JAMES' MUSIC STUDIO

My Opinion of Self-Teaching

And Quick-Learning Methods

My Opinion of Self-Teaching Methods

Can you Teach Yourself to Play Piano?

Well, sure! Many have done it: Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney, Ray Charles, to name a few. If you are a genius like them, you can teach yourself and dispense with piano lessons. How do you know if you're a musical genius? Easy...
    1. You can hear a piece once, sit down and play it by ear.
    2. You can write songs that others will pay you thousands of dollars for.
    3. You will be able to play better than any teacher you hire.

If this does not describe you, you probably need a teacher. Avoid these:

    • www.Hear-and-Play.com
    • www.PlayNowMusic.com
    • any vendor who claims you can learn to play in 5 minutes--guaranteed
    • any vendor who uses terms like "magic," "miracle," or "fast and easy"
    • a sales pitch that promises anyone can learn to play by ear
As with any other marketed service or product, music lessons are often purveyed by scammers. Trying to learn piano (or any instrument) without one-on-one or class instruction is like trying to learn a foreign language without ever hearing an expert speak it. EXCEPTIONS: If you are homebound, handicapped, live in a town with no teachers, or simply can't afford lessons, then a guided course (like "Teach Yourself Piano" published by Alfred) is better than nothing. But beware of websites offering free online lessons. Some will lure you in and then market expensive books, videos and CDs.

scream

SIMPLY MUSIC:

The Simply Music website states it is a revolutionary Australian method where "...students learn to play first and read later." It goes on to say:
By delaying the reading process, beginning students are free to relate directly to the piano. Within a short time they easily and naturally begin to establish a 'hands-on' and personal 'feeling' for the instrument while building a play-list that includes many styles, as well as play chords and accompaniments. After building a repertoire of 30 to 50 pieces covering a broad range of musical styles, students go on to learn how to read music.
THE TRUTH: Every single transfer student I've ever had who was introduced to piano in this or a similar way (and there are many clones) struggles to learn to read. It is not simply "play now and read later." The mode instilled by such methods creates a LEARNING BLOCK toward traditional notation. The number of transfers I've had who can do nothing but play a simplified version of Fur Elise and The Entertainer is astounding. I'll close by saying that when a person learns to speak their native language by imitation and rote repetition, but cannot read or write, it is called

illiteracy!

 

A letter from a fellow piano teacher:
Dear Mr. Weinberg:

I found your listing on the Steinway Teachers Directory. I was checking out some of the other teachers' profiles and saw that many are members of the MTNA or National Guild of Piano Teachers. Although I have been a piano teacher for many years and have a degree in music from the University of Massachusetts, I have never joined either organization, much for the same reasons you give on your website. I also loved your response to the question about teaching oneself how to play the piano. Thank you so much for your refreshing viewpoints. I just had to write after reading your comments and thank you for all the wonderful work you've done to advance the love of music and playing the piano.

Sincerely,
Elizabeth -- Santa Barbara, CA

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