Learning Piano as an Adult: Benefits & Tips for Speeding Up Learning

It's Soothing and Relaxing

If you undergo lots of stress, you likely know the struggles of settling down after a tough day. Any pianist will testify to the immediate relaxation of just sitting down and playing. It's a healthy distraction.

Not only can you release your emotions by playing, but you can also be creative and express yourself. Once you have a basic knowledge of chords, you can even start making your own songs.

Being creative is one of the greatest ways to combat feelings of anxiety, stress, and even depression. Some people write in diaries or journals as a release form to express themselves. Playing the piano, you can express yourself just as much by coming up with your own songs.

It Improves Listening Skills

There are lots of people that go through life without ever understanding the power of music. After you start playing the piano, you'll notice and recognize music more. You might hear a particular song in a movie that makes you go, "I want to learn that!" When people learn some music theory, they're often shocked by how much more they appreciate the music they hear daily.

It's a Great Mental Workout

Playing the piano is a gratifying experience that takes lots of focus. You have to think about each hand playing simultaneously, which can be hard at first. It's comparable to riding a bike. As a kid, you may have used training wheels to help you balance your bike. Eventually, one day, the training wheels came off, and the rest is history. The only difference with learning to use both hands is it takes a lot less time. You might struggle the first few days or weeks, but the rest is history once it clicks.

You also improve your memory by playing the piano. The more songs you learn, the faster you'll be able to memorize them. This improved memory isn't limited to just piano playing, but it also expands to your everyday life.

It's Great For Your Joints

Lots of people develop painful arthritis in their hands over time. Healthy blood flow helps heal lots of pains and injuries. If you don't use your hands and fingers much, you might not have very good blood flow, making you prone to arthritis. Playing the piano is one of the most enjoyable ways to strengthen your hands and keep them healthy.

If you have poor posture, you'll find that playing the piano can dramatically improve it. Sitting with a straight back even for 10-30 minutes a day is healthy for your spine. On the other hand, if you slouch while playing, these benefits are reversed.

It Increases Your Self Worth

When you can play beautiful music on the piano, it makes you feel special. So many people have given up on the piano because they didn't improve as quickly as they wanted. Like many of the great things in life, learning to play the piano takes time. Once you get past the basics, you already possess an admirable skill that most people wish they had. You can be proud that you've taken the time to learn a valuable craft that you can use for the rest of your life.

You can entertain and bring joy to anyone you want to share your music with. In the past, you've likely watched a pianist or musician play and admired their abilities. Knowing that you have this skill in your back pocket, you can feel proud and more confident.

Piano Lessons

Taking piano lessons is the most conventional way to improve. With lessons, you have a dedicated teacher to guide your progress and help you reach your goals. Many people benefit from teachers, but not everyone can afford them. These lessons happen once a week and generally cost between $40-100 an hour. If you don't have this kind of money to spend, the other options may be more ideal.

Youtube Videos

Youtube is one of the most beneficial resources for beginner adult pianists. There are endless piano tutorials that cover just about anything you can think of. If you have a particular song in mind, you can likely find tutorials showing every single note. Lots of dedication and helpful videos can take your playing to a very high level. Just make sure you watch videos about technique, too, because a poor technique can lead to hand and wrist injuries.

Piano Apps

There are many convenient piano apps that you can download right on your phone. These apps can help you read sheet music, understand music theory, and develop your musical ear. Here are some of the top piano apps:

Learning By Ear

This method is one of the more challenging ways to learn the piano. However, if you can learn to do it, there are countless benefits to reap. To learn a song by ear, you must listen to small sections at a time. Find groups of notes, known as chords, that match those in the song. This process can be long and tedious, but there may be a glamorous reward in the long run if you stick with it. People who can learn by ear can often listen to a song and immediately play it, which is a highly desirable skill. If you decide to try this method, just be sure that you also use a proper technique. If you can read sheet music on top of this ability, you'll be in amazing shape.

Learning Sheet Music

Since you can get sheet music for nearly every popular song ever written, it's understandable that being able to read it is invaluable. Excellent sheet music readers can often sight-read anything put in front of them, which is an incredible ability. Though reading sheet music can be a game-changer, you'll still be limited if you can't also play by ear. Ideally, you want to be able to do both for the perfect balance.