10 Best Ways To Learn The Piano As An Adult

Jack Pound by Jack Pound | Last Updated: May 16, 2020

Have you ever wondered whether it is too late to learn the piano? Can you learn to play the piano at any age?

You are obsessed with the image of pianists learning to play the piano from such a young age. Therefore, when you become an adult, you assume that you are too old to learn to play the piano. Is that true?

I have good news for you! No matter how old you are, you still can become such a great pianist if you have bravery and perseverance to pursue your dream.

And I’ll show you how.

10 Golden Tips To Learn The Piano As An Adult

1. Always Be Optimistic

Age only becomes a barrier to learning piano when you do not believe that you can do it, even doing it well.

Your excessive anxiety will quell the determination that is necessary for learning the piano or any other subject. The best way to study well is to have the most comfortable and optimistic mind when starting your piano learning process.

You should not be self-deprecating because learning the piano as an adult still has more advantages than as a child.

Always Be Optimistic

Remember not to put heavy pressure on yourself. You can watch piano lessons as a way to entertain so that you will feel relaxed and always full of excitement when starting the piano lessons.

Everyone has trouble playing the piano at first, so don’t worry if you find it difficult for the first time.

Difficulties are inevitable and not a big deal at all. All you need to do is forget your mistakes and try to play again under the guidance of a teacher. Surely you will be able to do it.

2. Learn The Basics

It is essential to start with the basics of the piano. If you want to play this musical instrument, you must understand all the composition of piano music and study the crucial keys, notes, rhythms, and scales.

At the first try, you may find it difficult to remember all of the notes and keys, but it is fundamental for new learners to understand that. Failing to learn the basics and habits now will delay your success later on.

Studying piano for adults requires a lot of patience. Since at this period, you have so many other issues to worry about like your children and family. Because of that, it is tough for you to focus on your learning entirely.

Learn The Basics

Not only that, your hand, your fingers become so stiffer that you may find it hard to surfing on the keyboards.

And you are too tired and bored to keep repeating a short piece of music. Instead, you want to play a challenging song to prove your piano skills immediately.

But remember, no one learns to play the piano without struggling, and nobody can be excellent after just a few days of practice. Be patient, keep learning from the basics, and you will become it better gradually.

3. Not Afraid To Make Mistakes

Not Afraid To Make Mistakes

Mistakes are an integral part of learning the piano. Never feel embarrassed if you make a few mistakes in the learning process. Sometimes you may find that a song or skill is too hard for you to learn.

If you make a mistake, learn from that mistake and keep improving. Besides, your piano teacher will help you correct those mistakes. Because they have much experience, they will understand which part is troubling you and find out how they can help you.

Therefore, making mistakes is the fastest way to learn.

4. Hardworking And Persistent

The obvious thing is, when you become older, your learning cannot be as fast as when you were young. But the advantages of older people compared to young people is their perseverance.

Perseverance is always the key to success, not only it applies to the piano learning process but also many other things.

When you start your musical journey at an older age, you need to have a much higher level of determination than young people.

Hardworking And Persistent

Of course, learning to play the piano will be a difficult task for you, but in return, with effort and perseverance, you will receive your deserving reward.

Have you ever wondered how some people start to learn the piano at such an old age and seem to propel towards success? The best answer is to practice every day.

If you are a super busy person who doesn’t have much time to spare, make sure that you still spend time practicing at least three sessions a week.

You should keep practicing so that it will become your daily habit. Moreover, having a training plan and strictly following your schedule will help you establish a good habit.

When you study, try out different songs and melodies so that it can keep you from getting bored and make your practicing more delightful.

There will be moments when you get impatient by a complicated song, and no matter how hard you try, you can not get it.

Don’t give up easily and switch to another song. Practice continuously until you can see what part went wrong. Learn from it and you will never make that mistake again.

5. Set Clear Goals

You must determine what your purpose of learning piano is. You want to be a professional pianist, hold your own concerts or just want to be able to play your favorite song on your own?

Having a clear goal in the beginning will help keep you focused and motivated.

Set Clear Goals

Be optimistic doesn’t mean that you learn and play without caring about the results. Set goals for yourself at different stages to make sure you are always making progress.

When you first start learning, set small goals so that it does not discourage you. Then slowly level up your goals, and try to achieve what you aim to.

By doing so, you will be happy when realizing how much you have improved and have more belief to practice more and more.

6. Celebrate Your Improvements

Celebrate Your Improvements

Remember to celebrate your improvements, no matter how small they are.

By doing so, you will create a strong motivation for your own and have a belief to keep trying harder.

Continually trying to improve your skill every day is another step closer to success. When you see the progress you have made, you will have the urge to continue more.

Remember, there is no peak. If you keep trying, you’ll be better day by day.

7. Learn To Play Your Favorite Songs

The most challenging thing for adults when learning piano is probably to find a strong motivation to keep practicing.

Many people quit studying the piano after a short time because they realized that learning to play the instrument requires much time and self-discipline.

Many people are frustrated because they fear that their learning process will not go anywhere. But you can prevent this from happening by practicing your favorite songs to pique your interest.

Learn To Play Your Favorite Songs

Many people think that playing the piano means they have to practice with classical music. It’s not necessarily. If you want to find your fun and excitement while practicing, start with the songs you like.

Since pop music often has a simple, easy-listening melody, you can start with your favorite pop song. It will motivate you to continue learning, and you will find it extremely happy to play a tune that you love successfully.

8. Take Advantage Of Your Age

We are talking about your superiority. Most older people will be able to concentrate better than young people and children because they are less distracted by the temptations from TV, the Internet, smartphone and so on.

Your ability to concentrate will help you enhance your skills when you practice. As a child, you were easily tempted and distracted by other “more exciting” games and regarded the piano as a boring and time-consuming process.

Take Advantage Of Your Age

Thus, the majority of teenagers often gave up learning at a young age. Another advantage of older people compared to younger ones is the ability to perceive music.

Adult ears can notice the difference in volume and emotion in the music better, mainly because they are older, so they have exposed to music more time than the children.

The more you perceive the chords, scales, finger arrangements, or rhythm, the easier it will become for you.

By now, you must have believed that learning piano when getting older turned out to be a strength, right?

9. Looking For Fun In Practicing

Try to preserve your love of learning and trying something new.

Enthusiasm is what helps maintain your efforts and makes you better every day.

Looking For Fun In Practicing

Don’t put any pressure on yourself or insist that you have to do anything. You should consider playing the piano a fantastic way to relieve stress after a tiresome day instead of another cause of stress.

Try to relax and find joyfulness in playing the piano, and you will be surprised by what you can do.

10. Start “RIGHT” Now

Start RIGHT Now

Don’t keep putting off your learning anymore. Take it seriously and pour your heart into your practice. Start it right away, and you will be successful day by day. If you do not start now, you will never be able to play the piano as you wish.

Learning piano has many benefits for you. So if you have cherished this desire for a long time, don’t hesitate and start your learning immediately. Adults can still learn to play a musical instrument, just remember to put in some effort, and your hard work will pay off.

Jack is the leading publisher of Fire Inside Music. He is teaching piano at a music school in Los Angeles. Since he was a teenager, Jack has had a great passion for music, the thing he enjoyed most was singing and playing the piano. He has excellent keyboard experience, works with William to help players select the best instrument to invest.