question about piano lessons

[emzhengjiu]

My neighbor is offering piano lessons in her apartment for $15.00/hour. But she only has a Yamaha keyboard not a real piano. We don't have a piano either - no room for one! My DDs, 8 & 11, would practice on a small keyboard. Both girls want to learn to play. Do you guys think this situation is doable? My budget doesn't run to more expensive lessons. Even at $15/ hr, it's a challenge. Both girls would be beginners. Also do you think 30 minute lessons might be enough considering they're rank beginners? I'm not sure if my neighbor would consider the shorter lessons but it might be worth trying. Thanks so much!

 

Judy

[Linda...inOwasso]

I would jump on it! Both my dd's take a 30 min. Suzuki piano lesson 1 x week and it costs me $130 month. I've never heard of a beginning piano lesson lasting longer than 30 min. unless it was KinderMusik or something similar. It sure wouldn't hurt to ask your neighbor if she would give each girl 30min.

 

Hope it works out!!

[Jana]

My son is starting a keyboard class this year at the local music school. It is not a private lesson, there are six students in the class. The class runs for 45 minutes one time a week and costs $68 a month.

 

We decided to start with keyboard to see how he likes it. No sense investing in a piano until we try it.

 

Sounds like a good way to start. Learning the piano is a fine introduction into learning to read music--the basics. Seems like you can't go wrong.

[Guest 4boys]

I think a keyboard would be fine to learn on. Maybe when they are older and if they are really interested in getting into the higher levels you could consider a real piano then. I never had longer than 30 minute lessons until I was into the higher levels so that sounds reasonable to me.

[brehon]

I agree with what other posters have written. $15/hr sounds like a great rate, especially since you know up front that she "only" has a keyboard. (This isn't a negative in my book. I practiced with my keyboard at university when I couldn't get a practice room.) Given your girls' ages and their lack of experience, 30 minutes per lesson per girl is more than adequate. No serious teacher would expect a young, inexperienced student to sit for lessons for an hour.

 

Just for comparison, I'm teaching my older two piano. Ds7's lessons last 10-15 minutes each twice a week (one lesson is actual playing and one is music theory) and he practices between 5 & 10 minutes per day. He does exhibit some natural musical gifts (singing especially -- the boy has perfect pitch, drat him:tongue_smilie:). Dd5's lessons last 10 minutes each (same schedule as ds) and she practices about 5 minutes per day.

 

If the teacher is willing to teach both girls for 1 hour (at 30 minutes each) that sounds great to me.

[JudyJudyJudy]

I would do it! Ds takes piano lessons at a rate of $65/month for 1/2 hour once a week (for most months, that works out to be $16.25 for 1/2 hour). While he uses a real piano during lessons, he uses a full-size keyboard to practice at home. He has been taking lessons for 3.5 years, but only recently has he started saying that he needs a real piano at home.

[emzhengjiu]

My neighbor agreed to give 30 minute lessons. My girls are thrilled. We start after Labor Day. Thanks everybody for the advice and information.

[sagira]

Sounds alright to me, too. If one or both of your girls want to keep moving forward in a couple of years, I would recommend piano lessons then. However, just learning the keys and everything is definitely doable with a keyboard.

 

I'll be teaching ds piano for this year. I played piano for nine years and as he's a total beginner, I can do it this year. As he progresses we may go into lessons from our local teacher.

[TrixieB]

My neighbor agreed to give 30 minute lessons. My girls are thrilled. We start after Labor Day. Thanks everybody for the advice and information.

We have a keyboard -- like you, have no room for a piano. My suggestion, if you have not already bought a keyboard, is to get one with 88 full-size keys. Your children will quickly get frustrated with keys that are not full size. If you buy a keyboard with fewer than 88 keys you'll eventually have to upgrade (which is what we are looking at doing soon). There are quite a few portable keyboards available that you can put on a stand and easily move around your house as needed.

 

30 minute lessons are fine for beginners.

[Testimony]

Since the children are just beginning, they should get just a 30 minute lesson each. So, if it $15 for the two of them, then jump on it. If it $15 for each child, I don't know. Is the keyboard a full size or a 64 keyboard? I wonder how far could the children go on a smaller size as oppose to the full 88 keys?

 

Just my thoughts on the subject.

 

Blessing to you in your homeschooling journey!

 

Sincerely,

Karen

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony

[Mindy]

I would do it....$15.00/hr is a good price, and 30 minutes is good for beginners. :001_smile:

[sarahv]

I'm kind of picky, but I wouldn't use a keyboard unless the keys were weighted.

[emzhengjiu]

Why wouldn't you want to use a keyboard unless the keys were weighted? I know very little about music - sad isn't. Money is a huge factor for me. I haven't found affordable piano lessons until this neighbor began offering lessons.

 

Thanks so much.

Judy

[ahousefullofjs]

sounds like a great deal! Lessons here run $20 per half hour. We also rent the piano for 50/month. We're trying to find other options.

[JudyJudyJudy]

Why wouldn't you want to use a keyboard unless the keys were weighted? I know very little about music - sad isn't. Money is a huge factor for me. I haven't found affordable piano lessons until this neighbor began offering lessons.

 

Thanks so much.

Judy

There is a difference between the feel of a real piano and a keyboard that doesn't have weighted keys (or even one with weighted keys), so I somewhat understand what sarahv is saying. However, if my options were to use a keyboard without weighted keys or for my children not to be able to take lessons at all, I'd choose the former.

 

Ds (9.5) has been taking lessons for over 3.5 years. He takes lessons on a regular piano, but he practices on a keyboard with weighted keys. While there is a difference, it doesn't seem to be affecting him. His teacher compliments him all the time, and others do as well. The biggest complaint I've heard from him is about the pedal; that's a relatively new complaint, though. He does like the feel of the piano better, but he's okay with the keyboard other than the pedal. I'd love to be able to buy a piano eventually, but it simply isn't an option for us right now.

[Michele B]

The keyboard is actually better to learn on in my opinion. The key board is always in tune. That is very important for young children. You want little ears to be trained correctly! Also, all the different "sounds" can be a motivator. I let my dds change the sounds if they are behaving. Also - volume control!! Wow that is a big one! It means dd7 can practice if dd4 is taking a nap or dh is watching the news in the next room! Dd 7 started when she was 3 and dd4 just started this year. They are in the Harmony Row program. The classes are 45 minutes, but the first few years keyboard time is mixed in with kindermusik-type activities. We have a 72-key keyboard with touch response. We plan on using it for a long time to come. There is a built in metronome option, you can attach pedals when you are ready and did I mention- it is always in tune? Sounds like a great opportunity. :D

 

Michele

[Michele B]

Oh, "touch response" is weighted keys, a slight tension when you press a key down.

 

Michele