Everyone can learn piano

In Ratatouille, spoiler alert, the theme is anyone can cook. I would use a similar response when people complimented my piano playing saying things like, “That’s beautiful, I wish I could do that.”

I very much still believe anyone can learn piano. I will note that Rachmaninov purposefully wrote music that makes it impossible for smaller hands. So maybe not everyone is physically capable to do all things. So I will simply say…

…all who are moved by music, can make music.

I have been asked to teach piano and my response would typically be, “you should work with someone with a performance degree.” However, in saying that, I was selling myself short. While I don’t have a degree in piano performance, I have 10 years of lessons and over 20 years of playing that make me capable of teaching beginners. And I would be honored to pay that forward, and help anyone check off that bucket list item to learn piano.

It just takes time and patience. We all have time, and everyone can learn patience.

If this is you, and you wonder where to start? Start, where you are moved. If there’s a song you love so much and want to learn, start there. If it’s too hard and the thought of that is daunting, think of something simpler. The smallest steps are made before great leaps.

Story time!

In high school, I once had a friend ask me to teach them a song on the piano; a song that I already knew. For reference, he didn’t know how to play piano, but had been playing trumpet for nearly a decade.  I played through some songs I knew, and nothing sounded appealing. But he REALLY wanted to learn something. I played a jazzy song that I hadn’t played a ton at the time, and he lit up. He asked me to teach him that one.

I was skeptical, and he was determined. I never opened a music book or taught him any notes. I showed him my finger movements, the notes to hit, and he followed. It was through this meticulous, very slow, and unorthodox approach that he eventually learned the song. I simply taught him the song he wanted, and that was it. We both graduated high school and moved on with our lives. I can’t say he still remembers, but I definitely still do and love that memory.

So if there’s just that one song you always wanted to learn. Or piano is something you’ve always wanted to learn more about, I’d be happy to teach you. Just email me here, and let’s check off that bucket list:

RaymondPlaysPiano@icloud.com

Just for kicks, here’s that song I taught him:

(mistakes and all because pobody’s nerfect)

PS: As a musician, it pains me that I cannot locate the name of this song and give credit. So if you know it, please let me know!