Have you ever wondered why so many people love to learn how to play the piano, even in this day and age? Why an instrument that is so inconvenient to travel with, so difficult to learn, and almost impossible to tune, still one of the most played instruments on the planet? Today, over 20 million Americans play the piano.
The piano was invented in the late 17th century, and few would have been able to predict that so many people would still enjoy playing it years down the line. Although the pianos made during the end of the 17th century differ from today’s modern pianos, there still are a lot of similarities. When they were invented, they were extremely large and very loud, however, manufacturers started to develop smaller, more affordable pianos years later. These instruments were mass-produced in the late 19th century and quickly became popular.
Online Tutorials
Since the outbreak of Covid-19, private piano lessons might be unavailable. However, there are piano teachers educating students from the comfort of their own homes, thanks to modern technology. Platforms like Zoom or Skype are just a couple of the platforms available that allow pupils and teachers to communicate with one another.
One of the major benefits of learning online is that the pupil has a wide range of piano teachers to choose from. A lot of people give up playing the piano or any other instrument because of their relationship with their teacher. If you have a toxic relationship with someone who is trying to educate you, the chances are you won’t make much progress. There are thousands of teachers advertising their services online, so finding one that suits you won’t be difficult.
Although many people want to learn the piano, sometimes the cost of private lessons is so expensive, affording it might not be possible. However, the prices of private classes online are often much cheaper than private classes in real life.
Chord Books are Available Online
Anyone who has wanted to learn specific songs before the internet became widely available would have struggled to find chord books. Plus, if you wanted to learn one song, you would have to pay a mini fortune buying the whole book instead of just a few pages you needed.
However, thanks to the internet, you can find all the material on the web. You don’t have to spend all day searching music stores, hoping that the song you want to learn is inside one of these overpriced books. Instead, all you have to do is type Chords smells like teen spirit into a search engine and in a matter of minutes you should have landed on a website that provides the chords.
The other issue is that most piano music books that were published very rarely included up-to-date songs. If you are looking for popular music, having access to the web gives you the chance to find these songs. The internet is the world’s biggest library for piano songs, so why not take advantage. Learning to play the piano with songs you enjoy listening to, encourages people to want to play more.
Learning how to Play on a Streaming Service
People like to learn how to cook food, learn a new language, and even learn how to play a new instrument on streaming services like YouTube. Even if you can’t afford private lessons, YouTube clips are free to stream, and the platform is packed with content educating beginners and experts on how they can improve their skills.
YouTubers often generate cash from the platform, so it is in their interest to get more views. Piano teachers who publish tutorials to YouTube understand that they need to upload quality content so more people look at their videos and subscribe to their channel. You can find some incredible teachers on YouTube, and by subscribing to their channel you will be notified when they publish new content.
Another reason why so many people give up learning to play the piano is that they feel they are under pressure to learn. If you found yourself falling behind in a group class, finding the motivation to practice will be tough. However, learning on streaming services on YouTube changes all that. You will be able to develop your skills at your own pace. No teacher or fellow students forcing you to reach a certain level at a certain time. Many people who use this method to learn a new instrument find it a lot more fun.
It’s More Convenient
In this day and age, time isn’t always on our side! Trying to commute back and forth to work, helping the kids with their homework, making time to cook a nice meal, etc. can prove extremely challenging. It’s the same with making time to learn how to play the piano, especially if you have to drive a few miles in traffic to get to your class. Online classes make learning the piano a possibility for people who can’t leave the house. Those who are disabled, or those who can’t leave the house because of the risk of contracting Covid-19 have no other options apart from learning online.
To learn from home all a person needs the following:
- A piano
- Headphones or a good speaker system
- Microphone
- A computer or smart device
- A reliable internet connection
Before you spend lots of your hard-earned money on online classes, make sure that all your equipment works properly. Check to see if your piano is in tune and that all the electronic devices are functioning properly.
Piano Apps
Over the last decade or so, it seems like everybody has access to a smart device. On these devices, there are online stores that allow you to download a wide range of different apps. There are a lot of piano apps available that can help improve your technique and skills. You can easily find an App for piano chords, which helps you find the chords for songs you want to play. Those who learned how to play the piano and other musical instruments before the internet was invented could only dream of having such useful tools.
However, just because these apps are developed to help people to learn the piano, there are so many available it’s hard to know where to start. Before you go out and start downloading every app with the word “piano” in it, you should understand what sort of piano player you are and what level you are at. If you throw yourself into the deep end and download an app that is way above your level, it could have a damaging effect on your confidence and it could force you to stop playing.
Conclusion
Learning the piano is not an easy task, even with access to the technology we have available to us today. Keep in mind that it takes a lot of hard work and dedication to make progress. If you want to learn and you don’t have a piano to practice on at home, consider purchasing a keyboard to start out with. They are a lot cheaper than purchasing a brand new piano, and you will see if you enjoy playing and learning the instrument. If you want to purchase a second-hand piano, speak with a professional tuner first. Tuning a piano is an extremely difficult task, and can cost a lot of money.
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