Too old to learn piano? You might be wondering if the time to learn how to play the piano has passed. We disagree with this, no matter how old you are.
It is amazing to analyze some of the people who are asking the question “am I too old to learn piano?” – Some of the people who are asking this question are just 30 years old or so. Okay, so it is hard to learn a new skill in adult life, especially if you want to reach the very top of the game, but that doesn’t mean that it is too late to get to a fairly high level of skill on the piano.
Too Old to Learn Piano? Being Realistic
There is an element of realism required when you want to learn how to play the piano. We don’t mean that you will never be very good if you start as an adult, but it is true that it takes a long time to get to an elite level. If you start when you are 30, it might still take 10, 15 or 20 years to get to a concert pianist level.
If you believe in the 10,000-hour rule popularized by Malcolm Gladwell in his book outliers, then you might believe that it will take 10,000 hours of practice to get to the professional level. That’s a long time spent sitting at your piano.
Most people will never get to the level where they are playing to packed out stadiums, and that is probably not what you want to do either. For some people, just being able to play the chords to their favorite pop and rock songs is enough. You might even be able to get to the level where you can be a keyboard player in a band within a couple of years of practice. It all depends on what skills you feel you will want or need.
This is why it is so important to set a target and stay realistic about it. Are you too old to learn piano? No. Are you too old to be the next Chopin? Possibly.
Why Piano in Old Age Might Be A Good Thing
Some people might be wondering if 30 is too old to learn how to play the piano, while others will be wondering if they are too old at 60. The truth is that older people should be encouraged to play the piano.
You can find that a piano can stimulate you in both physical and mental ways. The way that you have to use your brain for recall and creative thinking can allow you to improve your mental state and increase your brain’s alertness. It might help with memory, though the studies on this subject are not totally conclusive, most people are in agreement that piano can be a good way to stay sharp in older age.
The skill can also help to keep muscles and joints flexible. We’ve covered more about this in our recent post about whether or not piano is good for arthritis.
Why You Are Not Too Old To Learn Piano
It is only fair and honest to say that learning to play the piano when you are younger might put you at an advantage. Young people are sponges for knowledge. However, as you age, it is still possible to get started, and a lot of people don’t find that they have the time to learn how to play the piano until retirement, for example.
As long as you are not expecting the process to be extremely fast, and set yourself realistic expectations and goals, you can start at any age you want to.
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