The Layer Method of Piano is causing a family riff… Paula wants my advice to help sort it out.
Her words:
“Hi Tim, My daughter is 8 years old, she has been taking lessons for almost three years now. She has been watching me go through your lessons and said to me the other day, Mom can I learn your way? I didn’t know??? Is there a minimum age you recommend? We are spending a lot of money on lessons each week and she is getting frustrated because I have “passed” her at this point. Any input would be greatly appreciated! Thanks, Paula”
This is a dilemma.
Happens quite often actually.
Parents pay for kids lessons, parent starts the Layer Method of Piano, and then the kids are mad because their parents are actually playing the piano and have a look of joy on their face.
But what is really important?
Paula (as an adult) isn’t going to going to go through years of traditional lessons and thousands of dollars to possible be disappointed with what she can do. So she learns to play songs she loves with The Layer Method of Piano and is happy.
Now… the 8 yr old?
That’s a different story.
They will gain a lot of valuable information that I wish I had myself. But if you aren’t careful they will never use it because they 1)won’t know how and 2) won’t care because they are burned out of the piano.
So what do you do?
What’s the minimum age to learn to play piano by ear???
Here’s my opinion, which I will use with my own kid (currently in the oven).
Traditional lessons for as long as they are still engaged and learning.
If that is 3 years great, 6 years even better.
BUT…
You have to identify when to switch them to the Layer Method way before it’s too late.
Because with the knowledge they have, applying it to the Layer Method way of playing… well, they will be able to play anything.
Take wifey for example. 11 years of traditional lessons, couldn’t play anything without sheet music. Stopped playing all together her senior year of high school. Didn’t touch the piano till she was 32 years old when she met me. Now… she never reads sheet music, can play anything on a moments notice.
That’s what happens when you take great knowledge from traditional lessons, combine it with how The Layer Method shows you to see the piano differently. You become unstoppable.
She is much better than me.
But we both have the same amount of fun. 😉
So there really is no minimum age. You just want to make sure they get the chance to “SEE” the piano differently before they lose all interest.
So there you have it.
And now, if you want it, you can get the Layer Method of Piano here:
