Group Piano Lessons vs. Private Piano Lessons?
Should I start my piano learning with a group piano lesson or a private piano lesson? Group piano lessons are a fun, engaging, and exciting way for beginner students to start piano lessons. Compared to private lessons, group lessons have a limited schedule. The class has 4-6 students of similar age and level. We recommend starting with group piano lessons for students who are unsure about their interests but still want to explore the piano.
A fun group setting will also benefit young beginners in their ability to concentrate.
Private piano lessons (one-on-one) are more effective and goal-oriented. For students who have a great concentration spot and are very determined to learn the piano, private lessons would be a better and more efficient learning choice.
What Kind of Piano is Needed to Start Group Piano Lesson?
There are four types of piano in the market:
Electric Keyboard/piano(unweighted): The cheapest, most convenient, and most versatile. Sound and feel aren’t as good as acoustic pianos, but keyboards could work well as a first instrument. However, since the touch feeling is very different from an acoustic piano, we wouldn't recommend an electric keyboard to students who are considering playing an acoustic piano in the future.
Casio 3000｜Electric Keyboard
Digital Keyboard/piano: The Digital keyboard mimics the feel of an acoustic piano. A good digital piano offers the most practical way to learn piano. Compared with an acoustic piano, a digital piano is less expensive, more compact, portable, affordable, and more versatile—and never needs tuning. The digital piano is our recommendation for beginner students.
Kawai CA701｜Digital Piano
Upright Piano: Compared to a digital piano, an upright piano gives students a real acoustic learning experience with better sound quality. An upright piano could cost more to purchase and requires tuning every 6-12 months. An upright piano is recommended for intermediate-advanced level students.
Yamaha U3｜Upright Piano
Grand Piano: You've probably seen videos of classical pianists playing this iconic, long, low, curved piano. The strings lie flat and are wound horizontally, giving the casing its signature shape. The high dynamic range gives a rich tone that rings out, whether quiet or loud, in a living room or a large concert hall. The grand piano is widely used by professional concert pianists.
Yamaha C7X｜Grand Piano
Digital Keyboard Recommendations
Things to consider
Number of keys: A full-size keyboard has 88 keys. (Recommended)
Weighting of the keys
The keyboard should have weighted keys to give a keyboard a realistic feel, which is important for serious piano study. More expensive keyboards will have a more realistic feel across the keyboard range by subtly adjusting each key's weight. Less expensive keyboards will weight keys in larger groups delivering a less realistic feel, but still suitable as a home practice instrument. An unweighted keyboard will not feel like a real piano and should be avoided as long-term practice instruments if possible, but can be suitable for learning note names/keyboard layout, and for pairing with a computer (if it is MIDI compatible).
Sound - Sampled vs. Synthesized
Generally, more expensive keyboards will use sampled sounds which will be more realistic and less expensive keyboards will use synthesized sounds.
Accessories to consider
Keyboard Stand
Sustain Pedal
Adjustable Bench
Some Good Options at a Range of Prices
Practice Guide For Group Piano Lesson Students
A common misunderstanding among group piano students is that I don't need to practice while taking group piano lessons. That's not true! Practice is always the key point for piano lessons, and an efficient practice plan to boost your learning progress.
Practice Guide to Kids:
Practice at least 2-3 times per week, each time with 20-30 minutes
Follow the handouts from class and go over:
-hand position
-fingering
-notes reading
-rhythm practice
-music theory
-music piece practice
We recommend that parents sit with students while they practice to ensure an effective practice session.
Practice Guide to Adult Students:
Practice at least 2-3 times per week, each time with 30-60 minutes. If you have a very busy schedule, spending longer practice hours on less busy days is a great idea. For example, practicing 60 minutes for two days works better than three days of 30 minutes practice.
Follow the handouts from class and go over:
-Review the corrections from the last piano lesson
-Technique training (fingerings/scales)
-Note reading
-Rhythm training
-Music Piece Practice
Learning would be way more fun with other musicians. Join adult music events/clubs/performances! Performance is the best way to polish your skills and build your confidence!
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