If your interest to learn music has peeked and you are on the look out for a Piano tutor, then there are certain things to consider before you choose a right music class. You have to figure out why you want to learn, what you want to learn, where you want to learn and so on. Let’s list down few important considerations and decide what best suits you.

1. What is your motive to learn Piano?
There are three main reasons why one takes Piano classes. One, to learn to play your favorite song or tune. For this, you don’t need much investing and dedication. You can find a lot of basic notes available online or in a bookstore. Buy a cheap keyboard and you are ready to go. Two, to learn to play to entertain yourself and families. For this, you might want to take guidance from a teacher. You must learn to read notes and learn techniques to play. Having a good technique can help you produce good music as well as an endurance to good body posture for a long term. Three, to learn piano to build a career. This demands your full dedication and motivation. You are required to take examinations in order to prove your experiences and skills.

2. What kind of music are you interested in?
Piano is most commonly associated with classical music and that’s where most of the famous musicians begin with. If you are interested in learning Pop, Jazz or Blues, you can do that with a Piano. In fact, ABRSM exam has a session where jazz or blues music must be played. Pop is usually associated with a group or a singer and requires you to have the ability of improvisation. Classical, jazz and blues requires more detail skills to be able to do single performances and some find it more challenging. Having a specialization in one genre is a good thing. Nonetheless. being able to play more than one genre is also a plus, because, it might open up opportunities for you to collaborate with other musicians and singers. So choose your music preference accordingly.

3. What quality of lessons do you want?
Many people choose to learn piano by themselves in the comfort of their home. There are online courses available with method books and other requirements. These courses tend to compromise the quality of lessons and techniques. You can learn by yourself if you are not so serious about it. But if you want quality, having a proper curriculum and examinations help you go through every step of learning in detail. You won’t miss out on any important aspect of piano when you’re training to take up exams like ABRSM, Trinity and so on.

4. Private lessons
Private class is undoubtedly the best place to start as a beginner. There is right amount of attention given by the teacher, instant real-time feedback and high quality lessons to establish deep roots in music. Private lessons also gives you the comfort of learning in a comfortable environment with minimal distractions and maximum focus and concentration.
However, the only disadvantage is, you might miss out on some fun jam sessions with a group of other musician and also, you only get feedback from one person, that is, your teacher. His/her perspective may vary from others.

5. Are you ready to invest for a professional instrument?
Pianos are considered to be expensive especially certain high-end models. In order for you to learn piano properly, you’ll have to practice regularly, especially at home. So buying a piano is an important consideration before joining classes. If you don’t have funds saved up to buy a Piano, you can go for a basic keyboard, which can help you for up to 1 year. So, based on your dedication and seriousness, you can decide to invest on the right instrument

6. Do you even want to learn from a tutor
As mentioned earlier, self-learning is always a prominent option chosen by many people to learn all genres of music. It’s up to you to decide if you can manage to learn on your own or enroll at a music school. But, having a teacher around who will listen to you playing, spot mistakes and teach better techniques and methods is a complete advantage. You cannot always be consistent when you are playing alone, especially if you come across a difficult piece. Tutors also give you the motivation to keep practicing. So decide if you are ready to learn from an expert or still need time to learn by yourself.

7. Are you familiar with online piano classes?
Online piano classes are also a practical way of learning piano. Find out which is the best one online and enroll with a tutor who will teach you live on camera. It is different from watching tutorials on YouTube and learning along with them. Online classes are only effective if the tutor knows the correct angle to place camera and is able to see and understand your hand positions correctly. Otherwise it creates a lot of confusion. If you are more serious and want to take up international exams, then having a tutor around is better.

8. How about enrolling at a music school?
The biggest advantage of enrolling at a prominent music school is that you get to perform with groups and for a big crowd. Performing for an audience along with your peers increases confidence and ability to perform for a crowd without any fear. It also provides an ideal environment to learn, because the rooms are designed and equipped to learn instruments like Piano. But music schools don’t give you individual attention and customized coaching as per your learning pace and performance. You are to catch up with the rest of your batch mates, if you miss a class. The quality of learning will be compromised.

9. Would you be interested in learning at a private academy/studio?
If you are a beginner, signing up for a private piano lesson is by far the best and the most effective option. Your basics are the most important when it comes to learning any instrument. You must learn to read every musical note in order to produce and recognize music. A private tutor can give you that kind of dedication and individual attention to identify, correct and improvise your techniques, body posture and hand positions. They will make sure you get the right amount of practice everyday, to help you get a hold on your skills.

10. How much time can you dedicate?
Learning piano does not end once you get out of your classes. The most important part is practice. You have to practice what you learn over and over again till you get the right rhythm and tempo without having to pause or struggle. For that, you have to dedicate time every single day, for at least 10 – 20 minutes. Practicing does not need an hour or even half an hour. Having a fully focused mind for 10 minutes is more than enough for your daily dose of practice. So allotting time for practice is an important consideration as well. Based on these basic and important factors, you should be able to get a clear idea of what exactly you want before you start your piano/keyboard journey. Hope this helps you decide!