I don't want to play piano anymore. Should I give up?

[gabriels]

A month ago, I started to take piano classes. But I am now considering to give up.

Why to play an instrument? I like to listen to music. Why not just listen to them, instead of playing them?

The online classes are boring. I feel like they are slow, and I am all the time doing rhythmic reading with my voice. I don't like the material either, and I feel like I am wasting money to sing and play boring compositions, with dissonances.

I was learning violin, but switched to piano because of the presence of both harmony and melody. But I don't know whether my choice was well done, because I prefer other instruments sounds. Yet, the musics are "dirty" with only melody.

[anacrusis]

It's difficult for anyone to answer. What do you feel? Do you want to play, or do you prefer to listen? None of these alternatives are wrong.

Maybe your online lessons are not a good fit, and you should try out another teacher? Maybe you should try learning via some YouTube videos and experiment yourself with what kind of music you like, and then find a teacher once you know a bit more about what you want to learn?

Overall, piano is a great instrument. It's relatively easy to get started, there is tons of music of various difficulties that sounds good, and it can be a project of a life time that can help you develop both physically, mentally and spiritually, depending on how far you want to take it. But only you can say if it is something that you personally find satisfying to do. Hope that helps!

[getsiegs]

If you're totally fed up with playing and taking lessons now, to the point where you would feel perfectly fine just listening to music for the rest of your life, then I'd say it's time to give it up. No point in forcing yourself to do something you've lost your passion for.

However, if you think there's a chance that later you'll want to be able to play and you think that will be worth it, then keep doing it. It might take a long time, but it'll be rewarding (I should know, it took me over 10 years of lessons to develop any sort of appreciation for classical piano ).

[gabriels]

If you're totally fed up with playing and taking lessons now, to the point where you would feel perfectly fine just listening to music for the rest of your life, then I'd say it's time to give it up. No point in forcing yourself to do something you've lost your passion for.

However, if you think there's a chance that later you'll want to be able to play and you think that will be worth it, then keep doing it. It might take a long time, but it'll be rewarding (I should know, it took me over 10 years of lessons to develop any sort of appreciation for classical piano ).

Other instruments attract me more: violin/viola and wind. But they only deal with melody. I want melody and harmony.

[gabriels]

It's difficult for anyone to answer. What do you feel? Do you want to play, or do you prefer to listen? None of these alternatives are wrong.

Maybe your online lessons are not a good fit, and you should try out another teacher? Maybe you should try learning via some YouTube videos and experiment yourself with what kind of music you like, and then find a teacher once you know a bit more about what you want to learn?

Overall, piano is a great instrument. It's relatively easy to get started, there is tons of music of various difficulties that sounds good, and it can be a project of a life time that can help you develop both physically, mentally and spiritually, depending on how far you want to take it. But only you can say if it is something that you personally find satisfying to do. Hope that helps!

Maybe it would be interesting to know the difference between playing and listening.

[ranjit]

I think you usually get more enjoyment out of playing an instrument than listening, which is why people do it in the first place. Even recreating a composition is a rather creative activity.

The online classes are boring. I feel like they are slow, and I am all the time doing rhythmic reading with my voice. I don't like the material either, and I feel like I am wasting money to sing and play boring compositions, with dissonances.

It's hard to say what's wrong. It could be you, or it could be the lessons. I personally thought online lessons were useful at a somewhat advanced level, but at a beginner level, I'm not quite sure that they are effective. At least, they definitely won't be without a good teacher, but also because you could gain a lot of the information from the internet. I would personally just speed through the beginner material on the internet at a good pace, and get lessons once they don't have to teach basic things such as what a key signature means.

I was learning violin, but switched to piano because of the presence of both harmony and melody. But I don't know whether my choice was well done, because I prefer other instruments sounds. Yet, the musics are "dirty" with only melody.

I think the quality of the instrument matters a lot. Digital pianos, especially entry-level ones don't really faithfully reproduce an acoustic. And they will sound worse than comparable violins, etc. where you can actually hear the strings and the resonances. The other issue is that, with a piano, you need to "sculpt" the sound possibly moreso than other instruments, because it's rather neutral sounding. You need to approach it with the intention of imitating other sounds.

[lostinidlewonder]

A month ago, I started to take piano classes. But I am now considering to give up.

1 month....

Why to play an instrument? I like to listen to music. Why not just listen to them, instead of playing them?

This seems like a trolling question.

The online classes are boring. I feel like they are slow, and I am all the time doing rhythmic reading with my voice. I don't like the material either, and I feel like I am wasting money to sing and play boring compositions, with dissonances.

You don't like the classes but say nothing about what you don't like about playing the piano. Do you think the class is the problem then?

[j_tour]

This seems like a trolling question.

Maybe you're right.

But, it could be a different perspective.

I personally don't much care to listen to music, unless while piloting an automobile:  I'd rather just play it myself.

It's probably not impossible that someone has the opposite view.  I think that's a wrong, self-defeating, ovine point of view, but the world is full of people with derelict views, as you know.

Why to play an instrument? I like to listen to music. Why not just listen to them, instead of playing them?

How should I know?

The world's full of crappy "musicians."

What, do you want someone to convince you to add to the pool of defective musicians?

Why should I do that?

Just listen to music, or play cowboy chords on guitar or something. 

What's the point of your question, since you've clearly decided?

There are plenty of instruments that have harmonic and melodic possibilities:  the guitar, the vibraphone, the organ...I'm sure if acoustic piano doesn't ring your bells you find something more appealing.

[schwammerl]

Do you like to play the piano? Do you see yourself, one day, able to play the piano the way you want and happy to have made the time investment? If yes, I'd ditch the lessons and go on with the piano on my own. Explore on Youtube, buy literature, and find ways to interact with the piano that engage you.

If the issue is not the boring lessons, but the fact that you just aren't excited anymore at the idea of playing the piano, well you know what to do...

Like millions of others, I had (dreaded) piano lessons as a child, having to play stuff I hated, on an out of tune piano, shared with two siblings. Now, as an adult, with my own digital + acoustic, playing what I want, on my own time, it's a completely different game.