Piano Teacher vs Being Self-Taught

Do-it-yourself (DIY) has become such a common phrase these days that when it comes to certain areas where a lot of skill is required, such as playing the piano, it can put your overall skill and technique in jeopardy. Yes there are many resources to help one with learning to play the piano by yourself, but is it justifiable to neglect the importance of having a teacher?

You’re torn between booking that lesson or just teaching yourself. Which one is better? Well, in this article we are going to analyse both sides from a neutral perspective and compromise.

The Benefits of Having a Teacher

1. Refined Skill

Being able to play the piano is one thing, but being able to do it well? That is where skill and technique come in. When you learn something on your own, most of the time, you will not even recognise any mistakes you make. Thus, having a teacher will give you another perspective to help you fine-tune and sharpen your skills. Teachers help you see the fault, provide the solution, and answer for it. It also helps end incorrect behaviours before they become a habit. They also help motivate you to put in more effort, which will subconsciously make you want to practise more, positively affecting your skill and technique progress.

2. Improved Time Management

Students who receive teaching are prone to have better time management skills because they know exactly when their lessons will take place. It helps create a set routine. People tend to perform better when they have a set routine. When teaching yourself, you are more likely to procrastinate in your practice sessions, which ultimately leads to little practice, if not total cancellation.

3. Boosts Value

“Easy come, easy go”. It is no secret that piano lessons come at a cost, both time and money, but you value something much more when you pay for it. Thus, if you have piano lessons, you will be more likely to put in more effort to make sure your money does not go to waste. This will increase the amount of time you spend practising the instrument overall, resulting in faster learning and progress.

Negatives of Having a Teacher

1. Location

Most teachers are located somewhere, and you will need to use any form of transportation to get there, if not walking. This costs money, which needs to be taken into account. Yet, I believe it is nothing compared to the treasure of learning this skill. At London Piano Institute, we also offer online classes, which can help save transportation money and make it possible for you to start learning the piano from anywhere in the world.

2. Money

Having a piano teacher can become pricey, especially if you want a professional/skilful teacher. Yet the benefits will be so much more. Being able to play an instrument well is something priceless.

Benefits of Being Self-taught

1. Own Schedule

A lot of people have busy schedules, or their routines change frequently. Thus, choosing when to put in a practice session is quite helpful. You get to be your own ‘boss’ and can also practise for longer than those receiving lessons. You are not tied to a teacher and time, but only yourself.

2. Learning Speed

The speed at which you progress is mostly based on you. If you decide to put in the effort, you can develop faster than the one being taught. However, you can also progress very slowly if you do not put in much effort at all. In the end, it is entirely up to you.

3. Free Resources

There are unlimited resources you can use online these days. Social media is full of free content, especially for those beginning their piano journey. This means you do not have to pay a lot of money to start learning the piano.

Negatives of Being Self-taught

1. Skill Issues

Being your own teacher must sound fun, but it can be much more frustrating. Since you are the only input source, you will not know whether you are really playing something correctly. You may lack skill in many areas due to only seeing from your perspective. It can also become rather difficult when trying to learn new pieces, especially when you do not know how to read sheet music that well. In the long run, your skill and technique might fall short when it comes to learning harder pieces.

2. Discipline

According to timeular.com, only 20% of people believe their workload is under control each day. This means that most people struggle to find a balance between time management and other essentials. How you manage your time and discipline heavily influences how much time and effort you put into learning the piano. You can quickly fall out of rhythm and never pick up the instrument again. In fact, self-teaching is one of the biggest reasons people quit learning an instrument.

So Which One is Better?

In conclusion, I believe sowing money and time into having a teacher is a better investment than trying to learn on your own. You will be able to go further in skill and technique and even be able to make money in return!

You could one day offer piano lessons or perform at concerts. Yet, when teaching yourself, you can only go so far.

The saying: ‘always stay a student in life’ is a strong revelation that can change one’s perspective about everything. Those who are being taught by a piano teacher are much more likely to progress better than those who teach themselves.

Alas, learning on your own is still not to no avail, but only with your main source of teaching coming from an experienced teacher.

Do not know where to start? Visit our website to find out more about piano lessons.

You can only teach yourself so many things – and the day we stop learning is the day we stop living!