Apologies in advance. My first post and it's a bit of a rambler.


I've been learning piano since March '09'. I started out on my own, but eventually got a teacher.

My teacher is very nice, but I don't think that they're the right teacher for me.

They have a very laid back approach and I don't feel as though I'm getting much (if anything) out of my lessons.

It's getting increasingly frustrating.

I recently had the chance to work with another teacher for a short time and the difference was startling.

They picked my pieces apart! But in a good way.

We worked on technique, dynamics and timing. They even got me to count the beats, which completely threw me as I'd never done it before (I usually just 'feel' it in my head...if that makes sense...??? )

I got so much out of it and, after seeing this other teacher, I left on a massive high, and I was actually excited about playing again.

I'm guilty of being a chronic non-practiser but, after this, I went away determined to change that and....it hasn't happened.

All my teacher seems to do lately is get me to play one little piece after another with minimal feedback ('Play something...Ok, that was good...Play something else)...and the pieces I can play are ones that I picked on my own and learnt by myself (and most before I even started lessons with them).

It was alot more fun actually having something to work on, and it's made me rethink what I'm doing.

Nothing against the teacher, but I think their approach is too relaxed for me. I'm considering changing (pretty much decided to be honest).

I'm just not sure how to do it.

Should I be honest that their approach just isn't working for me?
Or just tell them that I'm stopping and leave it at that?

I'm probably overthinking this, but I'd hate to hurt their feelings.

Think about which approach suits you. Take the one you think is most beneficial for you. Don't be afraid to be honest if you have to. It's for your own good. Don't tell the reason if you're afraid of hurting your teacher's feelings. Tell only if he/she insists

Hi,

I have been in exactly the same situation. I've had a fantastic teacher for the past year and a half and she's really got me to progress well. She's a really lovely person and I've had some great fun in lessons, but she is quite laid back like yours - she does pick up on parts where I'm "muddling through", but doesn't really harass me enough to make me fix them.

I treated myself to a trial lesson with another teacher as a one-off (this new teacher performs often and makes a living out of it) - as you say, the difference can be startling, everything got picked to tiny little bits, I was shown so much stuff that I'd not seen before.

I really hate leaving my old teacher but I think that I need to be "beaten up" (in the nice way you mention) a bit more often otherwise I'm just not going to progress in the direction that I want. Even after one lesson with the new teacher, I am thinking a lot more about the sound I'm trying to produce from the piano (and trying to find sensitivity for the mood of the piece), and I now have a completely different approach to how I learn a piece.

There's also the fact that my personal and work circumstances are changing, so it suits me to have lessons in a different location - that was the nudge I needed, I think.

Go for it - just don't "dump" your current teacher with no notice!

To both OP and Solari,

What about asking your current teachers to be tougher on you. And giving them another (short) chance. They might not realise you want pushing more. If they are still too laid back then you know you've given them the opportunity.

Or, just make the switch - either approach is fine.

Unfortunately my life is going to be a bit chaotic for the next 6 months, so lessons with my local teacher would be quite erratic.

I'm thinking of asking her if she minds doing lessons for duets on the odd occasion in the absence of a duet partner, as I do enjoy that, but the new teacher is definitely more what I want - I suffer quite badly with performance nerves, and who better to help you work on this than someone who does it for a living

It might help that the teacher is a professional performer ... but it is not 100% essential.

My previous teacher was a professional classical concert pianist, but he was not terribly picky ... probably because at that time it was more important to play through lots and lots of stuff rather than take pieces apart and look into the tiniest details.

My present teacher does not perform very often, and makes her living almost completely from teaching, but "everything gets picked to tiny little bits" and she spends more time and effort on trying to improve the tone I produce than on anything else.

find a teacher who applies a different approach, as a student u shouldn't tell a teacher how to teach you

I agree you shouldn't tell a teacher how to teach but I don't think, as an adult, it's unreasonable to tell a teacher how you would like to be taught. If they then decide they are not comfortable with that approach that is also fine, but I don't think there is anything wrong with saying what you want

u're rite there's nothing wrong with saying what u want, just that i haven't been very honest honest with my teacher

I'd say you should change teachers if you think the new teachers approach suits you more. I've been with my piano teacher since Dec 2008 who is very laid back. I have to decide what I'm doing and guide the lessons. However, I've not used this as an excuse not to practise, although I would've benefited from a stricter teacher. I believe teachers find it hard to treat adult pupils in a harsh way at all.

I would just tell the teacher you're giving up lessons if you think they wont find out you've gone to another teacher. However if you're friends with the teacher, you may want to be honest...

I feel it is so important to find a teacher who suits you.

My present teacher is just right for me and in all the piano teachers I have had she has to have the 'gold star'. She has 'sussed me out' and knows my liking for doing what I think sounds nice but does not let me get away with it! Timing is my weakness and it has improved by leaps and bounds (helped by playing duets too).

Never before have I concentrated on a piece as the Haydn Sonata XV1:32 - I am sure you have all seen my writing about it before . But what my teacher has done (including saying let's try something else for your grade 7, just in case) is to make me so determined to learn this piece. No mistake slips through her and I really love my lessons. By the way she is right about the Haydn not being the best piece for my exam.

So for me, it is about enjoying your lessons and knowing you are progressing...although progression can seem slow at times. I just look forward to my next lesson, knowing it will be hard work but so enjoyable.

Finding the right teacher for you is absolutely important. Being honest with your teacher is part of that process too - if teachers don't get any feedback, then they can't do anything to change either. From what you've said, changing teacher is the right thing - but be honest with your current teacher about why it isn't working.

if you're friends with the teacher then you're trapped! friendship is on the line

Sorry to hear you're not getting the push you need from your teacher. I think there have been previous posts that might shed some possible light - I've definitely read similar stories somewhere.

I'm guessing the OP is an adult learner (apologies if I'm wrong). There do seem to be some teachers who don't take us "more mature" (age wise) learners seriously, unless we really drive it home that we have some level of musical ambition and don't just want "to play a couple of tunes."

Perhaps you just need to talk to your teacher and tell him/her what your ambitions are, or at least what you'd like to achieve. Alternatively you could ask what her aspirations are for you as a pupil and see how they match up with yours. Then you'd have a bit more info. to add into your decision making pot.

Or, finally - if you feel in your bones (or where ever) that the second teacher is right for you, then go for it.

You could always say something like - "You've helped me build my confidence/improve my tone/select other positive from the lesson, but I now want to concentrate on technique/dynamics/phrasing/select aim. I've been given the name of a teacher who I think could build on the foundations you've given me and help me to focus on that/those thing(s)."

You don't have to justify your decision, but it seems to me that most people feel better if they can give some reason. Why is being assertive so hard?

Anyway - now I'm rambling! Good luck with it all.

Oh and you might find this post useful. "Switching Instructors" Started by MollyB in the adult learners forum.

I'm the same age as my teacher so we have more of a friends relationship than teacher-pupil! I am doing theory with her until Nov, after that I dont know if I could get another piano teacher, it would feel like a betrayal, of course IT'S NOT but I'm an overly loyal person