Starting to learn in your mid-twenties:

[kilimanjaro]

Hi piano experts!

I am a new member with my first questions and concerns.  

I started learning the piano about six months ago at the age of 24.  Before that, I had a keyboard for a few years which I rarely played.  Once I started the lessons, I bought a digital piano.  

Generally, I have noticed that most people start to learn the piano very early in elementary school, or very late as adults.  I never here of someone starting in their 20s or even 30s!

My main questions is, what should I expect regarding progress and skill development?  I can only practice about 2.5 to 3 hrs a week including my half hour lesson.  I seem to be an above average learner according to my instructor.  After 25 half hour lessons, I am almost completing the Alfred's adult beginner book 1 (out of 3).

Are there any realtively well known pianists who started late?  I mean even the ones that are only known within their cities in jazz clubs etc..?  I am not too interested in classical hits as yet because of their difficulty level, but i would ove to play anything like Hey Jude, Alicia Keys tunes etc.. So far, I am only playing the tunes that are in Alfred's which seem to all be basic and incomplete.  My instructor has not tried to teach me anything that is not in "the Alfred's book".

Any advice on what to expect would be appreciated.   I am also keen to hear from other people in their 20s or even 30s who have had success or are just beginning.   Spending so much money and time on my lessons and equipment, I hope I see decent results within the next year.

[JTownley]

Kili, I will reply in honesty and i hope i don't sound brutal at times.
1) learining piano is like learning language. Ever notice how kids pick up language at lightening speed?It's because their young brains are "wired" to learn fast. This ability disintegrates as we get older. Notice how much harder it is to remembr things now than it was when you were 6?
2) As an adult, you will need to practice double and triple the time you'd have to to get the same results as if you were learning at the age of six . It's not hopeless, but give up any aspirations of ever playing the Rach.3 in this lifetime. It just won't happen. On the bright side you can expect, with hard work to tackly some of his easier pieces. I'd recommend his Elegie Op.3.  Beauuutifull!!! And not that hard to play. I learned and memorized it in a week.

I gave up the piano for many years due to a severe finger injury when I was a teen. I picked it up again in 2000 and with only1-2 hours a day was able to reestablish myself back to 80% of what I had when I was your age (when I finally gave it up). Please check out my website https://www.JoeTownley.com to watch videos of me performing Rachmaninoff. Study my style and technique. Not brilliant, but decent. And I did that with a background of 15 years prior work learning the piano (I started at 10) Good luck!

[amp]

Keep up the hard work, it will pay off. Do you practice everyday? It's needs to be consistant, not neccesarly a lot. I think it is better to practice a 1/2 a day, than 4 hours once a week on a Saturday morning.

JTownley is right, you won't be playing in Carnigie hall (but how many pianists get to anyway). But, with some years of hard work you can be playing for your friends and as a pianist in your community. That may be ten years.

Your progress in the Alfred's is average. And so is the amount of practicing time you put it. If you up that you will move faster. Maybe a few minutes here and there will add up to an extra hour a day quick. You may want to mention to your teacher about taking up some excersizes, to help strength your fingers.

[janus_007]

Hello killimanjaro!

Im 32 years old and just started a few weeks ago playing the piano. I practice approximately 3 hours a day including theory (note reading).
I consider myself as a very fast learner with great abilities to learn new stuff.

JTownley --> I know it's typical to be saying that a human learn quicker in the lower ages, but nevertheless I've achieved better and better learningcapabilities as years went by. There's a lot of brainresearch argumenting that learning/ mnemonics is only a matter of training. Ofcause I'm a big spokesman of these studies as I will not admit nor face that im too old to learn new stuff  The human brain and body is a totally amazing creation...

https://www.brainplace.com/bp/waystooptimize/default.asp

https://www.bwgen.com/info.htm

https://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/076150186X/ref=sr_aps_books_1_1/202-0226666-4714254

As you can see I'm a true born optimist  

btw. I've just bought myself Yamaha DGX200, and im very happy that i've just discovered this splendid forum, because as this newbie i'm I need a lot of help I would presume.

[kilimanjaro]

janus_007,

Thanks for the encouragement.  That first link you sent is excellent - althought I don't agree that diet makes any difference (I am pure vegetarian and consistently used to excel at school).  Where's the fish and meat to bolster my brain.  If anything cow's give you mad cow disease!  Anyway, thats besides the point.

I am going to try and practice a bit more, although it is frustrating when you are playing tunes that are unfamiliar and boring -- not to mention increasing in difficulty every week.

[cryptkeeper]

Hi killimanjaro!
I'm 23 years old now and I started learning about 1 year ago. I'm learning on my own so I'm probably making many mistakes as a play. I am planning to take a teacher someday but I don't know when yet. I used https://www.pianonanny.com/start.html to learn the basics.

In the beginning I was learning on a small keyboard, the keys were way to small but I loved to play. About 4 months ago a bought a keyboard (Yamaha psr-290) with normal keys and tough sensitive (I'm planing to buy a digital piano later this year). I  had to learn almost all the songs again as the keys were so much bigger. Where I am now is that I can read (really) simple songs of the sheet. The reading of notes is getting better and better as my former method of reading notes was completely wrong (I didn't actually use the notes but I used the bars as reference).

Anyway for my practice I use some simple songs but most of the songs I learn are song I like to hear (moonlight sonata, fur elise, beautifull (Christina A), I want love (elton john),... I can play part of all these songs (mostly just till the middle of the song). I guess it really helps if you're learing song you like. Right now I'm working on 'winter' from Tori amos. I started yesterday and I can play the intro and the beginning allready (from my head, I can't read it directly of the sheet). The next song will be Hey Jupiter (also tori amos).

As for practice, I practice 1/2 - 1 hour a day. I think the songs your teacher gives you are good for learning but you should ask her to give you a song you like hearing. This will certainly boost up your motivation to practice.

As for results, I'm certain you'll be able to play familiar and not boring song maybe faster than you think.

Thibault