The best ways to learn piano: beginner guide

For most beginners, the best way to learn piano is to combine guided practice with real music you actually want to play.

That might mean using a piano app like Artie for daily practice, following a structured course to understand chords and technique, and occasionally using YouTube for extra inspiration.

Private lessons are still one of the strongest options if you want personal coaching, but they are not the only serious route anymore. A good piano app or online course can help you start, build confidence, and make practice feel less intimidating.

Private lessons are still the classic way to learn piano, and for good reason.

A good teacher can see things an app cannot. They can notice your posture, your hand shape, your rhythm, your tension, your sound, and the small bad habits you do not realise you are building. They can also adapt the lesson to you in real time.

That kind of feedback matters. Research on deliberate practice has repeatedly shown that focused practice works best when it includes clear goals, concentration and useful feedback - which is exactly where a good teacher can help.

Piano is physical. It is not just a matter of pressing the right keys. How you move, how you relax, how you use your hands, and how you listen all affect the way you play.

Private lessons are especially useful if you want to:

• prepare for exams

• learn classical repertoire

• fix technique problems

• get serious about performance

• receive detailed personal feedback

• build strong habits from the beginning

The downside is obvious. Lessons cost money. You need to schedule them. You may feel pressure. And not every teacher is right for every learner.

A brilliant teacher can change everything. A bad match can make piano feel like homework with a metronome.

✅ Best for: learners who want personal guidance

⚠️ Not ideal for: people who need flexibility, low cost or a gentler way to start

Piano learning apps have become one of the most popular ways to start. They make piano feel less formal, less intimidating and more immediate.

Instead of opening a music book and trying to decode notation, you can follow visual notes, play along with songs, and get some form of response from the app as you play.

That is useful, especially in the early stages.

Apps are good at helping beginners build momentum. They remove the blank-page feeling. They give you something to do. They make practice feel more like a game, which can be a good thing when you are just trying to build a habit.

Popular piano apps usually focus on:

• visual learning

• song-based practice

• progress tracking

• short daily sessions

• beginner-friendly lessons

• basic note and rhythm recognition

But not all piano apps are the same. Some feel like games. Some feel like digital songbooks. Some are closer to structured lessons. Others focus more on practice support.

The real question is not “Which app has the most songs?” It is:

• Which app actually helps you practise better?

That is where Artie is worth looking at.

✅ Best for: beginners, kids and people who need motivation

⚠️ Not ideal for: learners who want detailed human feedback from day one

💡 ARTMASTER TIP: If you’re comparing piano apps, read our guide to the best piano learning apps to see how Artie compares with Simply Piano, Flowkey and Yousician.

Artie is ArtMaster’s AI piano teacher, designed for beginners who want a more interactive way to practise piano.

You play inside the app, follow the music visually, practise one hand at a time, loop tricky sections, and use Wait Mode so the song waits until you play the right note.

That matters because beginners often struggle less with understanding what to do and more with keeping up. Artie gives you time to find the note, play it, and move on without the whole song falling apart.

Artie is especially useful if you want to:

• learn real songs without reading sheet music from day one

• practise left hand, right hand, then both together

• repeat difficult sections instead of restarting the whole song

• use different difficulty levels for each hand

• get an evaluation after practice

• build confidence through short, focused sessions

Artie currently includes 100+ songs with three difficulty levels for each hand. It is best for iOS users with a piano or keyboard. For the smoothest experience, a 61-key keyboard or larger is recommended, although some simpler songs may work on smaller keyboards.

Why choose Artie?

• Wait Mode gives you time to find the right note

• Loop Mode helps you fix tricky sections

• Hand-by-hand practice makes songs easier to learn

• End-of-practice feedback shows what to improve

• You can start without reading sheet music

✅ Best for: beginners, returning adults, song-based learners and people who want guided practice

⚠️ Not ideal for: Android users right now, advanced classical players, or learners who specifically want traditional notation-first training

💡 ARTMASTER TIP: Want to start without reading sheet music? Read our guide to learning piano without sheet music for a practical look at visual learning, chords and song-based practice.

YouTube is usually the first place people go when they want to learn piano for free.

That makes sense. It has tutorials for almost everything:

• pop songs

• film music

• chord progressions

• beginner exercises

• music theory

• technique tips

The problem is not lack of content. The problem is knowing what to do with it.

YouTube is not a curriculum. It does not know what you played yesterday. It cannot tell you that your timing is drifting, your left hand is too heavy, or you are skipping the boring-but-necessary bit because the next video looks more fun.

That is why many people learn a few intros, a few chords, maybe half a song, and then stall.

YouTube is useful if you already know what you are looking for. It is much less useful if you need a clear path.

✅ Best for: free tutorials, quick explanations and inspiration

⚠️ Not ideal for: beginners who need structure, feedback and a practice plan

Structured online courses sit somewhere between YouTube and private lessons.

They are less random than YouTube because the lessons are organised properly. They are more flexible than private lessons because you can watch them whenever you want.

