There’s no doubt that the piano produces the most beautiful sounds. Although the piano is often associated with classical music, it is versatile enough to accompany most of today’s modern tunes. 

Compared to other instruments, the piano is one of the easiest instruments to learn how to play. Neither does it require other accessories, so both your hands are focused on doing the same thing. This is why the piano is the recommended instrument for most beginners. 

But buying a piano and taking piano lessons will require an investment, you might be wondering if the piano is the right instrument for you. 

In this article, I’ll discuss the things to look for when deciding to learn the piano. I hope this will help you in making your decision and prepare you for what’s ahead in case you choose to take piano lessons. 

Passion

First of all, you have to have a passion for three things: the passion for the piano, the passion for learning, and the passion for music. 

Passion for the Piano

You need to have a passion for the piano to keep yourself focused on the goal. This is the passion that drew you closer to this particular instrument. 

This may be due to your curiosity as to how each key produces the sound – or how the volume increases depending on the intensity of you pressing each key. Alternatively, you may be passionate about the instrument because you are fascinated with classical music and how intense and emotional they are. 

You develop your interest in a certain instrument for different reasons. Whatever the reason may be, only you can determine if you truly desire to know more about the piano. 

Passion for Learning

The passion for learning, on the other hand, is a general desire to develop a new skill. In most instances, this is what a lot of beginners have. This is the passion that drives you to attend piano lessons regularly. When you have a passion for learning at the beginning, the passion for piano and music usually follows. 

Passion for Music

And finally, the passion for music will allow you to connect with the instrument on a deeper level. You are aware that the piano is a versatile instrument, and you know that it can help you unleash your creative side. With this passion for music, you develop a sensitive ear that helps you control the movement of your fingers to produce the sound you want.

But if you only have one of these three passions, don’t be disheartened. These three are closely intertwined, so if you have just one at the beginning, you’re bound to develop the other two as you move along with your lessons. 

Time Management

Learning to play the piano requires a lot of your time. Aside from practicing for a few hours per day, you also have to attend piano lessons each week. Knowing this, you must be able to squeeze this inside your current schedule. 

You have to have good time management skills to pull this off. Otherwise, you may be tempted to skip practice, and this will just leave you at the same level for a long time. 

Alternatively, you may be taking in too much that you can handle. This may lead to burnout, and that could do more damage to you than good. 

Discipline

You must understand that learning to play the piano requires a lot of discipline. 

As I’ve previously mentioned, eventually you need to practice a few hours per day to be familiar with each note. Practicing also helps improve the dexterity of your fingers, and this helps you to play more complicated melodies. 

These practice sessions usually take place at home, and without the prying eyes of your piano instructor. This means that you need a decent amount of self-discipline to motivate yourself to keep practicing. 

Budget

One factor that often discourages a lot of aspiring pianists is their budget. There’s no denying that owning a piano and paying for piano lessons can be quite costly.

On average, the price of an acoustic piano ranges from 3,000 to 7,000 euros, while high-end pianos and grand pianos can go as high as 20,000 euros. To add to that, you have to pay your instructor his hourly rate whenever you attend lessons.

Looking at these figures, I understand why a lot of aspiring pianists are easily disheartened. Fortunately, modern technology has given us more affordable alternatives. 

If you love the sound and feel of an acoustic piano but don’t have thousands of dollars to spend, you may opt to buy an upright digital piano with weighted keys instead. These keys are designed to imitate the resistance that acoustic piano keys have. As a result, you can barely feel the difference between these two keys, so it makes a great practice piano for your home.

And if you prefer the more electric sound coming from digital keyboards, a lot of decent ones are available for just a little over one hundred euros. 

Thus, you have to plan your budget to accommodate the piano you need to develop your skills.  

Instruction

Part of perfecting how to play the piano is how well your instructor teaches you. 

As a tip, talk to parents at the school gates for any recommendations in the local music school. Preferably, they must be one within your area so you don’t have to worry about travel time and expenses. 

Alternatively, some instructors take advantage of our highly-digital era and try to find ways to make piano lessons more accessible to students. 

Overall, this greatly depends on your preferences. 

Patience and Self-Love

And finally, you must understand that learning how to play the piano requires a lot of patience and self-love. 

When you’re beginning to learn how to play the piano, the most challenging part is to memorize all the keys and their corresponding notes. This is the very foundation of your piano playing skills and, depending on how fast a learner you are, it may take up much of your time. 

As a result, you must have the patience to get through this phase. Whenever you’re tempted to quit, remind yourself that this will all be worth it one day. 

Going hand-in-hand with patience is self-love. You must know that there will be times when you feel like you’re not improving at all. When this happens, don’t feel bad about it. Remind yourself that no great pianist made it to the top overnight. 

Don’t put too much pressure on yourself and take a break when you have to. After all, you will be able to learn more when you’re also having fun.