Are Piano Lessons Worth It for Adults?
Piano lessons are a wonderful value for those who want to learn, but you might think that it won’t go anywhere because you are an adult. Yes, it is easier to learn musical instruments when you are younger, but you should nonetheless consider how you can learn piano, enjoy it, check your goals, and reassess how this will work for you—even as an adult.
Do any of these common goals for adults sound familiar?
Increasing your self esteem
Enjoying music with friends and family
Encouraging your children to learn
Studying something you weren’t given the chance to learn as a child (a bucket list item)
Maybe you enjoy the symphony or other music, and you want to appreciate it more
We’ll explore some of the goals listed above, and if you would like to learn more about piano lessons in Austin, TX, please get in touch - we would love to schedule a free consultation with you. Piano lessons are worth it for adults, and the longer you put them off, the longer you won’t be able to play.
Why Is Learning Piano as an Adult More Difficult?
Learning the piano is difficult as an adult simply because you’re an adult. Your brain does not have the same plasticity it once had, you may not have time, and you probably don’t have the same energy that you did back when you were in high school, college, or grad school. Furthermore, piano just isn’t as important for an adult, at least when compared with bills, your child’s school tuition, and work.
The point is that you should not get frustrated. You cannot learn as quickly as you might have when you were a kid, but you have a better understanding of the core concepts of the piano, can organize your life, and ask good questions about the piano. You have also come to grips with the power of discipline and motivation - if you have both of those attributes, you won’t have a problem learning how to play the piano. The piano, like the violin, takes time to master. This is normal, and you should enjoy the process.
We should also mention that adults have a self-awareness that children are not burdened with. You may have spent your adult years listening to Horowitz on YouTube, and if that’s the case, of course you will run the risk of holding yourself to an absurd standard.
You need to work with your teacher to set realistic, or even aggressive, goals; for instance, if you are playing music hands together at the end of your first year, you are doing well.
Keep In Mind: Taking Action Is Already Above Average
Any musician can attest that when your profession or hobby comes up in conversation, someone in the group will always say that they wished they had kept up with music. Perhaps they took piano lessons, band class, or orchestra, and they gave up music in school and never looked back. Now they regret that choice. The thing is, they can always pick up where they left off!
The issue is that very few adults actually take action. If you have enrolled in piano lessons and set aside 20-30 minutes per day to practice, you may have already accomplished the hardest step. If you keep working at it, you will play the piano, whether you want to learn jazz, get your feet wet with the blues, enjoy classical music, or play rock tunes.
Why Should An Adult Learn The Piano?
Learning An Instrument Improves Self Esteem
Aside from young children, one of the most common demographics in piano schools or studios is the young professional age bracket. Learning the piano gives young adults (often in the rat-race of career development, relationship-building, and more) a much needed confidence boost.
It gives you the opportunity to talk about music with other musicians (an excellent social outlet), allows you to make music with others, and it gives you the feeling that you know how to do something valuable that many other people can’t do. You are making yourself more interesting, in short, and that is an excellent goal in itself.
Many Adults Enjoy Participating In Worship
Many adults find that they are better able to participate in worship when they can play a musical instrument and read music. Some adults want to play the keyboard in a worship band, others are part of a small congregation in need of an actual worship leader, and still others find that they are able to play hymns, sing and participate better when they take music lessons.
While those adults will not be concert pianists, they can help enrich the worship experience for themselves and others. In many congregations, musicians are badly needed.
You Can Entertain With The Piano
One of the most popular things to do in the age before pop music was salon music. Friends would gather around a piano and sing songs that have long since faded into memory.
When Schubert wrote salon music to be played in small settings, the salon song became a thing that everyone knew. One of the best examples of this in popular media is the movie Gosford Park. As the guests mingle in the parlor of Michael Gambon’s hunting estate, Jeremy Northam sits down at the piano and starts singing songs and accompanying himself. Everyone knows these songs, and he becomes the life of the party. In fact, you can even learn how to play the piano with songs, if you’re an informal student.
While this may seem like something most people would not do, if you are the type of person who entertains a lot, you may enjoy learning to play the piano, purchasing the sheet music to a few popular songs, and surprising your guests with some spontaneous music, especially if you have it memorized.
A Piano Make Your Home More Beautiful
Yes, you’re learning something new. You are taking care of your brain, and it has been proven scientifically that playing music helps keep your brain more trainable and healthy. The same applies to art classes and other continuing education for adults. These are all boilerplates, but if you need more information, this link has a study showing that playing music promotes brain plasticity throughout your life.
That said, putting a piano in your home makes the space more beautiful, welcoming, and fun. Your children and grandchildren can play the piano, and anyone entering the house is automatically uplifted. A piano also adds to the perceived value of your home. Sure, an appraiser isn’t going to add value to your home because you own a piano, but there’s a reason realtors always stage a home with a piano.
Yes, Learning Piano Is Worth It For Adults
You don’t need to become a virtuoso to make playing the piano worth it. All you need to do is sign up for music lessons in Austin, TX and make the most of the opportunity. You might inspire someone else to learn, help your church, learn some old songs, or just feel proud of yourself that you did it. Allow the piano to become an integral part of your life even if you only play for a few minutes every day.