On getting a teacher, after trying to study alone--WOW!

[starlady]

About 40 years ago I quit the piano and about 6 months ago I went back to it. I was working through the 2-part inventions and to be honest, feeling pretty proud of my note-reading skills. But I started to want some professional teaching-type advice (people on this forum also advised this--thanks!).  So I got a teacher and yesterday had my first lesson.  It was STUNNING!!  There is so much more going on with every piece than I could see on my own!!  And I was making SO many mistakes. They all came from one really big mistake: struggling with  pieces which are 'cool', but really too hard for me right now, instead of easier pieces which I can actually master.

So if you are trying to learn piano alone, I urge you, save your pennies and get a lesson even if only once in a while. It does make a difference!

--s.

[thinkgreenlovepiano]

I agree, teachers are awesome
Sometimes I'll struggle with something for weeks, and after I work on it with my teacher for a few minutes, everything magically clicks into place. It's amazing what one image/comment/ fingering change/ exercise/etc can do!

[stevebob]

Unfortunately, not all teachers are awesome.

I’m truly happy for anyone who has found a good match with a competent teacher, but competence and mutual compatibility and not assured.  The “wrong” teacher could prove to be a waste of time and money, and a truly bad teacher could actually cause one harm.

One’s opinions and personal experiences could well be shaped by where one resides.  Here in the U.S., for example, we don’t have a national administrative body that sets standards for performance or curriculum, and there are no specific requirements—credentials, education, experience, etc.—for anyone to claim to be a piano teacher and earn a living by giving lessons.

Because it’s a dicey situation, those who enjoy a happy and productive relationship with their piano teachers should indeed be thankful.

[thinkgreenlovepiano]

Yes of course I agree with that too... there are teachers who aren't compatible/ competent for certain students.
In fact I've had teachers that did not suit me when I was younger... to be honest I hated loathed lessons back then... and they were very unproductive lessons. But I loved piano too much and was too stubborn to quit, since I was the one who insisted on learning piano. I don't entirely blame my teachers, I was so timid during lessons I think they assumed I didn't like music and was sensitive so they were reluctant to ask for more (pedal, dynamics, fingering, technique etc) than playing the correct notes.
 So for years I tried to figure out stuff like dynamics and pedal on my own, which didn't always work out very well. I guess it makes me appreciate my current teacher much more...

 But the thing is, I can't speak for what they did with other students... I'm sure they had happy and productive relationships with other students.  

[starlady]

What's nice about being an adult student is that since I am paying for the lessons,  I can pick the teacher. It can be a job to find a good match, but at least I  have the choice.  The lessons I took long ago, the teacher was totally useless to me--but she was a nice enough person and a family friend so my parents wouldn't hear of me looking for another teacher.   And that is why I stayed away from the piano for 40 years.     

--s.

[jimbo320]

Hey Star,
Welcome back to pianoland. Congrats on teaching yourself and congrats on finding a teacher that suits you. I haven't look for one but by what I've been reading, the task could be difficult at times. As far as here in the U.S., having the government place restrictions on teachers is a blessing. As hard it may be to seek out a good teacher, it's actually the best way. In my opinion a bad teacher for anything should not be making a living at it.
Good luck.

Musically, Jimbo