What Are The Main Reasons Why People Drop Out Of Piano Lessons?

So you think you’ll just pick up any instrument and hit the right chords automatically? Well, reality is different, it is not all rainbows and sunshine, playing the piano requires immense effort and patience.

Piano lessons are not everyone’s cup of tea. Statistics show how most piano students quit their music classes within weeks of joining. Are you frustrated because no matter how much effort you put in perfecting the piano, you just cannot get it right? Read on to know why:

It’s just so hard!

People who choose to attend music lessons just because others are doing it are the first to quit it when stuff gets serious. It is all fun and games until you realize piano is not only hitting random keys.

It is about complicated chords and learning complex tunes, about spending hours practicing a piece until you perfect it. Mastering the piano is no easy feat; it requires a lot of effort and your utmost concentration.

Piano lessons cost a lot!

Purchasing a piano is quite an investment and with the practice fees, it just becomes all the more difficult for musicians to join these classes. It is best that you check the fees structure and budget in the other expenses before you enroll in any music lessons.

Of course, you can get a second-hand instrument at a thrift shop or garage sales, but they come with their own drawbacks. While an old piano is depreciated and battered over time, a brand new one is superior in style and operational capabilities.

You don’t see any progress

This is perhaps the most common complaint among amateurs who have just only begun to play the piano. Every pianist has their own potential and learning speed. There are some who might catch up the tunes pretty fast, and others who will take ages to learn.

Not seeing any significant progress even though you’ve put in your best effort often results in piano students quitting classes altogether. Newbies are usually very impatient and have unrealistically high expectations, a deadly combination that can ruin their piano fortunes.

There’s never enough time for practice

Honestly, this is just an excuse! If a person is really passionate about something he/she will find time for it, no matter what. There are so many professionals who have jam-packed schedules but still take out time for practice.

Most students are just not passionate about their lessons. Also, practice sessions can be boring; it can become cumbersome repeating the same chords every day. Lack of motivation might be another reason why most amateur musicians quit and choose not to pursue this avenue.

It’s not as good as I hoped it would be

Ever watched your favorite pianist playing and thought “this looks cool; I’ll be able to do it so well!” Well, you might be wrong. Piano playing might look pretty simple but it is so much more than hitting a few chords! People who join these classes under the influence of peer pressure or complacency quit after the first few weeks – much of the time.

Budding musicians have pretty high expectations until reality hits them in the face. They fail to realize that pianos are not all about playing songs but learning the complicated notes and chords as well. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it.

Lessons become boring after a while

Most people who choose to sign up for piano lessons aren’t really serious about them; they just want to pursue it as a hobby. So when the boring and tedious part comes up, which is mainly what practice is about, they drop out of it.

Also, most music tutors don’t really encourage their students enough. Appreciation and encouragement is the best form of showing support.

Piano lessons are bound to get cumbersome if your teacher is just teaching by the book and not letting you improvise! If you do not like playing the piano, you will soon realize this. It is not easy and hard work is required.

The bottom line

Quitting is never really an option; it is just an escape route. While most of the ‘reasons’ we discussed are mere excuses, there could be genuine hindrances too. Thankfully, most of them have practical and very simple solutions.

For instance, if you don’t have enough money, you can always sweat it out for a scholarship, or seek refuge in a free online course (this is going to be the most typical route).

Anyone who said this was going to be easy is a fool. It is not easy. If your parents do not have the money for lessons, use the Internet or you will have to wait until you are a teenager so you can work and make some money for yourself. You can gain some lost ground based on your motivation to catch up.

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Elvis Presley got a “C” in his 8th grade music class.

— What The F*** Facts (@WhatTheFFacts) July 13, 2016

at soundcheck, Michael said he’d tell his young self to practice more on the guitar, learn more about music #SLFLToronto

— Michael Updates (@MichaeICUpdates) July 13, 2016

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