Do I really need lessons?

[beach]

I started playing 9 months ago.  I did have a teacher for about the first 4 months, but she had to drop me to take care of her elderly sick mother.  I didn't feel I was getting much out of the lessons.  I'm going through the Alfred's Basic Adult Piano course.  I finsished the first book on my own and I'm early into Book 2 of 3.  I want to get a lot better and play some difficult classical pieces eventually.  Do you think I can just continue teaching myself through the Alfred's books or do you think I need lessons?

[jeremyjchilds]

You need lessons,

I teach 50 students, and I take lessons every week, there is always an aspect to you playing that can be improved upon, especially because the student is not aware of these things untill the teacher points them out.

Self taught playing is fine if you only plan to play for non-musicians, but musicians will definitely notice articulatons, tone production, voicing etc. and who is going to think of those things unless a teacher is on one's case to do so. Also, a teacher is a great motivator, you are wasting money if you don't practice, so you practice.

If you're serious about piano, find a really good motivating teacher and go for it, there's no reason to not go all the way!!

Best of luck..

[xvimbi]

I agree. IMO, a good teacher is the single most important aspect in one's endeavor to learn how to play the piano. Spend some time to find just the right person. In addition to what jeremyjchilds said, a knowledgeable teacher will help avoid acquiring bad habits (I mean mostly postural, movement-related habits). I can virtually guarantee that with bad habits, one will sooner or later run into serious troubles.