own.

Many budding pianists also decide to take on the instrument due to a true passion for it. Artistic passion can often conflict with rote learning. Having a piano teacher for these individuals might therefore stifle their progress and development. Some of the best musicians in the world have never had a professional lesson in their lives.

Most, if not all, of these issues are non-existent when learning the piano by teaching yourself. While discipline should always be practiced, you can also schedule and organize your own lessons at your own pace. This could even encourage a pianist to be more dedicated to their craft.

There are also many online piano courses that reduce the need for a teacher. However, one cannot be totally independent when studying the art of playing the piano. Effort must be made to find fellow pianists to discuss pointers and each other's love for the music.

With all the benefits and resources available, the need for a professional piano coach might become obsolete in the future. There will still be those who prefer to take the proven, but expensive route. But better options await those who have enough determination and commitment to teach themselves how to play the piano.

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