| Have you ever thought about learning to play | | | | what can extend a single piano lesson into an |
| piano? Well there are many myths out there. | | | | entire college piano course. |
| Here are the top five myth about learning to play | | | | 3) Playing by ear is easier than reading notation. |
| piano: | | | | Let us start by saying nothing could be further |
| 1) You have to be born with natural ability. | | | | from the truth. In our opinion, neither approach is |
| As one of the top 5 myths about learning to play | | | | easier nor harder than the other. Both approaches |
| piano, this myth may have you condemned | | | | are so different in fact, that comparing them |
| before you even start! Everyone and anyone can | | | | would be like comparing apples to oranges. It's |
| learn to play piano as long as they exercise the | | | | therefore important to understand your |
| required amount of patience and practice. The | | | | preferences as a pianist. If you prefer to play |
| piano in fact, is designed in such a way that it's | | | | from sheet music, then do so. If you prefer to |
| fairly easy to learn! That is of course, when the | | | | play by ear, then do so. Each requires equal |
| instrument is compared to all the others out | | | | amounts of hard work and dedication. |
| there. If we take a look at the violin for example, | | | | 4) Everyone should study classical music before |
| we can see that there are no markings that | | | | attempting jazz or gospel music. |
| indicate notes. There are no white or black keys | | | | All music starts with the basics regardless of the |
| like the ones on pianos, there are no frets like the | | | | genre. People who claim that classical music |
| ones on guitars, and there are no dots. Violinists | | | | lessons should precede jazz or gospel lessons just |
| have to memorize where these notes exists and | | | | don't realize what all of these genres have in |
| a large part of their training rests in trial and error. | | | | common: our favorite scales and chords. Only |
| 2) Piano is easy. | | | | through intermediate or advanced stages of |
| Contrary to the above, we don't mean to | | | | lessons will you start to see thee genres deviate |
| suggest that you can sit down and play Gershwin | | | | from each other. So although you may want to |
| within an hour. Yes, the design of the piano | | | | master jazz piano or play piano for the hottest |
| facilitates learning, but mastering it requires more | | | | gospel choir, studying from a beginner's classical |
| than patience and practice. It also requires | | | | music book certainly won't deter you from your |
| dedication. Despite what you may hear or read on | | | | plans. |
| the Internet, you can not play complicated pieces | | | | 5) Children learn faster than adults. |
| of music after only two or three lessons. You | | | | People tend to credit the younger brain as a |
| have after all, numerous scales to learn, chords to | | | | faster-learning tool in almost any subject but the |
| master, and rhythms to play **in addition** to all | | | | reality is there's no hard-core difference. What |
| of their multiple variations! These variations are | | | | makes a real difference in learning ability however, |
| what makes music so entertaining, but it's also | | | | is dedication - not age. |