Teaching yourself piano on Youtube

I was thinking...

1. Could you learn to be a black belt on youtube?
2. How about a ballerina?
3. Auto mechanic?
4. Airline Pilot?

Hilariously absurd. Yet millions apparently attempt to teach themselves piano on-line. And, there are lots of folks willing to sell you a miracle DVD, book, subscription in your quest. No teacher needed they proclaim.

Some people spend a lifetime looking for shortcuts and online freebies, when a few short years of focused effort and disciplined practice with a professional teacher would lead to the results they seek.

My favorite is the "Play what you want promise" A common desire. But in order to play the latest chart topper a few basics need to be addressed  i.e. how to get the dots off the page and into your fingers? No shortcuts here. A competent teacher can guide you through that little roadblock in short order. A competent teacher will want you to play the music you love. They also know the quickest way to get there: professional instruction, a willing student, lots of focused effort. Focused effort is practice, bench time, rehearsal, wood-shedding, what ever you call it, result=input, cause=effect, karma, you get the point.

The miracle is practice. The shortcut is work. 

Cheers,
David Story

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