Top 4 Ways a Piano Teacher can improve your playing

If you started playing the piano by teaching yourself, there always comes a time when you might be wondering whether investing in piano lessons would be a good idea. Maybe you’ve reached a point where you’re struggling to progress, or you’re simply curious as to how having a piano teacher would impact your practice. Let’s have a look at exactly how a piano teacher affects your practice, and why you should consider getting one:

A piano teacher saves you time

There’s no doubt that a lot of aspects of piano playing can be learned alone, using a huge variety of free or paid resources that can be found online. However, how quickly or how well you will understand those resources will vary significantly based on the time you have available and simply how your brain processes things.

By taking piano lessons, you can let your teacher help you find the best way to understand something, and ensure that you make the most of the little time available for practice and piano learning. Imagine you were spending hours trying to play a piece that requires knowledge you have yet to unlock - a good teacher would help you fill that lack of knowledge so you can best progress in your practice.

A piano teacher keeps you on track

Whether you’re balancing learning the piano with work, studying, or looking after a family, many things can get in the way of your progress. When you’re learning by yourself, it’s easier to keep postponing the next practice as there is no one else holding you accountable.

By taking piano lessons, you’ll have a scheduled time to dedicate to the piano and someone who checks on your practice. Regardless of age, we all feel more committed to learning something when we have someone checking on us - and before you know it, finding the time to practice, even for just 10 minutes, will become second nature.

A piano teacher saves you from bad posture

The hardest thing to do when learning the piano alone is sticking to the right posture and technique. You can hear when something doesn’t sound right, but you can’t see yourself slouching over the piano keys and might not notice how tense your hands are. Especially when you’re deep in practice!

By taking piano lessons, your teacher can help you get into the habit of sticking to the right posture, saving your hands and back from discomfort. You’ll be surprised by how much better your playing will be when you assume a natural hand position and let go of any tension!

A piano teacher will deepen your love for music

Despite the many piano pieces available out there, it’s likely that when you learn by yourself, you’ll stick to playing similar things. We’re creatures of habit, after all!

By taking piano lessons, you’ll have a teacher with access to myriad more piano pieces that can expand your musical horizons. Maybe you’d be great at jazz improv on the piano, and without a piano teacher encouraging you to try something new, you’d never find out!

Of course, at the end of the day, the most important thing is to get on the piano and start playing, whether alone or alongside a teacher. And ultimately, what will help you improve is regular practice. However, don’t be afraid to reach out to a piano teacher, even for just a few lessons, and get the help you need to progress with your playing. Happy practice!