piano

How long does it take to learn piano?

When learning any instrument, there is one thing that everyone ponders.

How long will it take to learn?

If you have bought a piano and started practicing, such questions are already swirling in your mind. I got all this covered, and this article will tell you the exact duration you need to learn piano perfectly. 

So, sit back and go through this article thoroughly.

How long will it take to learn piano? 

There is no definite amount of time regarding learning piano. The only answer to this question is that it varies from person to person.

Even the pianists you see are doing great, are still going through a learning phase. But if you want a particular result, I must say that you would attain specific expertise after a considerable amount of time. 

But what is that expertise, and what’s the tentative time to acquire them?

We’ll know that very shortly. Right now, let us talk about some of the levels that you might achieve after a short time.

Beginner

Initially, if you start playing, you'll achieve the first level of mastery. When you become a beginner, you will mostly play the essential pieces and comprehend the sheet music. 

And the time that you will take to be a beginner is between 9-12 months.

Intermediate

Once you ace the beginner level, it takes time to go further in mastery. The piano isn’t the easiest of the instruments to learn. Therefore, you strive to learn something complicated or try something new; it will take some time.

After the beginner level, you will need at least 3 to 4 years to take it to the next level. When you reach that level, you can easily play grade 4 or grade 5, and you will already know various advanced concepts and training regarding playing by then. 

And the best part is when you are at this stage you won't need any teacher to teach you anything, and your knowledge would be more than enough to explore new techniques and tricks. 

Advanced 

It is the stage where you will play without significant failings in skills. When you are an advanced pianist, you would know the scales, arpeggios, chords etc., of every single key. 

That said, you would require at least 5 to 10 years to reach this level. And when you are an advanced player, you would have no issues regarding sight-reading pieces around playing different grades, and all you can do is learn other pieces and play all by yourself.

How long does it take to learn piano techniques? 

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If you want to play the piano smoothly, you need to master some techniques pretty well. But the question stills remains about the time frame required to master these techniques.

Before that, the techniques of playing vary among individuals. And it can be defined differently by individuals. 

That said, there is no exact time, to be honest. To develop a solid technique, it might take 10 to 12 weeks. All you need to do is practice regularly at least 20 minutes a day for at least five days a week. 

How long does it take to learn songs on the piano? 

To be honest, it is a tricky question to answer. It depends on the person playing the piano and the difficulty level of the songs he plays.

Learning the techniques required for hitting the notes right itself takes considerable time. And when it is about a whole song, the time frame for practice is greater.

Still, if an exact number is required, I would say that it would need at least six months. And that is also when an aspiring pianist regularly practices six days a week. 

Such sessions must have a lot of variations and consistency. Only then one can learn to play songs on the piano within a shorter time frame. 

How long does it take to learn piano for adults? 

There are a lot of factors that depend on learning piano. If someone already has a musical background, it gets easy for them. As someone who played an instrument before, already has the dedication and time to invest. Especially, if a person knows how to play the violin very well, he can pick up the piano very quickly. 

But for a beginner, it will take much longer. At least one needs to be consistent in practice for 4 to 5 years to master the playing. 

In addition, the type of instructions you're also getting matters. As a beginner, you should always go to a teacher who can quickly figure out your shortcomings. The bottom line is that practising with an experienced teacher is a must when you are a beginner. 

How many hours a day one should practice the piano? 

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The more you dedicate yourself to learning something, the quicker you know. There is no ideal time limit for practice for anyone. 

Now, practising doesn't mean you have to sit and play for longer hours, and practising at least an hour a day doesn't guarantee you that you will learn three times faster than anyone who practices 20 minutes a day. 

It all depends on the type of drills you are doing. The main point here is the quality of practice. 

Progress is only possible when the focus is there on improvement. That is why the approach must be deliberate for any beginner who wants to learn piano quickly. 

Is it tough to learn piano? 

Learning any musical instrument requires a lot of dedication. And that is also the same for piano. If someone doesn't have any musical background, it would require much time and practice to attain the skills. 

There will be times when it would feel like giving up. There will be times when you will feel like you should stop practising. 

But the ones who are persistent eventually master playing. Therefore, learning piano is challenging but not impossible. 

Final Thoughts 

If you want to learn a musical instrument perfectly, it will take a while. As for the piano, it is impossible to learn it overnight, even if you have experience playing other instruments. 

After reading this article, I hope that all the prevalent confusion about learning piano is resolved. Still, if anyone feels that some elements are missing, do let me know. 

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