What’s the Easiest Way to Learn Piano for Beginners?
Compare piano learning methods, including lessons, apps, and self study
Rose Park
updated 12/13/25 • 4 min read
How Many Ways Are There to Learn Piano?
There are also self-teaching apps and websites that let you learn piano with fun graphics and games, which could potentially benefit your piano learning journey. But as many piano teachers agree, video courses and phone apps cannot offer the same professional instruction as live teachers can.
In person, or what many call traditional piano lessons, are also very effective and can make your journey feel inspiring. The downside is that you need to travel to the teacher’s studio, and they generally cost more than online lessons.
Try a Free 30 Minute Lesson with Piano Specialists
60+
Instructors
50,000+
Lessons taught
4.9/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Average lesson rating
How to Choose the Right Piano Type
Acoustic pianos, available in styles like upright, studio, and grand, offer a classic option. Playing with an acoustic piano provides an experience of rich sound, real mechanical action, and full key pressure. Just remember, they can be pricier than digital keyboards, so it’s a commitment worth considering.
But digital pianos have their advantages over acoustic ones. They’re lightweight and easy to move around, unlike heavy acoustic pianos. Plus, you don’t need to spend money on regular tuning (usually over $100 each time, at least once a year). If you decide to get a digital keyboard, make sure to choose one with fully weighted 88 keys for the best possible learning experience.
So what’s the pricing like? You can purchase a digital piano for between $400 and $1000. A low- to mid-tier acoustic piano may cost around $3500 or more. You can order online via Amazon or their official website, or visit in-person music stores near you.
Choosing the Best Piano Learning Option
1. A Hybrid Method
The hybrid method combines the benefits of technology with private live instruction, offering exceptional convenience. You can learn piano without the need to travel, saving both time and gas. Plus, it’s a budget-friendly option compared to traditional lessons, saving at least 10 to 15% each lesson.
These days, video chat apps like Zoom are opening up a whole new world for piano students. You can now get live, real time lessons with talented instructors no matter where they’re located. It’s like having an in-studio piano teacher, but virtual. Just like in-person lessons, teachers use Standard Piano Curriculum (such as Faber or Alfreds) and will tailor these materials to match your learning needs.
All you need is a webcam on a laptop or computer, high speed internet, and a piano or digital keyboard. The average cost for a 30 minute lesson in the US is about $40 per session.
To find an online piano teacher, search across websites. At Lesson With You, you can find expert teachers without contracts. They also offer a first free lesson to try out. Some other helpful websites include Lessonface, Thumbtack, and Wyzant.
This hybrid method is ideal for beginners to intermediate piano students who like the flexibility and convenience of learning piano from home.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| + More affordable compared to in-person lessons | – Limited physical adjustments by a teacher |
| + Simple access to teachers from anywhere in the world | – Possible technical glitches |
| + No need to travel to lesson | – Sound quality limitations |
| + Personalized feedback and curriculum | |
| + Flexible scheduling policy | |
| + Great Customer Service | |
2. A Traditional Method
Traditional methods offer personalized instruction but require more time and money. You can choose one on one or group lessons, though one on one is usually more effective.
This approach gives you detailed feedback, hands on guidance, and the experience of playing on an acoustic piano. The studio setting also allows teachers to make physical adjustments when needed.
The drawbacks are the higher cost and the need to travel. Traditional lessons are generally more expensive than hybrid options or self teaching, and traveling to a studio or having a teacher come to you adds to the effort and price.
To find a piano teacher near you, search online for phrases like “local piano teacher near [your city]” or “piano lessons in [your city].” You can also ask neighbors, colleagues, or friends for recommendations. If you are in a homeschooling community, your local co op is another great place to find referrals.
| Pros | Cons | |
|---|---|---|
| + Personalized feedback and curriculum | – Expensive | |
| + More interactive | – Need to travel to the teacher’s location | |
| + Able to experience the real, acoustic piano sound | – Limited teacher selection | |
| + In-person performance opportunities | – Inflexible scheduling | |
3. Traditional Self Teaching
1) Using standard piano method books
Each lesson book contains new musical concepts and theoretical explanations, along with drills and engaging images to help students understand well. For the best results, try to complete all drills before moving on to the new concept, listen to the audio to understand how the note sounds. If there’s any concept that’s hard to understand, search for YouTube tutorials or try an online lesson to get a guidance.
These piano method books typically cost between $7 and $10 per book, or around $25 on average for a lesson book package that includes at least three individual books.
2) Playing by ear
| Pros | Cons | |
|---|---|---|
| + Affordable | – No outside feedback, guidance or help | |
| + No need to travel, learn from home | – Might learn the wrong way to play piano or read music | |
| + Flexible scheduling | – No interaction | |
| + Learn at your pace | – Less motivation to practice | |
4. Digital Self Teaching
This method is like traditional self-teaching but primarily uses online materials and technology to help you learn piano, without an instructor. Digital self teaching methods often involve using software, mobile apps or pre-recorded video courses.
