10 most commonly asked questions about learning the piano
1. What is the best age to learn piano?
The average starting age for children to learn piano is around 5 to 9 years old.
In my experience, 5 years old is the minimum age when a child is ready for more serious 1 to 1 piano lesson. At this age, the child should know their alphabets, numbers, can write independently and have an attention span of about 30 minutes. They should also be able to follow instructions and is cooperative during lesson times. Children of age 3 to 4 would benefit from group music classes. Such classes incorporate music learning through singing, clapping, games, percussion and other activity based learning.
2. Is there an age limit to learn the piano?
As long as you have the interest to learn, nobody is too old to learn. Research has in fact shown that musical training has a beneficial cognitive impact at whatever age you start.
3. Why learn classical music, not leisure music (eg. pop music) to begin with?
Learning classical music builds good foundation and techniques such as dynamic (loud vs soft), playing legato (connected) vs staccato (detached), how to produce beautiful tones on the piano, etc. You can use that fundamental to explore other genres of music later on. Children below 12 years old would benefit most from learning classical music as they are still developing their psychomotor skills and their fingers have greater potential to develop dexterity.
4. Can my child learn on an electronic keyboard?
This is a question which is commonly asked by parents as they do not want to commit to buying an acoustic piano unless the child is truly interested in learning piano.
In my opinion, an electronic keyboard would be fine for beginners but it is advisable that you switch to an acoustic piano after 6-12 months to allow proper learning. This is because electronic keyboard is not touch sensitive, hence it does not develop finger strength and good playing technique from the start. A student who is used to an electric instrument at home will find difficulty playing with the same expressiveness on an acoustic piano during the exam.
5. Why should students take ABRSM music exams and similar piano exams?
In
6. Is it necessary to take graded exams every year?
No, not necessarily. Exam preparation generally takes about 5-8 months, depending on the student’s ability and grade. If you were to take exam every year, it means almost more than half a year is spent on playing exam pieces. The consequence of this is that student has malnourished music repertoire and the move from taking one graded exam to another could lead to exhaustion and finally the demotivation of the student. Instead, enough time should be invested to develop musical and technical skills in between exams and play varied repertoire of various styles and era.
7. Do you allow skipping of grades for your students?
Yes it is possible depending on the progress of the student. However, when skipping grades it is very important that the student has mastered the level of technique and musicality to move on to the next grade. Skipping grades when the student is not ready would cause problems in the future. It is my policy that the grading of the student is left to the sole discretion of the teacher. I will decide when the student takes the exam based on the student’s readiness and mastery of technical skills.
8. How many years of study before my child can take his Grade 1 exam?
It depends on the student’s learning pace. On average it would take about 18-24 months before the child can attempt Grade 1 practical.
9. What should I be looking for in a piano teacher?
No doubt there are many ways to look for a piano teacher in Singapore. You can sign up with music schools, tuition agencies, or a private piano teacher. Regardless where you source for your piano teacher, in my opinion, these are the helpful pointers when making that critical decision:
- The teacher should be passionate about music and teaching. A teacher’s enthusiasm can be infectious to inspire and motivate the student to love the piano.
- The teacher should be well-qualified to teach. The number of years of teaching aside, the teacher should have sound pedagogy skills. In the Ministry of Education,
- The teacher should be committed to his/her continuous professional development, be it in performing as soloists or accompanists, attending courses, upgrading his/herself in musical pursuits, etc. Music learning should not stop even though you have completed your diploma or your degree.
- Lastly, the teacher should get along well with your child. When there is a personality fit between your child and the teacher, your child most likely will be more motivated to learn.
10. What are the factors that contribute to successful music learning?
- Parental support: for young children below 6 years old, parental involvement in the child’s musical learning is crucial. Parents need not be musically trained to be able to guide their children but they can be their children’s cheerleaders who encourage and remind their children for daily practice without being too overbearing. From my experience, children whose parents actively support them are much more motivated and are able to progress faster. Beyond encouraging their children to practice, parents are advised to expose their children to music by playing recordings at home or bringing them to musical concerts.
- A good piano: This is an important but often neglected aspect. The piano you choose will have long-term impact on learning. Listening skills are important to a musician. Therefore, the sound or tone quality of the instrument must facilitate the learning. Good pianos must be responsive and able to produce a wide range of sound qualities when played differently. When student learns on a good piano, s/he will be able to develop a sensitive touch and ear for music.
- A good teacher: pls refer to “What should I be looking for in a piano teacher?”
- Most importantly, right learning attitude: a student who is disciplined, focused, self-motivated and has great interest in music will have a high chance to succeed in his music learning.