Online Keyboard Lessons

Online Keyboard Lessons For Adults

Book a 30 minute keyboard / piano lesson to be held over Zoom or Skype.

Can you really learn to play keyboard / piano via online remote lessons?

Yes you can! I've taught many students this way, even preparing some for ABRSM exams which they successfully passed.

Do I have to take exams?

Exams are totally optional and considered by many to be something that you pursue during childhood, but many adults now take exams too and feel quite a sense of accomplishment when they pass! If you do want to chart your progress and have a nice certificate to show for it then you can take ABRSM Classical or Jazz exams. There will be extra charges relating to this for ABRSM books, the exam and the certificate. You can take exams online or at an examination centre local to you.

Can I learn my favourite songs?

Of course! We're doing this for fun so the syllabus will be tailored to what you want to learn. Some students have been surprised at just how easy their favourite songs are to play.

Do you teach different styles of music?

Yes, whatever your favourite style is, we're covered! The basic principles are the same for Jazz, Classical, Pop, Rock, Funk, Gospel, etc. Just let me know what you want to play.

How quickly will I become a good keyboardist?

That all depends on how much practise you're willing to do between lessons. Generally the first year is the hardest since everything that you're learning is new. It can take 1-2 years to get to a Grade 1 standard of playing, depending on your own efforts. After that it takes roughly six months to one year per grade as you're just applying and improving on techniques that you've already learned. However, you'll be able to play some things surprisingly quickly due to the teaching methods used.

Will I be learning music theory too?

Absolutely. You'll have a much deeper understanding of what you're learning if you know why you're learning it. Don't worry, theory isn't that difficult once it's explained and it will help things fall into place for you much more quickly.

Is a 30 minute lesson each week long enough to progress?

I've found from teaching that longer lessons can sometimes be overwhelming as you're taking on a lot of information. That's why I keep lessons to 30 minutes, so that we can work through one major task each week. It's also convenient to fit a 30 minute lesson into a busy lifestyle.

Why should I learn from you?

Because I have more than 35 years (eek) experience in performance, sessions and studio recording, plus I've worked with some wonderful world class musicians within our industry and gained a wealth of experience and knowledge from those collaborations. I also compose for TV, film and other media and have a number of original pieces available as sheet music. My passion for playing and for learning more about our industry has never waned!

Can't I learn all of this online?

You can and indeed the keyboardist website has many supporting materials online that you can use. However, having someone to show you and explain things can really turbo charge your learning and you'll pick up little snippets of information and personalised guidance on technique that you don't get from just watching videos. Plus music is meant to be about fun - learning to play is far more fun when it becomes a social activity!

How are keyboard and piano lessons different?

The main difference is in the touch of the keys that you'll be playing. Pianos have wooden keys with synthetic ebony and ivory overlay, whereas keyboards have lighter touch plastic keys. It's possible to learn basic piano technique on a keyboard, especially if you add a sustain pedal, but if you're serious about the piano and intend to take exams then I'd strongly advise that you need a piano (or even a weighted keyboard for getting started), especially from Grade 3 onwards. You'll develop more strength in your fingers and be able to play much more expressively, something that's essential for classical playing. You can pick up cheap or free second hand pianos (just be careful that it's not so old that it can't be tuned) or you can set up a payment plan with many piano stores. There are also rental or rent-to-own options that many piano retailers are now offering.

Lesson Details

There are 12 weeks of lessons per quarter, with various timeslots available. Clicking on the PayPal link above will show which timeslots are left and I'll release more as these fill up.

Currently timeslots (in GMT) are Monday to Friday 5-5:30pm | 5:45-6:15pm | 6:30-7pm. These are available to people looking for ongoing weekly lessons, if you purchase multiple instances of the same timeslot at checkout then I'll schedule ahead so that you have that same time each week. Some ad hoc times will be added later.

It's important that I can see you playing so have the laptop, tablet or phone set up slightly to one side of you looking over your shoulder so that I can clearly see your hands on the keys.

It's also important that you have a worksheet / music in front of you. If you have a second device that you can read from then let me know and I'll send a PDF worksheet for the lesson, otherwise you may need to invest in some books for us to work from or get a printout of the worksheets that I send.

If lessons are not pre-booked using PayPal then that time will be made available to someone else.

Regarding refunds, if you give less than one weeks notice of cancellation then I can either reschedule the lesson that week depending on availability, otherwise it's a 50% refund. If less than 24 hours notice is given of cancellation or you're a no-show to the lesson then no refund is available. This is to avoid my time being wasted as I also have to do preparation prior to the 30 minute lesson.