How to Make Most of Your Piano Lessons

Professional pianist and founder of the Institut de Musique de Paris, Celine Gaurier-Joubert has been teaching piano lessons for over twenty years. Throughout her career, she’s already shown hundreds of students the ropes and, in this article, she’ll be sharing some of her expertise so you can be a better student, build a good relationship with your teacher and make the most of your piano lessons.

#1 – Take Your Teacher’s Advice

First of all, if you’re taking lessons, try not to go your own way. You’d assume most grown-ups sign up for lessons because they offer the expertise and experience of a teacher, but in reality, there are still people who’ll use their lessons to start lengthy discussions, explain their take on things or show how they’re playing the piano in a different way than their teacher would recommend. Look, there’s nothing wrong with having an opinion and expressing it now and then, but playing the piano generally requires a more objective approach, especially if you’ve only just started playing. Assuming your teacher’s role simply isn’t going to make you a better pianist, nor will it motivate your teacher to share their knowledge with you. Long story short, trust your teacher and what they tell you. Be prepared to take their advice and remember they’ve got years of experience under their belt.

#2 – Practise Between Lessons

While this tip speaks for itself, you’d be surprised how many students fail to do their homework. With children, this is somewhat understandable, but surely adults should realise how important it is to come to piano lessons prepared. How would you feel if you’re serving up excellent classes week in and week out, handing out thoughtful suggestions to help solve both big and small hiccups in the learning process, only to hear “sorry, I just couldn’t get around to it this week” for the umpteenth time? Trust me, it’s going to feel like Groundhog Day at some point so, before you sign up for lessons, please make sure that you’ll have enough time to practise in between lessons. Don’t make your teacher feel like Bill Murray.

How to Make Most of Your Piano Lessons

#3 – Don’t Expect Instant Results

Piano lessons are no microwave-ready meals. They require patience, and making progress requires hard work and dedication. Blaming or pressuring your teacher and skipping steps is never the right way to reach the next level. I’ve seen a fair amount of impatient and itchy grown-ups who called it quits after a few months, just because they felt like they weren’t progressing fast enough. They got bored quickly and failed to understand that mastering certain techniques takes time. Your piano teacher knows exactly what it takes to advance to the next level, so stay calm and follow their instructions. The results will come.

#4 – Stick With Your Teacher

Sometimes, I’m shocked to see how little dedication and loyalty some piano students have. They hop from teacher to teacher and, while gathering as much information as possible is not necessarily a bad idea, it’s important to remember that changing teachers is the opposite of the structure and discipline needed to take your piano game to a higher level. The more time you spend with a teacher, the stronger your relationship gets and the easier it is for them to identify your strengths and weaknesses. Ultimately, sticking to one and the same teacher will only make you a better pianist. Playing the piano is an art and a science at the same time. It should never be seen as a chore you want to get done as quickly as possible. Mastering the piano takes a lifetime.

Looking for more tips? Read our article: Why Adults Give Up Playing The Piano Far Too Soon.

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Guestblogger Celine Gaurier-Joubert (Institut de Musique de Paris)

Celine Gaurier-Joubert is the founder of the Institut de Musique de Paris and of various music academies for adults all over the world. After completing her studies as a pianist in Paris and Switzerland she took part in numerous concerts and competed internationally. Celine then chose to dedicate her life to amateur pianists by giving them the opportunity to learn in an accepting environment that’s fully attuned to their personal needs.