FAQ for Piano Lessons London

Should I expect the first trial piano lesson to be free?

No. Most professional piano teachers charge for the first trial lesson. Some may offer a discount on the trial lesson, but be wary of any teacher who offers a totally free trial lesson. They will probably have no experience of teaching and will be desperate to get any students they can.

How much should I pay for a piano teacher in London?

The average price is £55/hour. The more experienced piano teachers start at £80/hour, and the top teachers charge around £150/hour or more. Avoid teachers charging less than £50/hour as they are likely to be inexperienced and unqualified.

Should I pay for a block of lessons in advance?

We strongly advise against it. At the beginning, do not book more than one lesson at a time in advance. Many teachers insist you pay for 5 or 10 lessons in advance right from the start. That’s wrong and risky. Start paying for one lesson at a time, and only once you’re sure about your teacher and personal commitments can you book for several lessons in advance.

How long will it take for me to get good?

This depends on your the following: your talent, your motivation and perseverance, your available time to practise, how good your teacher is for you, and your financial resources to buy/rent an instrument and to pay for ongoing lessons. Only the first (talent) is totally without your control.

How often should I or my child practise?

This depends on your ultimate goal. As a MINIMUM, practise 4 times a week for 30 minutes each time. That’s a total of 2 hours per week. Any less than that, and you won’t get as far as you could. Ideally, you want to practise every day for 1 hour. For children under the age of 10, it’s not so much how long you practise for, but how often you do it. If your goal is to become a concert pianist, then you will need to increase these suggested durations considerably.

Should I get a piano or keyboard?

This depends on the following: your budget, your neighbours, and your available space. If your budget is tight and/or you think you might disturb the neighbours with your playing and/or you do not have much space in your property for an upright or grand piano, then go for a digital piano.

How much should I spend on a piano/keyboard?

If you have the money, then go for a proper acoustic piano. You can get a second-hand piano from piano auctions at great prices. The best auction house in London is Piano Auctions Ltd who hold their auctions 4 times per year. Alternatively, get a brand new piano. Uprights range from £3,000 to £,30,000 and grand pianos from £9,000 to £100,000.

Digital pianos start at about £500 for a portable stage piano, to £17,000 for a digital grand piano.