Learning a musical instrument is a rewarding experience, but it’s no secret that the first lesson can feel daunting if you don’t know what to expect.
At the Music Education Centre, we offer piano lessons in Auckland, so we can tell you how to prepare ahead of your first lesson.
Before the lesson
As you have never had a piano lesson before, there’s not too much you need to do at this stage, but there are a few points that you might find it helpful to follow.
- Although it’s unlikely, ask your teacher if there is any piano music they would like you to bring.
- Find out exactly what time your lesson starts and arrive about five minutes beforehand.
- There may be someone having a lesson before you, so it’s a good idea to wait quietly so that you don’t distract them.
Your first piano lesson
At the start of your first lesson, your teacher will probably ask you about what your piano learning goals are. For example, you might want to work towards taking a piano exam, or just play for enjoyment.
The teacher might also ask if you’ve ever played the piano before, and how much you know about how to play the piano. Many people taking their first piano lesson are complete beginners, so if this is the case for you, the teacher will probably start by going through the different notes on the piano so that you can start to memorise them. You’ll also be taught some basic exercises so that you can get used to playing the piano. This should also help you start to learn what each note sounds like.
You may also be introduced to sheet music. Some teachers prefer to save this for the second lesson and instead concentrate on getting you used to the sound and feel of the piano keys. However, if you do start learning sheet music in the first lesson, you’ll be able to see what each note looks like written down. Being able to read music is a key skill to have when playing the piano, so your teacher will probably want to get you started on this as early as possible.
At the Music Education Centre, we specialise in teaching the piano to children in Auckland. If your child is interested in learning to play the piano, get in touch with us today.