Shirk Music Studio

Do I need a piano to take piano lessons?

Yes! The first requirement to take piano lessons is, obviously, a piano! 88 keys is a must. Students will play the entire range of the instrument from day one. 

What else do I need to take lessons?

The next requirement for lessons is the ability to get the student at the right height to play correctly and avoid injury. Seat cushions, foam blocks, large books, or an adjustable bench can all work. I will help each student and family decide the best way to get the student at the correct height. 

If we were learning violin or any other stringed instrument, the student would be able to get an instrument that is the perfect size for them, since those instruments come in many sizes! Unfortunately, pianos and piano keys only come in one size, so instead, we need to get the student positioned correctly to reach the keys comfortably. 

After getting the student at the correct height, we need to support the feet so they don't dangle. An adjustable foot rest is the last important requirement in order to be comfortable at the piano and play correctly. An adjustable pedal extender is also an option, in order to be able to play the pedals at home. 

Another requirement for lessons is a good working and easy to use metronome. Students will learn how to use a metronome at the very first lesson. The metronome should be loud enough to be heard while playing, and easy enough to move to the correct tempo quickly and without help from a parent. Dial metronomes are preferred over the LCD screen push button type. See the Resources page for some metronome suggestions.

What Kind of Piano?

A question I get asked frequently is about the type of piano, or if a digital piano or keyboard is sufficient. The short answer is that an acoustic piano is always preferred over anything electronic. No matter how good the technology, a digital instrument will never be able to replicate the subtle nuances of a mechanical instrument. 

First Choice: an acoustic piano. It doesn't necessarily have to be a grand - an upright is usually sufficient for most students. Of course, any acoustic piano needs to be in good working order, no matter what the age, brand, or size of the piano actually is. Advanced students will be able to feel the difference in response between an upright and a grand piano. A grand piano action is recommended for the very advanced students who are planning a career in music. 

Second Choice: a digital piano, but only if it fulfills certain requirements. The digital piano should have a built-in stand, and at least 2 pedals. There needs to be a sufficient touch-sensitive, weighted key action. Clavinovas usually meet these requirements, but it very much depends on the make/model of the instrument. Digital pianos that sit on a portable X-stand usually don't meet the requirements, and plug in type square pedals are not sufficient. 

Not Good for Lessons: a portable keyboard of anything fewer than 88 keys. The most popular type of keyboard has 61 keys. It may be "touch sensitive", meaning it can play loud and soft, but just does not respond anything at all like a real piano. In addition, students will outgrow (meaning run out of keys) the keyboard within a few lessons. My students play the entire range of the piano from day one. 

More Arguments For An Acoustic Piano:

Myth (actually, two myths!): digital pianos take up less space and are cheaper than acoustic pianos.
Fact:  Piano keys have a very specific width and dimension. That means that any 88-key instrument, whether digital, electronic, or acoustic, will be about 5 feet wide. This measurement will not vary! Digital pianos tend to average about 2 feet deep (away from the wall), while acoustic uprights average about 2.5 feet deep. A very minimal difference, in fact, no discernible difference when you factor in leaving room for the bench. Don't forget to always add about 3-4 feet away from any type of instrument for the bench (yes, you do sit that far away from the keyboard!). Acoustic pianos will be a bit taller than digital pianos, but we aren't concerned with height when trying to find a place for the piano to live. In fact, the taller the piano, the better the sound quality! Digital pianos do not take up less space than your average upright piano. 

As far as cost is concerned, keep in mind that any digital instrument is just a bunch of computer chips, which are outdated very quickly. Most digital instruments do not hold their value, and depreciate quite rapidly. It's hard to sell your digital instrument for what you paid for it. On the other hand, acoustic instruments can hold their value, even over decades, as long as they were taken care of properly. This means regular tuning. Yes, the brand name, size, and model of an acoustic instrument have a lot to do with its value, but these instruments can hold their value. 

If you are looking for a second hand piano, at any given time, dozens of used acoustic pianos can be found online for sale at a fraction of their original cost. Yes, some instruments are in pretty bad shape, but there are plenty of instruments that are more than sufficient for lessons, and at a much lower cost than a used digital piano. You can almost always find a good second hand piano for sale at a lesser cost than a digital piano. 

Maintenance - if a digital piano breaks down in any way (I've seen many, many instruments with broken or stuck keys), there's not much you can do about it. Digital piano technicians exist, but are extremely rare, and the cost of repair is very, very high - sometimes more than the value of the instrument. In contrast, every time you get your piano tuned, your RPTG (registered piano technician's guild) tuner will check things over and let you know if there are problems. He can make small adjustments here and there help to avoid big mechanical problems later on, and most mechanical issues can be repaired very easily. I can't think of too many repairs that your RPTG tuner would not be able to handle. Although acoustic pianos need to be tuned regularly, digital pianos depreciate quickly, and repairs are either expensive, or impossible. 

However, there is ONE advantage to a digital instrument - the ability to wear headphones! If you live in a small apartment, or if noise is a very serious concern, being able to wear headphones while practicing is convenient. 

And just ONE comment against acoustic pianos: stay away from "spinet" pianos. Very few, if any, piano manufacturers make these instruments any more because of the huge mechanical problems that plague them. However, there is an over-abundance of these instruments to be found on online selling sites, so beware. Stay away from any upright piano that is shorter than 40 inches. 

What about other instruments? 

If you are inquiring about lessons on another instrument, such as saxophone, clarinet, flute, or oboe, please ask about where to get a good working instrument that will not frustrate the student into wanting to quit! Second hand wind instruments very often do not work properly, and need constant inspection from the teacher to make sure nothing is out of adjustment. There may be a few adaptive options for very small or young students who want to play flute or clarinet. Don't just buy an instrument you saw at a yard sale, and definitely don't buy online, especially the inexpensive no-name brands you find on ebay! Learning a new instrument is challenging. Don't make it harder than it needs to be by getting an instrument that you have to fight to play well. There are plenty of great options for good working instruments. Just ask and I'd be happy to help you find a good instrument.