LESSONS: Piano

For the majority of young students, piano is often viewed as the “least fun” of the three instruments mentioned above. It certainly was for me growing up. At the same time, it is the most rewarding in the long term. Moreover, if an instrument is thought of as an interface to the universe of musical syntax, the piano is arguably by far the most comprehensively robust interface among traditional musical instruments. It still only nicks off a tiny sliver of the infinite array of musical information - but it’s the most functionally and extensive among the alternative slivers. That said, many young students are far more motivated by “exciting” than “comprehensively robust”.

Should a young student undertake piano training before drums and guitar? I will say this - it matters to the extent that learning takes place. That is, 1-3 years of piano lessons with an average home workout routine of 0 - 30 min. per week isn’t a terrific investment. At 1-3 hours per week at home, it makes sense. Ideally, starting piano and an elective instrument at the same time is the very best. One hour of in-studio training, split between piano and an elective instrument, is exceptionally effective. The results are multiplicative, in that the student internalizes the structuring of musical information within the each instrument’s internal architecture, as well as the structuring of musical information in the abstract, in a far more revealing way than is available when using just a single interface, i.e. musical instrument.

If a young student lacks a specific inclination as to what instrument to start with, I would say the piano is far and above the most effective selection, assuming a weekly at-home workout regimen. The physical and intellectual demands of learning the piano - even at the beginning level - are far higher than for any field of traditional academic study. It requires work.