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The Truth About Classical Piano Lessons (Pros & Cons)

Charmaine Li  /  Musicianship  /  UPDATED Jan 27, 2023

For many people, classical piano lessons were their first introduction to the piano.

But many people don’t like them, and for good reason. Traditional lessons have a reputation for being stuffy, strict, and stressful.

Still, many people want to learn classical music. After all, some of the most famous piano music of all time are classical pieces.

But if you have bad memories from your childhood classical lessons, what should you do? Well, you can try the Pianote Method, which was designed for the modern learner in mind and covers topics typical classical lessons don’t. Or keep reading to learn what’s missing from traditional lessons and what you can do to fill those gaps!

Learn Everything About Piano in One Place

Want to learn how to play piano? Classical lessons provide a strong foundation, but they tend to lack essential topics like improvisation and playing by ear. At Pianote, you’ll get a well-rounded education in all things piano with a modern, step-by-step approach to the instrument that’s based on fun.

Try Pianote for 7 Days Free

✅ PRO: Classical piano lessons teach you how to read sheet music like a pro

If you (like me!), learned piano through intensive classical lessons, chances are you’re a pro at reading sheet music.

Now, don’t get me wrong: knowing how to read sheet music is a very useful skill. It’s like knowing an extra language. As long as there is sheet music, you can play practically any song.

⚠️ CON: Relying on sheet music may not be a good thing!

The truth is, you won’t always have sheet music available to you. And focusing too much on sheet music may neglect one of the most important tools you should develop as a musician: your ear.

The good news is it’s never too late to develop your ear. Start simple—find a basic melody and see if you can recreate it on the piano. Sing along (it helps!). Then, try to find the chord progression by ear.

That time Lisa challenged me to stop relying on sheet music. (See the video!)

Improve Your Ear Today 👂

You don’t need perfect pitch to play by ear. It’s a skill you can learn, just like reading sheet music. Here are some free lessons to get you started:

PRO or CON: Classical piano lessons are very structured

The classical teaching tradition has been around for centuries. Today, there are certification programs, exams, and degrees you can get in classical music.

Some people like this kind of formality, but not everyone needs—or benefits—from such a structured approach. Young children, especially, may benefit from a more exploratory style of learning. The Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) program is notoriously intense, and every year, young musicians stress over exams (trust me, I was one of them!).

If you want your child to embrace music, associating it with stress may not be a good idea. However, if you want to pursue music professionally, formal education might help.

Structure Your Piano Practice…On YOUR Terms 📝

One of our most frequently asked questions is, “What should I practice?” We get it—you want to maximize your practice time! And a little structure can help with that. Check out some of these structured practice ideas:

⚠️ CON: Most classical piano lessons don’t teach you how to improvise

This, in my opinion, is the biggest downside of classical music education.

It’s ironic, because improvisation was once an essential part of the classical music tradition. This famous scene of Mozart improvising is from a movie, but the composer likely did similar things in his lifetime. In fact, the cadenza section of a piano concerto—when the orchestra stops playing for the soloist to show off—was once completely improvised by the performer.

Improvising in the style of Mozart, the way Mozart may have done!

When you miss out on improvising, you miss out on developing your own musical voice. Improvisation is a fantastic exercise in creativity, and it’ll challenge your ears too!

Anyone Can Improvise 🪄

You don’t need perfect pitch to improvise beautifully. And, yes, classically-trained pianists CAN improvise! The trick is to start small and stay humble. Some lessons to inspire you:

⚠️ CON: Classical piano lessons only teach classical music

The piano is unique in that it plays a role in so many styles of music. Jazz! Pop! Rock! Gospel! Latin! Don’t miss out on rich music traditions that can be just as—if not more—inspiring.

Pop piano may have a reputation for being “easy,” but the wonderful thing about playing pop songs is you can make them as complex or as simple as you want. The bare bones of a pop song can be laid out in a simple lead sheet or chord chart, and you can fill out the rest.

Lisa demonstrates one pop song played five different ways.

Jazz can take newcomers some time to get used to. But if you’re an academically-minded classical pianist, you may develop a taste for it, especially if you’re a theory nerd. (You will have to learn how to improvise in jazz though!)

How Well Do You Know These Genres? 🎹

The piano is a central instrument to so many genres. Check out its role in different styles:

✅ PRO: Classical piano gives you a solid foundation to learn other styles of piano

But what if all you’ve gotten are classical piano lessons? The good news is, you’re in a solid position. While classical lessons can be limiting, they do provide a solid foundation!

For example, if you grew up having to drill scales and chords in various patterns and inversions, you already have a well-practiced box of tools to use in your improvisations. You just need to learn how to use what you know.

Become a Well-Rounded Piano Player

Classical music is a lovely genre of music with a long tradition. Learning the classical method will provide a solid foundation for you to grow your piano skills.

But the classical genre and teaching method isn’t the only option out there, and it doesn’t cover everything. Don’t miss out on important skills like playing by ear, improvising, and playing other styles of music.

If you’re looking for a well-rounded piano curriculum that covers all these skills, consider joining Pianote.

Try Pianote for 7 Days Free

Charmaine Li is a Vancouver writer who has played piano for over 20 years. She holds an Associate diploma (ARCT) from the Royal Conservatory of Music and loves writing about the ways in which music—and music learning—affects the human experience. Charmaine manages The Note. Learn more about Charmaine here.

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