Once upon a time, if you wanted to learn piano you had very few options. You could take a class, hire a tutor, or try to muddle through the process on your own. Those were your only choices… and then the internet was invented! (And eventually YouTube!) Amazing! Suddenly, you could find tutorials and blogs and music notation and all sorts of awesome stuff online. Still, that wasn’t enough – most piano students still needed an in-person teacher to get any real results. And that meant they still were stuck with the same traditional choices. But people started to ask: “Is it possible to learn piano online?”
Is It Possible to Learn Piano Online?
“An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.”
Ben Franklin
So a lot of people who were tired of their traditional lessons or didn’t have access to them were asking: “is it possible to learn piano online?”
That was a good question, but it took a while for there to be a good answer. After all, a lot of the technology and platforms we’re used to today were still in their infancy. Scams and legitimate businesses were hard to tell apart. And people weren’t quite as savvy as they are now about avoiding those kinds of things. If someone told you that you could learn piano online, you’d be rightly skeptical.
But the world has changed since then – no one even bats an eye when they hear their friends and family talking about signing up for online classes. With so much going on in recent times, online learning makes more sense than ever before. (1) And now that we all have so many internet-connected devices, you can learn on a phone, tablet, laptop: it’s up to you!
Yes, It IS Possible
I’m not going to bury the lede here: it is absolutely possible to learn to play piano online. In fact, I’m willing to bet that hundreds, maybe thousands of people are doing exactly that right this moment while you’re reading this. Some of them are probably my students. 😉
I have a whole page dedicated to testimonials from people who are learning from my resources 100% online. But even a quick Google search would show you just how much interest there is in learning piano online – and how many people are already enjoying their results.
Is it possible to learn piano online? Yes, it is. You can do this. Let’s take a look at some important info to consider before you choose this path.
What You Need to Learn Piano Online
“Be stubborn about your goals and flexible about your methods.”
Unknown
The best way to learn piano online may vary for some people, but there are a couple things that don’t vary: you need equipment, and you need to find a method that makes sense for your goals. But don’t get nervous! With a little bit of thought and research, you’ll be ready to get started soon.
Getting Set Up
First, equipment (not because it matters more than method, but because this is what most people ask me about first). At bare minimum, you need:
- A keyboard or piano with a minimum of 49 total keys
- A working sustain pedal
- A stand or piece of furniture to place your keyboard (unless you are playing a more traditional piano)
- A bench or chair (unless you’re like me and prefer to stand at your instrument)
- An internet-connected device to view your online lessons
If you can, it would be great to have a full-sized 88-key keyboard (2) or piano with weighted keys. And contrary to what you might think, learning on a “real” acoustic piano is not a huge advantage for a beginner. Again, all you really need is what’s listed above.
Finding the Right Method
“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.”
Benjamin Franklin
This is the part that will be a lot more individual to you. Googling around and clicking on YouTube tutorials will only get you so far: ideally, you should try some sample resources (such as my free 5-day workbook) and get a feel for how different online instructors teach.
Click around on websites, check out testimonials from different courses’ students, and test what you’re learning to see if you can understand and apply it successfully. If having individualized support is important to you, make sure you find out what your options are for each online course you’re interested in.
Test the waters, and think about how you feel about what you’re hearing, seeing, and experiencing. Your gut reaction can be just as useful as your research, because online learning is all about what makes sense for you.
Asking Questions Beyond Is It Possible to Learn Piano Online
“What we learn with pleasure we never forget.”
Alfred Mercier
Like with any purchase or service, you have the right to ask questions! If you’re not quite sure about how the course works, then you deserve to know more before signing up. I know I’m always glad when people ask me questions before they enroll in my course. I’d much rather have a small group of happy students than a large group of students who don’t know what they signed up for and aren’t sure if they want to be involved!
Not sure whether the online courses you’re interested in offer one-on-one support? Not clear how long you’ll have access to the lessons? Nervous about what happens if it turns out you don’t like the course? These are all valid questions, and you should reach out to the teacher or teachers running these courses to find out what you need to know. (Personally, I try to answer these kinds of questions within 24 hours of receiving them.)