These options are usually more interactive than traditional DIY methods, getting you involved by touching graphics, listening to audio, and clicking the mouse to keep watching videos. Compared to traditional self-teaching, this method is more costly and requires a stable internet connection and a device like a laptop.
1) Using standard online courses
If you’re looking for a free online platform, ZebraKeys is worth exploring. Its courses are comprehensive and interactive, covering a wide range of introductory topics like playing notes and chords and understanding core theory. It’s easily accessible and completely free!
But, like with most DIY methods, you won’t have a live instructor giving you feedback and correction as you go. Also, the site might seem a bit outdated, which might not grab the attention of kids or visual learners. The courses aren’t personalized to match your specific needs or goals either.
For paid online courses, Hoffman Academy is particularly popular among kids aged 7 to 11. It offers engaging graphics, fun games, and detailed practice guides tailored for beginners. Compared to standard piano method books or written piano websites, Hoffman Academy offers interactive features and various courses.
But it still requires a good amount of dedication to practice, learn, and master those piano skills, which isn’t always easy for young students. Parents might need to step in to keep their kids focused during the course, which isn’t always the most exciting way to learn piano. Plus, there’s still no live instructor giving real-time feedback, which could lead to incorrect hand positioning or even misreading the music.
Their popular premium courses, priced at $20 per month, welcome both kids and adults. But they may not be the best fit for intermediate or advanced students, or those who have been studying piano (either through DIY or private lessons) for more than a year.
2) Using pre-recorded videos or tutorials
If you’re looking for a simpler approach than standard online courses and have the motivation and time to practice piano more often, this is a good option to try. Compared to the standard online courses, this method focuses on showcasing videos and tutorials in a row to teach students important piano technique and musical theory.
These pre-recorded videos are usually uploaded on YouTube, offering tutorials that are somewhat interactive, conversational, and fun to watch. But, the quality can vary between different videos and channels, and they may not be customized enough for students of all ages and levels to understand.
Another interesting platform to check out is Playground Sessions. Each course features videos and interactive elements, like following the colors of notes while pressing the keys, and awards badges to give you a sense of accomplishment.
But, like other digital platforms, courses on Playground Sessions aren’t customized enough and lack the detailed professional instruction that matches your learning style or goals. They offer a feedback system, but it’s not thorough and can’t compare to the feedback you get from a live instructor who can critique your posture, sound, and technique on the keys.
3) Using apps
These softwares and apps can be used on almost all devices, including Windows, MacOs, and Android. Popular software options include Flowkey, Skoove, and SimplyPiano. They focus on teaching general piano concepts and basic techniques through playing popular tunes. They offer free content initially but require further payment or subscriptions to access more. We think the ideal way to use them is as a supplement, not as a comprehensive piano curriculum.
Other apps, like Music Tutor, can help you read music faster and improve your note-playing accuracy. With Instrumentive for Musicians, you can organize and plan practice sessions, practice piano with a metronome, and keep notes to track your progress. If you want to improve your understanding of chords or intervals, Complete Ear Trainer is a good place to start.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| + Affordable, sometimes even free | – No customized curriculum |
| + Low commitment | – No feedback |
| + Saves travel time | – Low commitment to practice |
| + Review lessons as many times as you need | – May develop bad habits |
| + Engaging features like games | – May lose interest quickly if progress is slow |
What's the Best Age to Learn Piano?
How Much Time Does It Take to Learn the Piano?
Young beginners can expect to learn the basics of piano techniques and music theory within two to three years with consistent lessons and practice. They should plan to learn at least one new piece each month and a new theory concept or technique every week, with constant review of learned skills. For adults, it could take more or less time depending on their availability to practice.
If you’re looking to learn a simple, familiar tune with an easy arrangement like a Christmas carol, it might just take a few weeks. But if you’re wanting to play something like Chopin’s piano sonata, that could take anywhere from a few months to a year, depending on how much you want to polish it up for a performance or even competition.
Final Thoughts
Now it’s time to think about your goals, musical interests, scheduling, and budget. Ask yourself these questions: What’s motivating you to learn the piano? What styles of music interest you and would you like to play? Do you have a flexible schedule or a rather tight one? What’s your budget for taking regular lessons?
Lesson With You offers 1 on 1 live online piano lessons with expert piano instructors. Learn piano comfortably from home without traveling or hosting a teacher. First lesson is free.
Piano Guides for All Levels
Interested in a certain style?
Musical Theatre Singing Lessons | Classical singing Lessons | Rock singing Lessons | Country singing Lessons | Pop Singing Lessons
Classical Guitar Lessons | Acoustic Guitar Lessons | Jazz Guitar Lessons | Rock Guitar Lessons | Electric Guitar Lessons | R&B Guitar Lessons
Rose Park
Rose Park is a graduate of the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University where she studied Piano Performance and Arts Administration, receiving both Bachelor's and Master's degrees before co-founding Lesson With You. As a pianist, Rose was a prizewinner in many international piano competitions and performed at various summer programs and festivals across the United States, Italy, and Japan.