How to Start Piano Lessons that Work Best

September 27, 2021 Leslie Young

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Have you wondered how to start piano lessons but weren’t sure what to do? It can seem confusing! There are tons of method books and some look very entertaining. Some have gorgeous illustrations; some have audio visual reinforcements; some are meant to use with a computer.

How to decide? Test them!

I don’t mean to buy a lot of different kinds of method books, but you can easily look at the first several pages through Amazon or even music stores.

What do you see? Do the instructions make sense? Are they clear in text and in illustration?

Are the first few pages easy to completely understand? So easy you may think you don’t even need a teacher to start piano lessons?

Take a look at this early page in Book 1 of the Revolutionary Piano Method. It’s for young students aged 4 and 5 but the early pages of the book for older students uses the same thinking process at a faster pace.

You hardly need any directions to quickly see how the right hand READS the staff and PLAYS these two keys.

Once the four spaces are learned, the student is shown how to use the space keys and notes to find the line keys and notes. One parent who reviewed this method for her children to start piano lessons found this immediate connection between written note and piano key to be “huge” and logical!

Compare Method Books before You Start Piano Lessons

Look at this to compare a traditional method to

The Revolutionary Piano Method

Learn how to think, not just memorize.
Learn the right hand first.
Learn the left hand next.
Play both hands together.
Then learning timing.

How to Start Piano Lessons that Will Work Best for You

How to start piano lessons begins with testing the method book to see if it has you actually reading notes and playing the keys without gimmicks like finger numbers, hand position key groups, or rote copy-then do illustrations.

Many students of all ages who were not very successful using other methods quickly progressed with new understanding using the Revolutionary Piano Method.

Leslie Young is the author/composer of the Revolutionary Piano Method. She co-founded a K-12th grade charter school in Texas and has been a piano teacher for about 40 years. She has had experience teaching a variety of students tackling piano for the first time or as returning student

She states: “In teaching piano to students of varying ages, what also varies is a commitment of time and the amount of dedication. Children of certain ages may do very well with a parent as teacher; others may need someone who is not family to instruct them. Some older children and adults prefer to make progress on their own, and this method is designed to act as a meticulous guide through new material. Some adults and teens insist on professional teachers, which also encourages continuity. Because these books are self-explanatory, a new or experienced professional teacher will have no trouble using the Revolutionary Piano Method with students. It is an easy way to learn piano.”

Leslie believes that “learning to play the piano is more about diligence and perseverance” – but would add that just as critical to success is the method that is used, the encouragement of critical thinking, and the instructional principles that promote immediate success.

What Would the First Lesson for a Young Student Look Like?

What Would the First Lesson for a 6 to Teen Look Like (video)?