So you’ve booked your first piano lesson… what is *actually* going to happen?
Music lessons are one of the most supportive, fast and enjoyable ways to grow as a musician, especially if this is your first ever instrumental music lesson! 🎹
So, if this is your first instrumental music lesson, we just want to say CONGRATS for taking this huge first step! 🥳
If you or your child is feeling nervous about their first piano lesson, reach out to the studio and let them know! They will be really happy to answer any questions you may have, and are glad to know beforehand, so they can best support you in this experience!
So, for the first-timers, the curious ones or the grown ups of little ones off to their first lesson… here is an overview of what a first piano lesson might look like!
Here is an example of what the first lesson at SoundCheck Studios Ballarat looks like:
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What to bring to your first piano lesson
Check with your studio! Before your first piano lesson, the studio or teacher should let you know what you should bring along. Here are some of the basics:
- Any songs you LOVE or would want to learn! This doesn’t have to be classical pieces or nursery rhymes you’ve heard played on the piano, it can be absolutely anything you like… your coach will let you know how a piece can be translated onto the piano and how the sound might change!
- Anything you have learnt on the in the past – if you’re a total beginner, that’s okay too!
- An open mind 💜
Can I practice at home without a keyboard?
Your coach might ask if you have a piano at home, don’t worry if you don’t have one yet! Sometimes, you need to attend a few lessons to make sure it is something you definitely want to continue on with, and teacher’s totally get this!
If you don’t have access to a piano or keyboard straight away, your progress might feel a little slow at the beginning, this is to be expected! When you only practise once per week (during your lesson), it is tricky to keep improving at a steady rate. Once you’re sure you want to continue piano lessons, we definitely recommend purchasing a keyboard. 🎹
Most beginner piano students practice at home with an electric keyboard. You can find these second hand on your local buy/swap/sell groups, at a music shop or online. The most important things to look out for are weighted keys, which simulates the feel of a real piano.
Acoustic pianos (like an upright or grand piano) can be supre expensive, tricky to move and require professional tuning. They produce a beautifullll sound, but that doesn’t always mean they’re the best to begin with.
If you are only learning on a keyboard and really want to try playing on a piano, check out your local music groups, your school, churches, community halls or venues. They might have a piano you could practice on! 💗
Notes on the piano 🎹
One of the first things your piano teacher will show you is how to find the different notes on the piano! Don’t worry, you aren’t expected to remember it all straight away, and even the best pianists still make mistakes! You’ll notice only the letters A to G, this is out musical alphabet! Once you get to G, the pattern repeats and we go back to A. You can use the groups of 2 and 3 black notes to help identify the notes over all the keys!
Here is a handy guide by SoundCheck Studios to give you a headstart:
Setting Goals 💫
Your teacher might ask if you have any goals you want to work towards – this can be a tricky question to answer if you’re just at the start of your piano journey!
Some examples of beginner piano goals might be…
- Learn (insert your favourite song) and play it for my family!
- Be able to play 4 chords confidently
- Build a routine of practicing 5 minutes each day
- Discover 3 new artists I LOVE 💗
- Play the piano in a band with my friends!
- Write my own compositions on the piano
- Be able to read sheet music confidently 🎼
… But really, your goals can be any. thing. you. Want. Have a good think about why you are starting lessons, how much time you have to practice and what you want to achieve.
These goals might change over time, and that’s okay too! Keep communicating with your teacher as your priorities shift, so you are both on the same page.
Okay, you’ve done your first lesson… what comes next?
Congratulations on completing your first piano lesson! New experiences like these allow you to step so far outside of your comfort zone, which is exactly where growth happens 🥳
Now you’ve got an idea of the studio space, your coach’s teaching style, and what a piano lesson is like, it’s time to consider if you’d like to continue! Most music studios encourage you to book a trial lesson before you commit to a certain number of weeks-per-term of lessons.
And remember, if you don’t love the teacher or studio, that is totally okay! These are YOUR lessons, so we want to find the best space for YOU to learn and grow. Just because you’ve done one lesson with someone doesn’t mean you automatically have to learn from them forever! Sometimes we don’t have the time to commit to learning at this stage of life, there’s more you want to work on yourself before you start lessons, or you just don’t like the vibe of the studio – trust your gut!
At the end of your lesson, your teacher will give you an idea of the kinds of things they can help you with!
This could include:
- Proper technique and posture
- Reading sheet music 🎼
- Understanding music theory
- Exploring new genres or types of music
- Songwriting and composition🎉
- Playing in a band
- Preparing for a music exam
If you have a specific goal, make sure to ask if your teacher can help you with that! For example, if you reallyyyy want to play jazz piano, but your teacher is a classical pianist, they might not be able to help you, and could refer you to another guitar teacher or other resources!
We are SO. PROUD. Of you for taking your first step into music lessons, and cannot wait to see all the goals you smash, songs you sing and fun you have on your singing journey 🥰
If you have any questions after your lesson, don’t hesitate to contact your studio! Remember, they want help you achieve alllll your music goals and are always there to help 🎶
