Learning Piano at 60. Is it Hard to Learn Piano at an Older Age?

Playing the piano is a very interesting and useful skill and creative activity. Traditionally, piano learning begins in childhood and very often at the request of the parents and not the child himself. For many people, the desire to learn how to play the piano arises later – in adulthood or even in senior age.

And then people have a question – is it possible to learn to play the piano at 20, 40, or even 60 years old? Is it hard to learn piano at an older age?

Today we will talk about the possibility and benefits of learning piano at different ages and discuss in detail about learning piano at 60 – what are the difficulties and benefits of learning music at this age.

What’s the Best Age to Begin Piano Lessons?

Playing the piano or keyboard is quite a challenge at any age. The ideal time to start mastering this musical instrument is the age of 5-6 years.

But, despite the neuroplasticity of the young child’s brain and the enormous ability to learn something new at an early age, there are difficulties here too.

It is very important that the desire to play the piano is the desire of the child, not just the parents, and that lessons and daily practices do not turn into a battlefield between parents and child.

At this age, it is difficult for children to concentrate on classes for a long time. It is important to find a balance between studies and games.

Adult students usually have more motivation and clearly know what they need it for. Of course, with age, the plasticity of the joints decreases, but our brain is still able to learn and remember new information.

If you want to learn more about when to start to learn to play piano, I advise you to read my post on this topic – What is the best age to start piano lessons?

Can You Be Too Old to Learn Piano?

The main fear that haunts all adults who want to start music lessons is – Can I be too old to learn to play piano?

Let’s take a closer look at this question and find out whether it is possible to master piano at different ages.

How to learn piano at 20?

Starting to learn piano at the age of 20 is a very good idea! For many, music becomes a great hobby and an addition to the study of their main profession. Playing the piano will not only give you pleasure but also give you the opportunity to relax after a hard study at the university or work.

If in childhood a student might lack patience or focus, now it will not be difficult to spend 45 minutes at the piano.

At this age, I advise you to choose a repertoire according to your taste – your favorite songs or your favorite popular classical pieces. It is necessary to practice every day, at least 15-30 minutes to start and it is desirable to increase the duration of practice to 45-60 minutes a day.

How to learn piano at 30?

The age of 30 is a wonderful and usually very busy time in our lives. Most of us already have a job, a family, and maybe small kids. All this takes a lot of time and effort.

Therefore, it is very important to take care of yourself! Playing the piano can be a great hobby, relaxation and just time alone with yourself and great music. Of course, playing the piano will require time and discipline from you, but believe me, it’s worth it!

In addition, if you have children, you will be a great example for them and share your love for music, art, and learning with them.

How to learn piano at 40?

Of course, 40 years is far from the limit for making music, and is not a reason to deny yourself this pleasure. At this age, for many students, the main problem is the lack of time. Work, household chores, children – and there is no time left for hobbies.

However, if you wish, you will definitely find time for yourself. Don’t forget, rest, take care of yourself, and find time for your hobbies is extremely important!

If you do not have enough time for a full-fledged long session, try exercising for 10-15 minutes 2-3 times a day. For example, you can play the piano in the morning or in the evening before bed. Regular small piano practices are very productive and you’ll see your progress soon.

How to learn piano at 50?

At this age, piano lessons are a great idea. Music classes are good for the brain as well as physical activity for the hands and fingers.

Playing piano is based on fine motor skills of the fingers. Regular practice develops the flexibility of muscles and joints and improves blood circulation. Piano playing is even excellent prevention of arthritis.

Don’t forget, if you have physical difficulties in mastering the piano at this age, with regular practice you will be able to overcome them. Choose beautiful pieces of music with a simple musical texture and do not forget to practice regularly.

How to learn piano at 60?

It’s never too late! Learning the piano as a senior is a wonderful adventure. At this age, students always know exactly what they want to play.

There is no longer a shortage of free time, so you can spend more time studying. Well, the regular activity of the brain and fingers contributes to the prolongation of youth and prevents age-related diseases.

If you develop visual problems with age, pay attention to good lighting and choose scores with large font.

Don’t play too long. It is necessary to take small breaks during classes so that you can massage your fingers and stretch your back.

An important point in learning the piano is the choice of a teacher. If you want to take private lessons, look for piano teachers who have experience working with adult students.

You can also find group piano lessons for adults in music studios. It is very interesting and fun, and also gives you the opportunity to sit down to play piano pieces and communicate with like-minded people.

There are also many online courses and educational applications.

Learning Piano at 60. Is it Hard to Learn Piano at an Older Age?

Now let’s take a closer look at older piano students and see what are the benefits of learning to play piano at a senior age and what difficulties you may encounter.

