Learning To Play Piano As An Adult 

Learning to play piano as an adult is easier than you think!

Adults often believe learning piano is easier for kids – but is it?

This common myth gives fuel to the idea that if you’re over a certain age, you may as well not bother. “After all, I’m too old and it’s too late now, right?”  Wrong! 

It is never too late to start!

The truth is... adults have several important advantages when it comes to playing piano.

1) You already understand more about music than you realize

Even if you've never played an instrument in your life, you've spent a lifetime listening to music. When you’re learning to play piano, you can relate this new information to the music you already know and this knowledge (which you probably don’t even realize you have) can help you understand many aspects of music relatively easily. The Simply Music approach capitalizes on this experience and uses it to make the learning process almost effortless.

2) You have the discipline and focus to make yourself practice

Kids, especially young kids, are still developing self-discipline and the ability to focus. But as I like to remind my students: no one learns to play the piano in 1 30-minute lesson once a week! Real learning happens as you play throughout the week...it takes practice!

The simple fact is, as an adult you have a huge advantage in this area.

Dr Jessica Grahn, a cognitive neuroscientist and professor at the Brain and Mind Institute at Western University puts it this way:

"The disadvantage that children have is that they are not so good at figuring out higher level rules and they don't really know about how to get good at something. Adults usually have some practice, either with sports or school, at saying, 'Okay, I want to succeed at this so what must I do? I must practice.”

3) You actually want to learn to play the piano — no one is forcing you

This one is HUGE! Many kids are essentially forced to learn piano by their parents. I know when I was a kid, I went through at least five significant stages when I wanted to give up learning piano, and thank goodness my parents didn’t let me.

However, as an adult who actually wants to play piano, you have a huge advantage! Most adults who are learning piano do so largely for the joy of learning. This is tremendously motivating and, as Dr Grahn says, “it actually has some great cognitive effects, increasing your ability to learn faster.”

4) Playing piano relieves stress (something you probably need more now than you did as a kid)

There are numerous studies singing the praises of music's ability to reduce stress and boost mood. Music has been proven to release dopamine in the reward areas of your brain, the same ones that light up in response to food, sex and drugs. Creating music impacts your brain in profound ways, leading to positive mental health and well being. As an adult, you probably have considerably more responsibilities and stresses in your life than you ever did as a child, so this can be particularly beneficial and serve as yet another powerful motivator in your journey with piano.

5) The brain training benefits of learning piano keep your brain sharp 

Learning piano as an adult benefits your brain. As an adult, learning how to play piano is what Dr. Grahn calls a "brain trainer," a way to challenge your brain in an effort to stay sharper and alert for longer. Not only is it possible for this stronger cognitive function to stave off dementia, but it will also allow you to enjoy a higher quality of life with a more active brain."

In fact, many adult students comment on the brain-training benefits they can feel they are receiving as they learn to play piano using Simply Music's unique approach. 

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Hopefully some of the above thoughts will help to dispel the myth that learning piano is somehow harder for adults than it is for kids, or that it's too late to start. 

The truth is, you can start learning piano at any age...let me show you how!