FAQs

We recommend the best time to start a student with music lessons is when they begin to show interest in learning. While there is no set age for this, we do recommend that the child is at a level where they can concentrate on a lesson for at least 30 minutes, and have reading and counting skills appropriate to recognise the letters of notes and interpret simple notation. This is usually around age 5, though may begin earlier or later depending on the individual skills of the child.

Adults, whether beginner or advanced, can begin whenever they like! The best advice we can give for adult students, no matter their level, is to ensure they have the time to commit to weekly lessons and a regular practice schedule. See our practice section below for more information.

We highly recommend an acoustic piano, but a keyboard with weighted keys will do just fine. We would be more than happy to make recommendations for decisions on where and which type of piano to buy. Renting is also a cost–effective option.

We don't recommend keyboards without weighted keys, as they feel lighter and quite different to weighted keys and can compromise the proper development of finger technique and dynamics.

For most beginner and intermediate students, we recommend 30–45 minute lessons, as they provide optimum time to consult with the teacher as well as learn new techniques and pieces, without sacrificing the required focus of the student. We find that advanced or exam students may like to increase the length of lessons to 60 minutes to best benefit from their tuition.

Practice is an integral part of learning to play the piano, and will be the most significant factor in determining your progress. Consistency and quality of practice, rather than time, is most important when considering your practice strategy. We recommend 10–30 minutes of practice 4–5 times a week for the best results out of your lessons. For kids, parent participation and support is key to the success of the practice sessions.

Our practice diaries offer inspirational games, practice troubleshooting guide and reward program. Encouraging your child to use these will show a positive result in their application of themselves to their practice sessions, and also teach them how to make strong choices in their development.

The best gift you can offer your child is to be involved in and supportive of their piano playing. It's also important that they're rested, fed and free from distractions when practising. You might like to have a regular performance time where the student can perform for the rest of the family! You'll be surprised how this can positively affect their learning, and how enjoyable it can be for the family as a whole.

Another fun idea is to allow the student to decorate or accessorise their instrument so that it feels like a part of them and is inviting for the student to want to play.

The right piano teacher can be crucial to developing a love of music in students. As such, we're commited to ensuring the best match for your needs. If at any time you don't feel the relationship is working well, it's best to open a discussion with your teacher to see if anything can be changed or amended to better suit. If this doesn't achieve the outcome you were hoping for, we'd be more than happy to discuss it with you and arrange for a new tutor where necessary.