# Should I get a new piano teacher?



## fealypino

Okay, so first I will you my experience.
When I was 4-6, one of my neighbors was a piano teacher (still is) so my parents agreed to my having piano lesson. I didn't learn much, and forgot just about everything afterwards. I had lessons just for a few months, had a recital, then stopped.
About 7-9 years later(that's a few months ago, I'm 13 almos 14 now), I became very interested in classical music, and there were some pieces on the piano that I wanted to learn, so my mother called our former neighbor, and we have lessons now. And I have had lessons for about 6 months.

Before I learned piano, though, I learned violin from a school orchestral program.
Since I already learned basic theory, catching up a little bit was very easy.
I printed a few beginner pieces, and we had our first lesson.
After a few lessons, I decided I wanted to learn to play Beethoven's 11th Sonata 3rd Movement, and she agreed. Which is fishy. I only had just managed to play a piece from the first Suzuki Book, now I'm moving on to relatively intermediate material.

About a month after I got a piano teacher, I got a violin teacher (after I have already been playing for almost 3 years) and she has very much helped me get better. She was very particular in everything.

Then I noticed my piano teacher, is not very particular in anything I play on piano.
She makes LITERALLY (I'm truly using that word as it's meant) NO comments on just about anything.
However, because I have not seen other piano teachers, I let it go. I assumed the piano teachers you would see on tv dramas were fictionally harsh.

A few months pass by, I'm learning Liebestraum No 3.
I have heard comments on this, being VERY hard to play well, despite it being one of Liszt's easier pieces.

I notice while sightreading a portion that some of my fingers are flexing inward towards the keys. How awful, a bad habit. However, she makes not comment what so ever.

I'm afraid that if I keep "learning" from her, (I quoted the "learning" because I think she simply acts as my practice manager, the reason why I should practice my piece, I'm pretty much doing it all by myself) Ok, so I'm afraid that if I keep learning from her, escaping from my bad technique and fingerings might be impossible once I even learn what good technique looks like.

Normally, you'd play simple pieces on your first few months, so you don't have to go through the trouble of playing a hard piece AND worrying about your technique, as I would assume so.
Then, all that changes as you go on is that you learn some more skills, musical terms, and the pieces gradually get more difficult, you sight read, etc, still worrying about your technique (not so much during sightreading)

I'm very worried for my playing ability, as I stated above, and even though I most likely won't become a professional pianist, I don't want to be awful. I feel as if I am doing all the teaching, to myself, and my parents are having to pay $80 USD every 2 weeks just so my teacher can see how well its going, and give little feedback.

[Admin edit: Thread moved from Classical Music to Keyboard Instruments]


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## PetrB

"These days" most any piano teacher worth studying with has a master's degree in piano performance, _including_ having taken those necessary pedagogy courses, those done working with students under the supervision of the school's piano staff in order to earn that degree.

You may learn quickly, but to not have a more step-by-step progressive set of pieces assigned to you (one by one, not working from a 'book of grade X') to learn before you get into _any _Beethoven Sonata or Liszt's Liebestraum, is a sign the teacher is just not doing a good deal of what is usually expected. _(There is plenty of 'non-kiddie' repertoire to musically satisfy, even at the beginner's level. I started out, age six, with the Bartok Microkosmos and a Schirmer edition of Bach, much of it from the Notebook for Anna Magdelana and other assorted short movements from, say, an English Suite.)_

Too, talk about your posture, hand position, _some_ technical exercises or an etude here or there (etude at your level, again) should all be happening, and they seem to not be happening. You said yourself you would like to learn to play well, even if it is for your own satisfaction only.

Regardless, even if your report is not accurate but merely your perception of 'what is wrong there,' that too is enough to call for a change, _because you no longer believe this teacher has anything to offer you._

You want a teacher -- even for beginning children -- with decent credentials (mentioned above) _with some track record of actual performances,_ and whose students are doing demonstrably well, either in the local recital venue, or passing 'grade systems' (many places in the U.S. do not have these) and / or doing well in minor competitions. That teacher is going to know the necessary pedagogy, what repertoire to assign you and when, and can assess you well and realistically -- ergo, much more methodically. That will bring you progressively forward -- faster, and without building in much of any bad habits.

You should also expect their rate to be very on or near $30 for a half-hour lesson -- lessons best taken once a week.


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## fealypino

Thank you for your reply.
I believe my local piano teacher has no degree.
I will talk to my parents about a teacher change, a teacher who has a degree and maybe even has a history of performing professionally. I will enjoy the hard work I will be forced to be put through while seeing excellent progress.


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## Krummhorn

I would be curious to know what credentials this piano teacher has. Any piano teacher should be able to give constructive criticism and make comments regarding playing technique. Does he/she play any examples of music for you? 

Any beginning piano student also needs some basic theory lessons to go along with the studies. When I was taking piano lessons (age 6 to 12) I had a weekly private lesson session and a weekly group theory class with her other students. 

The difficulty of new pieces to learn is based on the abilities of the student. Some will excel at a faster pace than others - the piano teacher should be able to discern this easily. 

You are at a sad disadvantage ... sorry to be so brunt, but it needs to be said. It seems that you have no input on who is to be your piano teacher ... but I might approach the situation with something along the lines that you feel you are not getting what you need from this instructor and ask that your parents seek out someone else. All you can do is ask ... they will either say 'yes' or 'no'. 

If this neighbor is a very close friend of the family, it's going to be rough to make an instructor change so as to not hurt others feelings. 

If you know of other kids your age who are taking piano lessons, ask them who teaches them also. Perhaps too, you can discuss this matter with one of your school teachers. 

