How to prepare to start taking piano lessons

Maybe you’re a complete beginner looking to start learning piano, or a passionate self-learner who wishes to get some advice on progressing their practice. Either way, it’s completely understandable if you’re wondering how to get started with piano lessons, as you’re committing time and money to it. Here are some tips on how you can best prepare for your first piano lessons!

Get a piano

Can you or your child take piano lessons without having a piano at home? Yes, however the lack of an instrument at home will severely impact your progress. Piano lessons should be seen as an opportunity to clear doubts, get started on new techniques or pieces, and set a plan for how you can achieve your piano goals. They’re not a replacement for regular practice at home.

As such, it’s best if you get a piano (it can even be digital!) that you or your child can use to practice what has been discussed in a lesson. It doesn’t have to be the most expensive Grand piano, and if you simply can’t afford the instrument or don’t have the space for it, you could look into practice rooms, community centres, or even Churches that might allow you to go there and use their piano for regular practice.

Learn the basics of music theory

While you don’t need to be an expert in music theory and can cover some of this during your lesson, you or your child would benefit significantly from having some ground knowledge of music theory.

Plenty of helpful resources can be accessed online to learn everything you need for your first piano lessons. This way, you can make your piano lesson all about tailored learning that will get you straight into playing the piano and making progress.

Know your goals

Do you or your child aim to take Grade exams? Or is this a hobby that you hope will get you playing your favourite pieces? Or maybe you’d like to eventually join other musicians and perform locally? Think about the reasons why you or your child want to learn the piano. You don’t need to have all your goals already set in stone, but going into your lessons with a vague idea will help your teacher decide what kind of lesson plans will suit you best.

Of course, if you’re still unsure, it’s completely acceptable to have a discussion about it with your piano teacher!

Start playing

Some people may think that just because they’ve booked a lesson, they should wait to get to know their piano until it’s time for their lesson. But hey, if you have your instrument there, there’s no harm in getting to know a few things about it! Start simple by learning which keys are what or finding a comfortable sitting position on your piano stool.

This is especially important if you’re signing up your child for piano lessons. Nothing will get them more excited than discovering how each key makes a sound!

We hope that this blog has made you excited to get started on your lessons and that you’ll gain everything you wish from your learning journey. If there’s anything else you’re still unsure about, don’t be afraid to reach out to your piano teacher and ask them any questions - they’re there to help you grow as a pianist so will do everything they can to support you!