Learning Piano from a Website
“The expert in anything was once a beginner.”
Anonymous
Now, if you’ve always pictured learning piano the traditional way, learning online will require a mindset shift. There won’t be a teacher standing over you watching your every move. You won’t have to pay a cancellation fee if you have to skip a lesson on short notice. There won’t be an end-of-year recital, either.
You know what else there won’t be? There won’t be hours of memorizing scales and practicing the same three songs – especially not Mary Had a Little Lamb or Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. There won’t be endless drills or months of agonizing over Fur Elise or Maple Leaf Rag, either. (At least not with my course!)
Taking Control of Your Learning Experience
Instead, you’ll have a chance to tailor your learning to your goals. Don’t want to play classical music? Take a course that’s geared towards more modern tunes. Don’t feel like practicing for hours every week? Log in when you want, for as long or short a time as you want. (3) Scared of sheet music? Give chord-based learning a try.
Learning online from a website may seem a bit cold and distant compared to an in-person teacher. But the reality is that you are going to have a lot more say in what and how you learn this way. To a large extent, you’ll be in charge: a far cry from traditional lessons. Because whether is it possible to learn piano online all comes down to the individual learner – what you are willing to try plus what method you decide to use.
What is the Best Way to Learn Piano Online?
The best way to learn piano online is… my course! Okay, okay, I know that’s a little unfair for me to say it that way. But really: I wouldn’t be so excited about sharing my course if I didn’t know firsthand how much my students are enjoying it and benefiting from it. And what kind of teacher would I be if I didn’t think I was doing my best to teach in a way that works?
But I get it, a lot of people think that self-promotion is tacky. I try not to be a hard sell or come on too strong, but I’m not going to lie. I believe that my approach is just about the fastest, easiest and most fun ways to learn piano online. I’m proud of what I have to offer, and I believe in the value of my resources. That’s not just my opinion though! Let’s take a look at what some of my real-life students have to say.
What My Students Are Saying
I know I mentioned my testimonial page earlier, but let’s read a bit of what my students are saying about Piano In 21 Days:
“I am learning so much more with Piano In 21 Days in the past month than I ever did with any type of music instruction in my 60-plus years.”
Colby, Piano In 21 Days Student
“I am a senior citizen that has a piano and haven’t ever been able to play it like I would like to, with the chords etc. This course really walks you through the things you need to know to be able to do that.”
Barbara, Piano In 21 Days Student
“Faster progress than with any other course!… within a few weeks I was able to play real songs.”
Marcus, Piano In 21 Days Student
“I am so grateful of the continuous professional teaching methods, feedback and support that I have received from Jacques. Learning how to play the piano in 21 days is a miracle for me.”
Jane, Piano In 21 Days Student
If you were still wondering is it possible to learn piano online, hopefully by now you’re starting to see the answer reflected in these students’ experiences! (4)
You Have the Power
“You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.”
Zig Ziglar
So… is it possible to learn piano online? You already know what I think about that question – and what my students think too. But ultimately, there’s only one real way for you to see the answer for yourself.
I always tell my students that they have the power to play piano inside them: they just have to find the right way to unlock that ability. And that’s what you’re here to do, right? It’s time to discover for yourself what it’s like to be an online piano student. I’ll be rooting for you all the way!
References
- David Robson, Online learning: how to acquire new skills during lockdown, https://www.theguardian.com/education/2020/apr/19/online-learning-how-to-acquire-new-skills-during-lockdown
- Brittanica, Keyboard instrument, https://www.britannica.com/art/keyboard-instrument
- Valerie Strause, Actually, practice doesn’t always make perfect, https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2014/07/25/actually-practice-doesnt-always-make-perfect-new-study/
- UNC College of Arts and Sciences, Studying 101: Study Smarter Not Harder,https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/studying-101-study-smarter-not-harder/