Online Piano Lessons vs. In-person Piano Lessons: Which Is Right for You?

Whether you’ve decided to take piano lessons for the first time or want to return to them after taking a break, your first step is often figuring out how you want to learn. Online piano lessons are an increasingly popular option for students with busy schedules who still want access to excellent teachers and quality instruction. Broadway Lessons can connect you with the right music educator and ensure you can learn piano online with the expertise and support necessary for success.

How Do Online Piano Lessons Work?

Online piano lessons depend on delivering learning material via the internet, allowing students to study piano from anywhere as long as they have an internet connection. Although you can find many different apps or programs that offer do-it-yourself learning resources, working in real time with a piano teacher in a virtual lesson room combines the quality of instruction you find with in-person piano lessons with the convenience of studying online. You receive active feedback as you play and can ask questions as you work through a piece.

Online piano lessons vs in-person piano lessons
Image via Flickr by Sean McEntee

Online Piano Lessons vs. In-person Lessons

Online piano and in-person lessons differ in some key ways, so it’s important to understand how you’d benefit specifically from a virtual learning experience.

Online Piano Lessons Cost Less

Prices vary for online piano lessons, but they typically are more affordable than in-person piano lessons. Taking an online piano course or using an app can cost very little. Often, you can find materials or a course to purchase for $5 or so. Doing virtual lessons with a teacher will cost more, but since musicians who teach online save on transportation costs and can work from areas with a lower cost of living, they often charge less than in-person piano instructors.

In general, piano teachers determine their rates based on their level of experience, both as educators and as performers. Since taking lessons online allows you to work with teachers from anywhere, you also have more options to choose from, enabling you to find the instructor with the perfect price point for your budget.

Online Piano Lessons Are Flexible

Having a busy schedule can sometimes seem like an obstacle to committing to a weekly piano lesson, but when studying online, you can schedule lessons at practically any time of day. If you need to reschedule or move your lesson to a different time slot, you often can do so with ease. In-person teachers tend to be less accommodating, limiting their availability to certain hours and often having less forgiving cancellation policies.

Aside from scheduling, online piano lessons also enable you to continue progressing even if your work or personal life requires you to frequently change locations. Since all you need is your keyboard and computer, you can take your lessons wherever you are, whereas in-person lessons only work if both you and your instructor are in the same place.

Online Piano Lessons Connect You With the Right Teacher

Every student has different motivations for learning piano. You might want to focus on playing a certain type of music or on improving a specific set of techniques. Online piano lessons can connect you with talented teachers whose musical interests and backgrounds align with your needs as a student. While many in-person piano teachers are great options, the ones in your area may not offer the expertise that would benefit you most.

Online Piano Lessons Depend on Technology

Although online piano lessons require minimal technology, the experience of playing for and communicating with someone in a video call differs from doing so in person. Depending on internet connectivity, you may occasionally experience some audio and video delays. A webcam’s limited field of view also means you might need to adjust yours throughout a lesson, but in-person, you and your teacher can watch each other play without interruption. Many technological inconveniences can be reduced by taking a few easy steps to improve your internet connection and camera and microphone set up.

On the upside, you can record lessons so that you can review your playing and the feedback your teacher provided. Online piano teachers also know how to offer their students additional resources they can use between lessons to enhance their practicing.Broadway Lessons is dedicated to pairing students with excellent teachers so that they get the most out of their online piano lessons and experience the satisfaction of becoming better musicians. Reach out to us today so we can find the piano teacher who is best equipped to help you achieve your goals!

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