My Opinion of Self-Teaching Methods - Can You Teach Yourself to Play Piano?

By James Weinberg

Well, sure! Many have done it: Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney, Ray Charles, to name a few (although he actually learned stride piano from an old black man in his hometown's rural country store). If you are a genius like one of 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.

James began piano lessons at age 5 with his mother. In time he studied at a variety of private studios including the Eastman School. After high school, he entered SUNY Fredonia as an organ major, transferring to Stetson University in Deland FL. While raising a young family, James entered Peabody Teacher's College in Nashville. Later he trained as a Navy broadcast journalist, and once a civilian again, spent five years as a classical radio announcer & producer at WPLN in Nashville. In 1985, James completed a bachelor's degree in church music at Belmont College (cum laude) and returned for a master's in music education, conferred in 1991. His area of emphasis for the M.M.E. degree was Elementary/Primary Pedagogical Methodology. His internship was at Montessori Academy in Brentwood teaching pre-school through 6th grade. Now in his 7th year of teaching piano at Belmont Academy in Nashville, James has 40 students. He is organist-choirmaster at Holy Cross Anglican Church in Franklin TN and freelances as a wedding music contractor [Organist on the Roof].

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