This doesn't apply to me but my mother wass telling me about someone she met who told her they were trying to teach themselves to read music and play the piano. Correct me if I'm wrong but this is the wrong way to go about it. You need a good teacher to point out flaws etc. How can anyone successfully teach themselves? I go to a proper music school and have a professionally qualified teacher and when I think I know something, she points out where I am wrong and that is the only way to go in my opinon. If you try and teach yourself if will take you longer and you will make a lot of mistakes, obviously, as you dont know what you are doing and are not trained to pick out your own flaws.

Generally I would agree that the right way to go about it would be to take lessons from a good teacher. I would never say it is the only way, however, and here is why... As a child I was fortunate enough to have parents that allowed me to take piano lessons with a private instructor and then I continued to study piano in college. I suppose then I am a classical case of studying the "correct" way. Now, though, as an adult, I have met many pianist who play professionally, and here is what I have discovered. Most concert pianist learned traditionally and many group or band pianist studied in a more unorthodox method. One man that I "tried" to play with had never took a lesson in his life. I have to admit that he outplayed me easily, was able to accompany every song sang, and he couldn't even read music! I really believe that if someone wants to play, and a teacher is not in the budget, that teaching themself is acceptable.

I used to play bass in a jazz trio with a piano player that NEVER took piano lessons and could sight read Beethoven/Debussy/Chopin/Kieth Emerson...and improvise like Bill Evans and Chick Corea.

He had taken formal sax lessons as a kid, but was entirely self taught on the piano.

For what it's worth, I am a pretty decent guitar player, and never took any lessons...I did take about 4 lessons on bass, but did take about 8 years of piano lessons and was serious on the trumpet for many years as a kid.

ABSOLUTELY! i've taken 3 years cello lessons and i'm teaching myself piano. if you know the theory you can become moderatley good. however you're never gonna become as good as someone taking lessons.

Can you learn to play the piano by yourself? Yes. It can be done. However, even if you get quite proficient at it alone, your full potential will never be realized unless you have a teacher.

I think if someone is going to learn by themselves this book is the best.
I recomend it on my website - http://www.pianomusicguide.com/learnpiano.html

An extreamly debatable subject-

Idea One:
My music is my music. It's how I can say what I feel, and with that said, then no one can tell me a "right" or "correct" way to do it.

Idea Two:
People need direction. My brother had a toy guitar when he was little, and he held it like a left handed guitar. Now, he thinks he's holding it correctly and doesn't understand why he's having a hard time when he tries to teach himself. Someone who likes things to be in place needs a teacher because they will get more frusterated with themselves when they don't understand what they're doing wrong.

Idea Three:
When a kid wants to be a rock-star, and he picks up a "simple" drum kit, people don't seem to force on him the idea that he needs a teacher. But, if someone once to learn a "complex" instrument like the violin, then people tell them they 'neeeeeed' a teacher.

What it comes down to:
To me, I think that, if someone whats to learn an instrument and has no musical background, they do need a teacher to give them the direction they need. But- if they have the will and the determination to do it on their own, let them try and help them when they fall. Self-discovery can be a really powerful way to learn.

The person's serious-ness should be taken into account too. If they are a teenager who wants to teach music when they graduate, then they need individual lessons to guide them so one day, they can guide the band or orchestra one day. If they're a kid who is not ready to make a commitment, and just wants the fame of preformance, they are not ready to work with a teacher.

I hope my ideas made sense. Have a safe and happy new year!

Rawks - good points! I had a music teacher in HS that discussed those issues with us one time. Some kids were happy to honk out out a sound, and playing the sax was never going to be more than 6th period noise. Others were looking to make a career out of music, and were driven to play every note perfectly...

One alway has to keep in sight what their ultimate ends are. If you are not looking to win the Van Clyburn competition you can usually let a lot slide!

I am a bassist, saxophonist and somewhat of a pianist and lessons are very good but if you have prior music knowledge you can learn almost any instrument if you work hard enough at it.

Yes, but it's impossible to check yourself for bad habits. Only a teacher can truly do that.

Yeah, this is a very debatable subject. I know a guy who is very good at playing piano and bari sax... but he has his flaws. He's very stubborn in his playing and doesn't see his own flaws. Yeah, he's good - he just learned it the wrong way. I think it mostly depends on just how much the person wants to be professional in their ways of playing.