What Can I Learn In One Year of Piano Lessons?
I know you have questions about piano lessons, and I’m sure you’re wondering how much you’ll really learn in one year. I get this question more often than you might think – from parents and students alike. I love to watch people’s faces when I answer: What you’ll learn in one year of piano lessons will amaze you.
It’s true! Most students start piano lessons with no musical experience whatsoever. By the end of one year they’re playing music in all 12 major and minor keys! They can read notes, and are coming into their own as expressive players who can tell stories through music. They’re doing much more than playing the notes on a page – they’re developing true musicianship.
How do you get from the first lesson to the end of year one? What are the steps you’ll take? To better explain, I’ve put together some milestones for the first year. These are the kinds of achievements you can expect while learning piano with a structured program like ours.
Day 1 Milestone
As a teacher, I deeply believe in students making music right away. That’s why you’re playing your first song on day one!
1 Month Milestones
By now you know how to play several songs with either hand. You can read, write, and dictate simple rhythms, and you’re improvising and composing your own songs!
3 Month Milestones
You can play songs using both hands simultaneously, with one hand playing chords and the other hand playing the melody. That is a big accomplishment (I recommend celebrating with ice cream)! The Hoffman Method is the only piano method I know of that gets students playing with both hands together so quickly.
6 Month Milestones
By now you’re probably done with Unit 3. You know how to sight read simple music on the staff. You can play in 6 different keys and transpose up and down the keyboard. Most music students don’t learn transposing unless they major in music in college, but for me it’s part of mastery, and mastery makes music FUN!
1-2 Year Milestones
At this point you’re working on Units 6-8. You can play in and transpose to all 12 major and minor keys. Not only that, you’ve learned to play music beautifully! You play your songs with nuance: softer, slower, faster… and you can use music to tell stories and express feelings. This is the difference between “plunky” playing and songs that sound like… well… songs!
Want to bring more beauty to the world? Contact Us to schedule you first piano lesson today!