3 Things You Need to Master Piano

There's no two-week shortcut to learning piano, and no single trick. After many years of teaching adult beginners, I think mastering the piano comes down to three things: time, listening, and desire.

1. Time and patience

Piano progress is measured in years of regular practice, not weeks. For adult beginners, I suggest three years to feel a real difference and about five to reach proficiency. Piano is a practice in the truest sense. It's not an award you win but a companion you live with. That takes patience with the process and with yourself.

2. The ability to listen

Listening has two parts. The first is listening to music, and especially to your own playing. With so much to manage (fingers, notes, pedal), many students stop hearing what they play. Recording yourself is one of the best ways to practice piano on your own and hear it clearly. The second is listening to directions. What a teacher repeats is usually what matters most.

3. Desire

Over the long run, desire matters more than talent. I've seen students with real learning challenges keep going for years and build a lasting musical life. I've also seen very talented students quit. Keep your desire, and protect it.

In the video, I share the story of one of those students and how I talk with new adult learners about realistic expectations. Watch the full lesson above.

Key ideas in this lesson

• Learning piano as an adult takes years of regular practice. Three to five is a realistic time frame.
• Piano is a practice: patience with the process and with yourself matters.
• Listen to your own playing, and record yourself to hear it objectively.
• Pay attention to repeated directions from your teacher or lessons.
• Desire, more than talent, is what keeps you learning.

Related lessons

• The Gateway Scale – Five-Finger Scales Part 1
• Powerful Questions to Guide Your Piano Practice
• Why Is Sight-Reading Piano Music So Difficult? And What to Do About It