Do not be lead astray by anyone who says that children must start piano by age 5 to play well. While beginning at this young age was the traditional time for generations ago, early childhood development studies have shown differently. In fact, kids are never too old to learn to play the piano, and neither are their parents or grandparents.
The big problem with placing age limits on learning is that the limits are not the same for everyone. In the past, classical piano training required students to start at 5 years old. If a student could not keep up with the traditional regimen of finger exercises or was unable to read the notes well, they might have been called less than talented. In the general public, it was often thought that only the gifted were destined to be musical.
Potential private piano students are those who are learning to read and write or who already have those skills. Why? Because music is simply another language. Learning to read and write it is a very similar process to acquiring a new language. Older students can often apply their language learning skills to learning music. This widens the acceptable starting ages for pianists to as young as 2 or 3 to as old as 11 to 75. The point is that you can start at almost any age.
Kids in late elementary or middle school who are very interested in their piano studies will very often learn quite quickly. It is not uncommon for them to take a year learning what very young primary students can only learn in two or three years. Because studying piano is a physical activity, students successful in sports sometimes also excel in keyboard skills.
There are a few main issues to consider when starting late, though. Adults often encounter frustration with their eye to hand coordination. The learning process they must go through is the same as a young child. Adults do understand musical concepts more quickly than children, but understanding is not the same as doing. It will also be difficult to maintain regular practice times when work demands come first. Sometimes, the weekly family routine will not allow for uninterrupted practice. Dedication and organization will go a long way to over coming these things.
The best way to think about your musical studies is to consider piano playing a sport. It actually requires repetitions just as any athlete would do. The only difference is that those repetitions use small muscles with very intricate motions, while other sports generally use large muscles.
Scheduling practice time is essential. Many older students actually block out regular times in their appointment calendars to make certain that nothing else interferes. Develop a routine that works and stick to it.
Desiring to take up lessons can surface when your children or grandchildren start their studies. This can be a springboard to creating shared learning experiences that last a lifetime. It really is true that you are never too old to learn to play the piano.
Merriam School Of Music 75-3175 Rutherford Rd, Vaughan, ON L4K 5Y6 (905) 829-4489 http://www.merriammusic.com/ Music school and piano store in the Greater Toronto Area. Offers piano lessons for children and adults. Also sells instruments, music and related products. Visit our Vaughan location!
