u/Hobbes_Inc

I have been learning the piano as an adult student for 7ish months, so I am still very much a beginner. I want to share a few insights from working with a teacher in that time period. The goal is to share some experiences and maybe offer some perspectives for others who are considering working with a teacher for the first time.

1. Direction - If I was left to my own devices, I would bounce all over the place without much focus. I follow a lot of different content creators and musicians in the piano space. My feed is saturated with tips, demos, courses, apps, etc. Some of it is useful but most of it isn't applicable to my experience and needs. What I do is I bring a list of ideas and questions to my teacher when we met and she is able to help me weed through that backlog, presenting me with 1-2 ideas to focus on based on where I am.
2. Motivation - I am someone who needs an occasional push from a source outside of myself to keep doing. What I have observed is I can keep myself on track for 3-4 weeks, but after that, I start to fizzle out. Just the idea of coming to a lesson "prepared" is an excellent source of motivation. I don't want to waste her or my time and, in my case, money by arriving without putting in the work.
3. Realistic Time Frames - This is a big one. There is no shortage of promises out there. Every app, every channel, every digital platform loves to make promises. One trick, one course, one membership; it is never ending. In my experience most of it isn't helpful/applicable to where I am. It takes as long as it takes. With that said, my teacher, because they are working with me directly, understands my rate of progress and can offer insight. For example, we are working on integrating arm weight. She was clear to say that this is something that takes months of practice and diligence to get it integrated with everything else. I find this realistic perspective refreshing.
4. Pressure - Practicing in front of an expert is stressful. It is one thing to practice in the silence of my own home but when I practice with my teacher, there is no where to hide. There is no bullshitting and pride is the first thing to go. The good news is that stress is worth it because the added pressure asks the question: how comfortable are you REALLY with [topic/piece]? Just about every time there is something I didn't consider that needs to be tightened up that was only brought to the surface because I was under pressure.
5. Community - This may not be the experience for everyone, but my teacher is a member of a cohort of other pianists. This opens up performance opportunities, exhibitions, community concerts, adult recitals, etc. All of this has increased my appreciation for music and by participating, pushing me out of my comfort zone. The biggest gains I have experienced so far is when I participate with other students and perform.
6. Technical Expertise - This goes without saying. When I have a question, 95% of the time I have an understanding of the topic. If my form needs adjustment, having a pair of experienced eyes look over my shoulder is incredibly valuable. Further, she is able to assign project pieces that ride that line between being challenging without being too difficult that I get frustrated.

TLDR: I am having a great time. =)