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Can adults learn piano?
Useful links:
Pop Piano Improvisation course (for adults)
Jazz Piano Improvisation course (for adults)
Sign up now for adults & teens P.B.E.S™ courses
Sign up now for a trial lesson (payable of $65)
for self assessment to determine your current P.B.E.S™ Level
Sign up now for Skype P.B.E.S™ lessons (for oversea students only)
Our common perception that learning the piano has to start from young. But piano classes for adults? Yes, it has dramatically becoming a norm, especially in Singapore and other developed countries. We were arguably the first and ONLY school in Singapore that only teaches Contemporary Piano (Pop Piano) and only to adults, (no children in our school) back then in 2003. More and more adults are learning how to play the piano now.
One of the reasons is because how music has changed. Though the Pop era was born in the 50’s, the Chinese contemporary music industry was only introduced in the 90s and became ever popular in the 21th century. The entire genre is very dependent on the piano as compared to other instruments. Artistes such as JJ-Lin, Jay Chou and G.E.M are pianists. Their songs are mostly ballads with a typical solemn piano intro. For 20 years since, the Chinese music era (if there’s one) hasn’t evolved a single bit.
Video title: Excerpts of typical Chinese songs with Piano introduction
For the other emerging music genres, piano has always been proven to be essential in every mix, be it R&B, Rock, Worship, drama and Anime theme songs etc. It takes decades for adults to finally realize that learning the piano doesn’t equate to becoming another Mozart. Because of the music we are surrounded today. And music today is less serious than of those in the 20th Century and hence adults today feel less intimidated when It comes to taking piano lessons. There is no necessity to study traditional music if you really want to play music.
Video title: Real footage of America in 1911 (See how everyone is wearing a suit. We are living in a different world today.)
Parents send their kids for classical piano lessons for few reasons. Generally, it seems more ‘proper’, to be learning a Symphony No. 3 in Eb than playing the latest song from JJ Lin. Maybe we should be sending our kids to learn Hebrew instead of English if we cared about the origins. Anyway, we take this opportunity to wipe out this misconception, that Pop Piano, or R&B piano, or Jazz Piano, or whatsoever contemporary piano genre is STILL actual music. There is no such thing as Classical Piano is ‘more difficult’ than Contemporary (Pop) Piano. You need a fair comparison. For example, a Diploma piece like a Rhapsody in Gm should be compared to a Jazz composition (the highest standard of contemporary music) with complex harmonies and rhythmic displacements.
Video title: Excerpts of LIVE Classical performances VS Jazz performances. We are not downplaying Classical, but rather to emphasize that music haven’t evolved in a drop of standards in technical terms.
One of the reasons is because how music has changed. Though the Pop era was born in the 50’s, the Chinese contemporary music industry was only introduced in the 90s and became ever popular in the 21th century. The entire genre is very dependent on the piano as compared to other instruments. Artistes such as JJ-Lin, Jay Chou and G.E.M are pianists. Their songs are mostly ballads with a typical solemn piano intro. For 20 years since, the Chinese music era (if there’s one) hasn’t evolved a single bit.
Video title: Excerpts of typical Chinese songs with Piano introduction
For the other emerging music genres, piano has always been proven to be essential in every mix, be it R&B, Rock, Worship, drama and Anime theme songs etc. It takes decades for adults to finally realize that learning the piano doesn’t equate to becoming another Mozart. Because of the music we are surrounded today. And music today is less serious than of those in the 20th Century and hence adults today feel less intimidated when It comes to taking piano lessons. There is no necessity to study traditional music if you really want to play music.
Video title: Real footage of America in 1911 (See how everyone is wearing a suit. We are living in a different world today.)
Parents send their kids for classical piano lessons for few reasons. Generally, it seems more ‘proper’, to be learning a Symphony No. 3 in Eb than playing the latest song from JJ Lin. Maybe we should be sending our kids to learn Hebrew instead of English if we cared about the origins. Anyway, we take this opportunity to wipe out this misconception, that Pop Piano, or R&B piano, or Jazz Piano, or whatsoever contemporary piano genre is STILL actual music. There is no such thing as Classical Piano is ‘more difficult’ than Contemporary (Pop) Piano. You need a fair comparison. For example, a Diploma piece like a Rhapsody in Gm should be compared to a Jazz composition (the highest standard of contemporary music) with complex harmonies and rhythmic displacements.
Video title: Excerpts of LIVE Classical performances VS Jazz performances. We are not downplaying Classical, but rather to emphasize that music haven’t evolved in a drop of standards in technical terms.
Chart: Population of students in our school
based on the average number of
enrollment between Jan 2017 – Dec 2019
Zero music background
(Classical grade 2-5
or self taught equiv.)
(Classical grade 6-Dip
or self taught equiv.)
Age group: 7-10 11-20 21-30 31-40 41-50 51-60 61-70 70 & above
(years old)
Chart below: Population of students in our school based on the average number of enrollment between Jan 2017 – Dec 2019
Zero music background
(Previous Classical grade 2-5 or equiv.)
(Previous Classical grade 6-8 or equiv.)
Age group
(years old):
7-10
11-20
21-30
31-40
41-50
51-60
61-70
70 <
As an adult, you would want to learn to play the songs you listen to. Period. There are the usual 2 scenarios we encounter at our reception counter over the past decade(s).
1) “When I was young, I didn’t have the money. Now, I wish to fulfill my dream”
2) “I had my Grade XXX donkey years ago and I wish to pick up piano again.”
Speaking of which, we have seen most Grade 8 pianists who cannot even play a happy birthday tune on the piano with 2 hands at will. Yes, this is the truth. The Classical curriculum does not cover improvisation.
If you are reading so far, please spare us a few moments here.
Music is a language. In a language, you read, write and speak. Of all the three, speaking is the most important. Speaking = improvisation = playing by ear
Music improvisation can be taught. Just like learning a new language. It is just all about learning. For example, if you are deciding to learn a new language, .e.g. Japanese, your purpose is to be able to communicate in Japanese. That’s it. If you learn music, you will want to be able to speak the language of music. Its pretty much like the youtube covers you hear. Everyone improvises.
Of course, there are many levels of improvisation and there is no need for you to reach to the top to acheive your goals. Say you spent 6 months learning Japanese, you should be able to improvise basic words in Japan and navigate your way through. The more you speak, the better you get. Similarly to music, the more you improvise, the better you play over time. As an adult beginner, you are NOT behind time to learn music now. It is only the question of how far you like to venture. You can never beat the Jazz musicians shown in the video above. Those are insane improvisation.
Video title: Upon completing P.B.E.S™ 2 (about 6-9 months), you should be able to play and improvise something similar to this
Fortunately, the general music we listen to today are relatively easy for improvising. If you are an adult who wish to take up piano lessons, spare a moment to find out more about our
Video title: Upon completing P.B.E.S™ 2 (about 6-9 months), you should be able to play and improvise something similar to this
Fortunately, the general music we listen to today are relatively easy for improvising. If you are an adult who wish to take up piano lessons, spare a moment to find out more about our