Life Experiences

Life experience is perhaps the main advantage of learning piano in adulthood. You have already heard many different pieces of music and songs, you already have a large store of knowledge, a musical taste is formed, and you are able to understand more complex concepts.

Usually at this age you already clearly know what you like and what you don’t like, you know what exactly you want to study, you can set goals for your lessons and you don’t need additional motivation.

In addition, usually adult students have more discipline and a more responsible approach to learning to play.

Setting Goals

The key to success is goal setting. You must clearly know what you want to achieve and how you will do it.

First, you need to choose the format of classes – private lessons, group, or online training. If you want to study individually with a teacher, it is advisable to choose one of the piano teachers who have experience working with adults. However, it could also be a university student who might be happy to help you master this musical instrument.

You can also find a studio in your city where group classes are held for beginner adults. In the company of like-minded people, it will be easier to master a new hobby.

If you do not want to study with a teacher or in a group, you can take advantage of online lessons. You can take individual lessons from teachers online, or you can use training courses and programs on your own. Many adult students prefer this option.

For this, there are special applications and video courses on YouTube. Using apps may not be very convenient for an acoustic piano, but is ideal for a digital piano or keyboard.

As for the goals in studying certain pieces, don’t set too big goals. For example, if you want to learn a song, break that goal down into small steps. This week – 8 bars, next week – 8 more, and so on.

Practice Sessions

Try to make yourself a schedule of your daily practices.

Don’t study for too long without rest. Practicing for 20-30 minutes every day is enough to get started. If you feel like you can still do two practice sessions a day for 20-30 minutes, for example, in the morning and in the evening.

Why do I recommend such short lessons and not practicing for 45-60 minutes? For beginners, especially adults, this can be challenging. When playing for a long time, muscle tension occurs. Believe me, you will not enjoy playing if your arms or back hurt.

Be sure to start your workout with a warm-up. Without warming up your hands, it will be very difficult for you to work on pieces. In this article, you will find excellent exercises for warming up.

When you’re learning a new piece, don’t play everything from start to finish. Be sure to work separately on parts of the right and left hands, on technically difficult measures.

The Advantages of Being an Older Student

What are the benefits of learning to play piano later in life? Here you can see a few important points:

• Older students have a better understanding of various musical concepts such as scales and arpeggios and their importance.
• They know their learning style and can usually better assess their capabilities.
• They are motivated, they do not need to be persuaded and pushed to study.
• Great life experiences and listening experiences help to better understand difficult or philosophical pieces of music.

Some Challenges Elderly Students Face

But there are certain problems that an elderly music student may face:

• Sometimes in the senior period, there is such a problem as arthritis. But this is not a reason to refuse to play piano music. The development of fine motor skills, on the contrary, can help you!
• Back problems can also interfere with lessons a little. If it’s hard for you to sit for a long time and you feel the tension in your back, try to make the lessons shorter and take time to stretch your back. And make sure you have good posture while playing!
• With age, coordination also deteriorates. In the beginning, it may be difficult to coordinate the parts of the right and left hands. The development of coordination is helped by playing at a slow pace and playing piano exercises.
• Vision problems can prevent you from seeing small musical notation. Organize good lighting and get sheet music with large print.
• Memory. Sometimes older students have a harder time memorizing pieces. In this case, do not rush to recreate the music from memory, but first, look at the score while playing.

Health Benefits of Learning to Play Piano at an Older Age

Learning the piano helps to stay in good physical shape even in elder age. Even small regular music practice sessions develop memory, create new neural connections, and improve cognitive abilities and speech clarity. Also, playing the keyboard helps to improve the connections between the brain and the muscles of the hands.

Let’s take a look at the main benefits:

• Cognitive Improvement – Piano classes improve neural connections, cognitive functions, and overall brain function.
• Stress reduction – music reduces stress levels and helps to relax. It helps older people focus on something enjoyable.
• Improve hand-eye coordination – you must coordinate the actions of the left and right hands and read notes.
• Increases growth hormone – Human Growth Hormone (HGH) helps reduce muscle pain and inflammation, it also reduces osteoporosis and increases energy levels.
• Inspires Creativity – Piano helps to improve creativity. The piano helps you use both hemispheres of the brain, which is directly related to creative thinking.
• Building Relationships – For seniors, learning the piano is a great way to get out of the house and expand your social circle.

FAQ

Final Thoughts

We have come to the end of our article. I hope that you found answers to your questions and that my advice and tips will be useful to you.

Learning new is possible at any time of life, especially when it comes to art and creativity. There are no borders and restrictions here.

Whether young or old, every period of our lives is the right time to begin!

If you are just planning to start classes, I wish you find a good teacher, and that your practices are joyful, fun, and inspiring.

If you are an adult who has started learning, share your experience and progress in the comments.