After those 6 years of private piano study, I went on to the organ for another 6 years, and 2 more years in college. I turned professional (organist) in 1961 and still play to this day. 

I wish you all the best in your future piano studies ... and never give up on yourself .


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## PetrB

fealypino said:


> Thank you for your reply.
> I believe my local piano teacher has no degree.
> I will talk to my parents about a teacher change, a teacher who has a degree and maybe even has a history of performing professionally. I will enjoy the hard work I will be forced to be put through while seeing excellent progress.


Degrees are not everything, and many of my generation did not 'have them all,' yet somehow, through training, acquired the same necessaries to be hired by higher institutions and conservatories to teach. There also exist those who teach who really do not have that background, with or without the diploma, they hang up a shingle, and get by teaching a lot of beginning children, sometimes well, sometimes not. If they teach well, it is really a matter of their being a good 'starter' teacher for kids for maybe two or three years, after which if the student has progressed well enough, they should go to another teacher. Yours sounds like that cliche "the little (old, older) lady who teaches piano to all the kids in town," and it sounds like you certainly need someone with far more skills and greater expertise, diploma or no diploma.

By the way, it is politic to thank that teacher on your way out the door, or for your parents to do so when informing the teacher that you will be studying with someone else


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## fealypino

My teacher only plays SOMETIMES when learning new concepts in theory, for example, an arpeggio, even though I already knew what it was.

I already know some basic theory from orchestra at school and some more advanced theory at a summer conservatory I attended, that provided simple piano classes. The only theory things we did was from a theory book. That I essentially did all by myself. I believe I managed to learn pretty fast, I can sight read very well now, so I just sight read my method book.

Yes, I was worried I might hurt my teachers feelings, she was one of our former neighbors.

I truly should get a new piano teacher, I don't believe I'm getting anything good recently. No help with technique, posture, or anything like that, I'll have to start all over, I won't be able to play my beloved Liebestraum No. 3 until I can get good technique otherwise it will threaten my progress, and since I've been playing on and off for years with bad technique, that wait will be a long while.

Thank you. I will not only talk to my parents about it, but I will persist on the idea.
While I was getting a piano a while ago, the salesmen recommended a better piano teacher.
Perhaps I will give that one a try.


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## fealypino

PetrB said:


> Degrees are not everything, and many of my generation did not 'have them all,' yet somehow, through training, acquired the same necessaries to be hired by higher institutions and conservatories to teach. There also exist those who teach who really do not have that background, with or without the diploma, they hang up a shingle, and get by teaching a lot of beginning children, sometimes well, sometimes not. If they teach well, it is really a matter of their being a good 'starter' teacher for kids for maybe two or three years, after which if the student has progressed well enough, they should go to another teacher. Yours sounds like "the cliche lady who teaches piano to all the kids in town," and it sounds like you certainly need someone with far more skills and greater expertise, diploma or no diploma.
> 
> By the way, it is politic to thank that teacher on your way out the door, or for your parents to do so when informing the teacher that you will be studying with someone else


Well as you said, I am not getting anything out of my teacher, so I guess about any new teacher would be great. Having a degree would certainly give you some background, though.

I will say thank you. I'm not very good at talking to people so that helped a lot, thanks.


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## DavidA

fealypino said:


> Thank you for your reply.
> I believe my local piano teacher has no degree.
> I will talk to my parents about a teacher change, a teacher who has a degree and maybe even has a history of performing professionally. I will enjoy the hard work I will be forced to be put through while seeing excellent progress.


The main thing is a teacher has teaching qualifications. My wife has teaching diplomas from reputable music colleges. The main thing is though he/she can play and also communicate to you how to play. There is also the point that teachers who are good at taking a pupil when they are first learning often need to hand them on to someone else when the student gets more advanced.


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## PetrB

DavidA said:


> The main thing is a teacher has teaching qualifications. My wife has teaching diplomas from reputable music colleges. The main thing is though he/she can play and also communicate to you how to play. There is also the point that *teachers who are good at taking a pupil when they are first learning often need to hand them on to someone else when the student gets more advanced.*


Too often, the teacher in an area without a steady supply of new students to keep their personal income on an even keel will not send those students on when they really should move on.


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## fealypino

I spoke with my parents. At least my father strongly agrees, my mother's thought on it seems to be indifferent.


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## Krummhorn

fealypino said:


> I spoke with my parents. At least my father strongly agrees, my mother's thought on it seems to be indifferent.


Those are encouraging words at least. I hope this can bring about a change in teachers 

Kh ♫


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## DavidA

DavidA said:


> The main thing is a teacher has teaching qualifications. My wife has teaching diplomas from reputable music colleges. The main thing is though he/she can play and also communicate to you how to play. There is also the point that teachers who are good at taking a pupil when they are first learning often need to hand them on to someone else when the student gets more advanced.


I should add that this has only happened a couple of times, with exceptionally gifted pupils. The ordinary teacher doesn't get too many of those!


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## Varick

Yes, by all means get another teacher. I went through three teachers when I was very young before I settled on my fourth, best, and last teacher I had. Because the other three let my bad habits develop, when I started with my fourth, I practically had to start (technique wise) from scratch. It took me almost two years to correct most of my bad habits. 

To this day I am a terrible sight reader (I can read notes fine, I just can't play them that well until I get a few run-throughs). When I was in college I asked my piano teacher why he never worked on my sight reading, and he said that I didn't have the discipline nor the desire to do the necessary work (at least another 2-3 years) to properly correct it. 

Moral of the story: Get a good teacher ASAP!!! If only I had started with my last piano teacher...

Best of luck!

V


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