What are the benefits of learning piano?
An essay could be written on this topic, but I am just going to name a few:
1) It teaches discipline
2) It develops eye-hand coordination
3) It encourages attention to details
4) It builds confidence
5) It gives you a sense of achievement
6) It is FUN!
And “when all words fail, music speaks”.
At what age should I enrol my child for piano lessons?
It’s usually best to enrol children in private piano lessons after the age of 5, since this is when they would have learned their alphabets and counting more securely. However, it is definitely a good idea to join group classes before that.
How long and how often are piano lessons?
Piano lessons take place at least once a week. For young beginners, it usually lasts for 30 minutes. After they have completed one year of piano lessons or finished their level 1A (or if you child is older and is able to stay focused), 45 minutes will be ideal. When students reach RCM level 1 or higher, at least one hour lesson is required.
What is the progress like?
Most beginners will be able to complete their preliminary level around 6-12 months.
What are the costs beside the lesson fee?
Book fee varies depending on the level. For a beginner, a lesson book ($10-15), recital book ($10-15) and theory book ($20) would be required. Recital fee is about $80 per year. Once a student is promoted to the RCM curriculum, 4 books will be required for each level. Please see https://shop.rcmusic.com/collections/celebration-series
Can I learn piano with a digital piano/ keyboard?
Yes and no. I do not disagree with starting off with a digital piano (not keyboard, see explanation below), but students should purchase an acoustic piano before they get to intermediate level. If you decide to start piano lesson with a digital piano, it should be:
– 88 keys
– keys should be weighted and touch sensitive
– mounted on a keyboard stand with a bench
What is the different between a piano, digital piano and a keyboard and how does it affect learning?
The piano key is highly sensitive to our touch. It is capable of producing various tones, textures, colors and dynamics depending on the way you play. There are infinite number of ways the same note can be played, because the tone depends on how the hammer interacts with the string. If you do not practice on a piano, you miss out on all that no matter how good or expensive your digital piano is. When I say “keyboard”, I am referring to those that have little weight to the key and is incapable of producing dynamics. These keyboards are not suitable for piano study since they encourage improper posture and weak fingers. It is hard to go back and work on techniques later once a student developed habits and muscle memory with a keyboard. As a result, student will only have learned how to execute notes but not how to play music. On the other hand, digital piano are weighted and touch sensitive, so it may not be a bad choice for a beginner to start with — it is less expensive than a piano, it is portable, it doesn’t need tuning, and you may practice with a headphone. For beginner pieces, playing on a digital piano versus piano will not make a huge difference, but as student progresses, it definitely will.
How often should I tune my piano? When’s the best time?
It is recommended to have your piano tuned twice a year. It should be done shortly after you turn on the heat for the winter and after you turn it off for spring when the humidity in the room stabilizes.
Catherine Shum's Piano Studio 