Is it possible to teach myself how to play piano?

Q: Is it possible to teach myself how to play piano with online help or something. I am sure that there must be web sites out there that can help me out, or is it better to get a teacher.

A: Why, oh why, will nobody say it? Why pussyfoot?

**NO**

You can teach yourself to make noises using my instrument. But to play it, i.e. to be master of it, you'll need another master of it to pass his secrets on to you. Do you honestly think I, and uncountable others, would have bothered with our struggles with that devil's box of steel strings and wooden parts if it was quite that easy?

Has it ever crossed your mind why you don't ever see 'can I teach myself violin/euphonium/ double-bass'?

I genuinely don't want to be unkind by posting this, but I am tearing my hair out at all these comforting replies that suggest you will ever succeed: if you want to *master* the instrument instead of make noises on it, you won't!

That magic bullet does not exist.

(I apologise to you and forum if this seems immoderate, but I just can't watch this cycle yet again without saying something.)

If you want to learn, find a teacher who will care for you and lead you into the magic garden of what an instrument can do. Mine or any other. That you won't regret.

All the best,

10 Comments

  • adam says:
    I play piano now, and I go to a teacher. Using the internet you could probably teach yourself to play it, you just need to figure out the scale and things like that. Start off small, too. Don't just jump into music by Bach or Mozart or something, just find easy, beginner pieces. Finding a teacher would probably be the best bet, because they know ways to, like, teach you how to play.
  • Tahnee says:
    Sure! Self taught instrumentalists are often more free than classically trained musicians. However, you may want some tuition later on if you want to play advanced classical repertoire. But there is a lot that you can teach yourself.
  • Liszt: Finger Reaper says:
    Possible? Yes. Advisable? No.

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