Frequently Asked Questions
How long is each lesson?
The instructional portion of the lesson will last 30 minutes. However, you will want to estimate at least 40-45 minutes for the entire time commitment.
This includes greetings and chit chat at the beginning of the lesson and packing up materials and books and saying goodbye at the end of the lesson. There will be times when the instructional part will go longer than 30 minutes and times when the student will complete all of the lesson activities early.
Please make sure you communicate to the instructor at the beginning of the lesson if you have a time constraint that won't allow for a longer session.
Do I need to buy a piano?
If you do not have a piano of any kind, you will need to acquire one. This does not mean you MUST go out and purchase a large, unwieldy, acoustic (traditional) piano. If the student is very new to playing piano, a small, digital keyboard will do to begin with. I do STRONGLY recommend upgrading to a full-sized keyboard or piano if the student continues lessons for more than a year.
What kind of piano works best for me?
The variety of pianos is extensive and there are many good options for students of all levels. If the student is just beginning to learn to play, a small (minimum 66-keys), digital keyboard will work just fine for up to the first year. Once the student has had a year's worth of lessons, the curriculum and techniques will require a larger instrument, including a pedal.
While acoustic pianos are large and unwieldy (even the smallest ones), they can be found for very low prices. If you have room in your living space for an acoustic and are able to move it without too much difficulty, I highly recommend purchasing one. Used acoustic pianos are often available for as low as $100 on public forums such as Facebook Market and Craigslist. Besides being large and heavy, acoustic pianos also need to be tuned regularly by a professional piano tuner. I recommend tuning once a year. If you purchase a used acoustic piano it may also need some repair work. I can recommend an excellent tuner, if you are in need.
Digital keyboards and digital pianos are great alternatives to acoustic pianos because they tend to be smaller, easier to transport and move around, and they do not require tuning. However, they only work when there is electricity flowing through them and repairing them can be pricier than repairing an acoustic. Digital instruments can also be more expensive.
There are also a few things you will want to look for in a digital piano if the student plans on taking lessons for an extended period (more than a year).
Weighted keys/Graded hammer-action keys: Most keyboards do not have weighted keys. This means that it is very easy to press the key down and it springs right back up as soon as you lift your finger. This can be a challenge when learning various techniques. Weighted keys will take more effort to press down, but will feel more like an acoustic piano when playing. Graded hammer-action is the next level up in key-weight and is found in higher-end digital pianos.
Sustain/Damper Pedal: Acoustic pianos have either two or three pedals that are operated with your feet while playing and are an important part of piano technique. While having a piano with all three pedals is preferred, having only the Sustain or Damper pedal is sufficient. The Sustain/Damper pedal holds out the notes played on the keys after the pianist lifts their fingers off the keys.
Full/88-Keys Keyboard: A standard piano has 88 keys. There are smaller keyboards that may have 72 or 66, and these will work for the short term, but as the student progresses into more complex music, having all 88 keys available is important.
If you are having issues finding the right piano for your needs, contact me and we'll work together to figure out what will work best for you.
Do I need to buy my own books?
No, the cost of books and materials is included in the cost of the lessons.
However, if you want a specific book or song to work on outside of lessons, you are always welcome to purchase whatever you desire.
How long should I take lessons to meet my goals?
The minimum commitment to lessons with Noteworthy Piano Studio is 3 months. This is a good length of time to determine whether playing piano is something you want to continue to pursue.
According to research, it takes and average person about 20 hours of practice to go from knowing nothing about a skill to being competent at it. Because of this, my recommendation is to commit to a year of lessons. Over the course of a year, if you practice a minimum of 5 minutes per day, 5 days per week, you will have spent almost 22 hours of time practicing outside of lessons. This is enough to learn the basics of the instrument.
Obviously, the longer you practice per day and the more days per week you practice (and we'll talk more about what "good" practice is in our lessons), the faster you'll hit that 20 hour mark, but for beginning students, a year's commitment works best.