Music lessons for adults

Corelli

That is wonderful - that you are going to start having lessons, I too would recommend individual lessons.

I am very surprised at the prices though. I pay £30 an hour for teachers with an MA, graduates charge slightly less, heads of departments and well known performers a bit more.

I'm in London which puts prices up a bit but not all that much for instrument tuition AFAIK, so I'm wondering what level of qualification the tutors you are investigating have. Unless piano is generally cheaper than recorders? (Deliberate plural there, they come in more varieties than the usual ones at school)

Happy music making.

System

I would say 1-1 tuition is the better option, especially given that there's not much price difference. Good luck with it, you might find you really enjoy it.

I am hankering after taking up the piano again. I learned as a teenager but gave up at around grade 4/5. The only thing is, how to get a piano up to my third floor flat!

For the moment I'm going to stick with learning that deeply unfashionable instrument, the treble recorder :rotfl: I know when you think of recorders it brings to mind school kids 'playing' the descant recorder, but I really like to hear the recorder when it's played well. Sorry, going slightly off topic!

Person_one

avogadro wrote: »

I am hankering after taking up the piano again. I learned as a teenager but gave up at around grade 4/5. The only thing is, how to get a piano up to my third floor flat!

Get a nicely portable stage piano, that's what I did, and my parents are lumbered with my upright until I can afford somewhere big enough for it!

tyllwyd

Corelli wrote: »

... I am very surprised at the prices though. I pay £30 an hour for teachers with an MA, graduates charge slightly less, heads of departments and well known performers a bit more. ...

I agree that the prices the OP quotes sound more like half-an-hour lessons - which isn't such a bad thing, my DD has an hour individual lesson and she finds it hard work doing such a long lesson.

Having said that, £15 for a group lesson sounds a bit steep to me!

bylromarha

avogadro wrote: »

I would say 1-1 tuition is the better option, especially given that there's not much price difference. Good luck with it, you might find you really enjoy it.

I am hankering after taking up the piano again. I learned as a teenager but gave up at around grade 4/5. The only thing is, how to get a piano up to my third floor flat!

For the moment I'm going to stick with learning that deeply unfashionable instrument, the treble recorder :rotfl: I know when you think of recorders it brings to mind school kids 'playing' the descant recorder, but I really like to hear the recorder when it's played well. Sorry, going slightly off topic!

I love the recorder sound when played well - the treble has a beautiful tone.

This thread has inspired me - I've been meaning to learn the piano for years and its always been when we've moved house to fit a piano.

Are Clavinovas really as good as a proper piano? Looking like we won't be moving house in the planned timescale, so thinking we can accomodate a decent keyboard in this house. And Cmas is coming up...

Callie22

bylromarha wrote: »

Are Clavinovas really as good as a proper piano? Looking like we won't be moving house in the planned timescale, so thinking we can accomodate a decent keyboard in this house. And Cmas is coming up...

My OH is a pianist and although he has a 'proper' Yamaha piano in his studio, he is considering getting an electric piano for home. He would be quite happy with a Clavinova for practising etc, or with something similar from other brands (I think he's talked about liking the digital pianos from a company called Classenti). He has said though that the main thing is to go and try playing a few different brands, as he's been surprised at how different they all feel.

hardpressed

Another advantage of an electric piano or keyboard is that you can use headphones so as not to disturbe the rest of the house or the neighbours when you're practicing.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Person_one wrote: »

The teacher themselves should absolutely have a real piano!

Yup.

Person_one wrote: »

Whether the OP wants to get one herself (electric or 'real') is a decision she can make after seeing how she takes to it.

Yup. But the attitude of the teacher towards 'lesser' instruments will matter if somebody doesn't have the facilities or income for a full size instrument.

PinkPeonies

I'm not a pianist but like everyone else says definitely take individual lessons if you can afford it. I've been thinking about starting lessons again - I haven't played since A level and the prices you've mentioned seem really reasonable. I think as you improve, or your confidence improves maybe try joining an orchestra I know our local college used to run lots of different ones for varying ability. I used to love it, it's nice to play with others and it gives you something else to focus on when you're getting a little fed up (near exam time!)

onlyroz

bylromarha wrote: »

Are Clavinovas really as good as a proper piano? Looking like we won't be moving house in the planned timescale, so thinking we can accomodate a decent keyboard in this house. And Cmas is coming up...

Clavinovas are an excellent substitute and for people learning at home it probably wouldn't make much difference what you practice on as long as the instrument has proper weighted keys.

Regarding the cost of lessons I paid £12 for half-an-hour around 6 years ago, and this was in Kingston-upon-Thames. When I was a teenager I paid a dear old lady £4 for half-an-hour, which was a criminally low rate and I really should have insisted on paying more. My son has 20 minute one-to-one lessons in school and I pay £11 per lesson for him. I'm thinking of taking it up again and having lessons during my lunch break.