When I was about 7 years old, my parents began sending me to piano lessons. At the time, I found it to be one of the worst evening activities ever created.
I was 7 years old. Give me a break, OK?
What I learned later was that learning to play the piano was definitely a gift I used later in life. The concentration skills and hand/eye coordination gained from learning how to read and play music will set a solid foundation for anyone attempting to learn.
And here’s the best part. You can learn at any age. You don’t have to be a 7 year old kid with the attention span of a grape!
Apps
Apps have changed the way we live our lives. It’s common theme to have a discussion and someone tell you “there’s an app for that”. Well with this piano learning app, you can begin your lesson right on your phone or tablet! That’s the most amazing part of learning to play the piano now vs. back when I was seven. You don’t even need a piano to learn! So what’s your excuse now?
Lessons
You’re more of an old fashioned person? Maybe you’re retired and looking to pick up a new hobby and don’t get distracted by your phone or tablet as much as your children or grand children. Not a problem as a simple search in your area will reveal many music stores and shops will offer a variety of lessons for anyone at any experience level. If you’re more of an in-person guidance, having a personal teacher may help you stay disciplined with your studies. Sometimes you’ll hit a plateau when learning and being aware of those plateaus can make you more prepared for the inevitable.
YouTube
Maybe you already a play an instrument? If so, you’re already ahead of the pack of learners as we can assume you are able to keep a rhythm, whether it be in your head or a toe tap. When I began playing percussion later in life, learning to play the piano made the transition to drums a lot easier than most. So if you already play and consider yourself musical, you could always hop on Amazon and pick up a keyboard and then head over to YouTube and browse the millions of video tutorials available for guidance.
The best part about learning to play the piano is that it’s something you can do with other people. Most don’t think of it that way, but duets are one of the most fun things about learning to play the piano. Also, you don’t “forget” how to play. It’s been over 25 years since my last piano lesson but just a couple weeks ago my wife and I sat down at the bench, figured out all the notes and played a duet together.
Sure, the material was pretty elementary, but the fact remains that it’s something you’ll never forget and you can do well into your later years!
