How would you respond? / What do you think...?

[Bob]

...if someone says they want to learn piano but only to learn one song?  A pop song.  They don't care about reading music, etc.  They just want to learn that one song.

I'm thinking, "Good luck.  Find someone other than me for sure.  Not worth my time."  On the other hand, they do have a piece of music that inspires them I guess, so that's a plus.

And the whole point sounds like learning that piece for a social situation they have in mind and to impress girls. 

[timothy42b]

plus.

And the whole point sounds like learning that piece for a social situation they have in mind and to impress girls. 

Doomed.

Piano nerds don't impress girls.  You gotta play bass guitar.  Sorry to break it to you.

On the other hand, it only takes a few minutes to learn bass. 

[adodd81802]

.

[lostinidlewonder]

Teach them what they want. I get irritated with teachers who have some kind of ideal that all their students must abide by, art can be approached in so many ways and some people have to approach it in a real stupid manner to realize what is better in the future.

[klavieronin]

In my experience, people like this tend to have rather unrealistic expectations about how easy the piano is to learn. My suggestion is that you teach this person (and take their money) but warn them that it is going to be rather difficult without first going through some preliminary stages and may take a lot longer than they think. If they respond well to that then there may be some hope, if not, then at least you were honest and didn't have to turn them down.

[bronnestam]

Doomed.

Piano nerds don't impress girls.  You gotta play bass guitar.  Sorry to break it to you.

On the other hand, it only takes a few minutes to learn bass.  

... and then a lifetime to get your finger hardened enough. I have tried to play bass, it was a breeze compared to piano practice. Until my fingers started bleeding.  

No, I do not want to play bass to impress girls. (I am one myself, to begin with.)  I think it is a cool instrument, that's all. No rock music without the bass guitar, period.

Second, it is not true that women don't get impressed by pianists. They have the biggest instrument. They show the most impressing dexterity. They don't look ridiculous while they play.  OK, so it also helps if they don't look like old horses or precocious progidies with big googles.  

To the OP: recommend this person one of these funny tutorials on YouTube. Seems to be the fastest way to learn a single song without bothering about anything else.  

[pjjslp]

Second, it is not true that women don't get impressed by pianists. They have the biggest instrument. They show the most impressing dexterity. They don't look ridiculous while they play.  OK, so it also helps if they don't look like old horses or precocious progidies with big googles.  

Yes, this! Back in my younger single days, I had such a thing for male pianists, especially those who could play the big pieces that I couldn't. Of course, as a female piano geek, maybe I was just being driven to perpetuate the species. 

Agree with klavieronin to be honest about the challenges and then take their money with a clean conscience. I do think people underestimate the difficulty of playing piano well, probably in part because they see 5 year olds doing it well on YouTube...

[Bob]

Thanks for the comments. 

I find it interesting that from the teaching side, I'm not quite sure what I would actually do.  Even reading through these posts, I started thinking it could be transcribed... but then they have to know what the letters are to pitches in the first place.  The person has zero music background.

I won't be teaching them though. 

I guess timewise and moneywise, short of the youtube video idea, or in addition to it, transcribing with them (getting paid) and teaching them by rote could work for a situation like this.  The only notes or chords they might need could be matched with letter names.  If it's a pop song, it's probably going to be a few chords. 

Haha.... But even something like keeping a steady beat might be a bit foreign to them.

It would probably be like pulling teeth, but if you got paid for it, great.  I guess I do find it a bit offensive on the teaching side -- Just pick up an instrument, learn a piece/"song," ....it'll be easy.

I do kind of get that impression too.  The person had more emphasis on buying an instrument.  The song they want to learn was already picked out.  I understand their approach but it's not really... music learning.  It's more a technical approach.  Buy X, pick Y, and boom!  You're a musician.

And they called their instrument a "toy."  Oi..... After the novelty wears off and the money they spent sets in (compared to what they get for results), I have a feeling someone else might get a good deal on a very slightly used instrument.

[mspiano101]

Teach them what they want. I get irritated with teachers who have some kind of ideal that all their students must abide by, art can be approached in so many ways and some people have to approach it in a real stupid manner to realize what is better in the future.

I agree with this 100%!