A good course can help you understand:

• chords

• rhythm

• scales

• harmony

• technique

• how songs are built

This is where ArtMaster’s piano courses are useful. David Bennett’s piano and music theory courses, for example, are designed to help you understand what you are playing, not just copy notes on a screen.

Apps can help you practise. Courses can help you understand.

The ideal setup for many learners is not choosing one or the other. It is using both. You might use Artie for daily interactive practice, then use a structured course when you want to understand the theory or technique behind what you are playing.

✅ Best for: independent learners who want proper teaching and musical depth

⚠️ Not ideal for: people who need instant correction while they play

For adults, the best way to learn piano is usually the one that respects real life.

You may not have an hour every day. You may not want exams. You may not want to start with children’s songs. You may also have an old memory of piano lessons feeling strict, slow or embarrassing.

So the best method is often a flexible one.

For many adults, that means combining:

• Artie for regular guided practice

• an online course for deeper understanding

• YouTube for quick explanations

• occasional teacher feedback if needed

The key is to make practice feel possible. Ten focused minutes most days is better than one heroic two-hour session every three weeks.

Artie is a good fit for adult beginners because it lets you practise at your own pace, use Wait Mode, repeat difficult sections, and start with real songs instead of feeling trapped in a beginner book forever.

💡 ARTMASTER TIP: Starting later than you planned? Read our guide to learning piano as an adult for realistic practice advice, confidence tips and ways to make progress without turning music into homework.

Children often learn best when practice feels immediate, visual and rewarding.

That is why piano apps can work well for kids. Falling notes, colours, short challenges and progress markers can make practice feel more like play. And that is not a bad thing. If a child is willingly going back to the keyboard, the method is doing something right.

There is also research suggesting that music training can support children’s executive functions, including working memory, inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility. In other words, learning music is not only about playing songs - it can also help children practise attention, memory and self-control.

For many families, the best setup is a mix:

• an app for daily motivation

• a teacher or course for structure

• songs the child recognises

• short, regular practice sessions

Artie can work well for children because it feels game-like while still involving real piano playing. They follow the notes, play the keys, practise one hand at a time, and build confidence through repetition.

The trick is not to make piano feel like another school subject.

There is no single best method for everyone.

Choose based on what you actually need:

• Need personal feedback? Try a teacher.

• Need something free? Start with YouTube.

• Need structure and depth? Take an online course.

• Need daily practice motivation? Use a piano app.

• Need beginner-friendly song practice with feedback? Try Artie.

The mistake is thinking you have to choose only one.

A beginner might use Artie to practise songs during the week, follow a David Bennett course to understand chords and theory, and use YouTube when they want a quick explanation or burst of inspiration.

That is probably the most realistic way to learn piano now.

Piano is not learned by collecting resources. It is learned by sitting down, trying again, making mistakes, fixing one small thing, and coming back tomorrow.

The best way to learn piano is the one that gets you to do that.

• 60+ easy 3-chord songs

• 100+ four-chord songs

• 20 beginner-friendly songs to learn on piano

• How to learn piano without reading sheet music

• How to learn piano fast: practical tips for busy adults

• How AI is revolutionizing music learning

Check out all our guides to learning piano

What is the best way to learn piano for beginners?

The best way to learn piano for beginners is to combine clear guidance with regular practice. A piano app like Artie can help you start playing real songs, while structured courses or teachers can help you understand technique, chords and music theory more deeply.

Is Artie good for beginners?

Yes. Artie is designed for beginners who want to learn piano through real songs and guided practice. You can practise one hand at a time, use Wait Mode, loop difficult sections, and start without reading sheet music from day one.

Is Artie worth it?

Artie is worth it if you want a more interactive way to practise piano than watching YouTube tutorials or following static videos. It is especially useful for beginners, adults returning to piano, and learners who want feedback and structure without immediately booking private lessons.

What makes Artie different from other piano apps?

Artie focuses on guided practice. Features like Wait Mode, looping, hand-by-hand practice, different difficulty levels and end-of-session feedback make it feel more supportive than a basic falling-notes tutorial.

Can I learn piano without reading sheet music?

Yes. You can start learning piano without reading sheet music. Many beginners use visual methods, chord symbols, falling notes or video demonstrations. Reading music can be useful later, but it does not have to be the first step.

Can I learn piano online without a teacher?

Yes, you can learn piano online without a teacher, especially as a beginner. Apps, video courses and tutorials can help you build a strong foundation. However, a teacher can still be useful later if you want detailed feedback on technique, posture, interpretation or exam preparation.

Are piano apps better than YouTube tutorials?

Piano apps are usually better for structured practice. YouTube is excellent for free tips and song tutorials, but it does not give you a clear path or feedback. Apps like Artie are better if you want guided practice and a stronger sense of progress.

What is the best way to learn piano as an adult?

The best way to learn piano as an adult is to choose a method that fits your routine. Short, regular practice is usually better than occasional long sessions. Artie is a good option for adults because it lets you practise real songs at your own pace, without needing to read sheet music straight away.

Matt Ford is a musician, teacher, writer, and lifelong student of sound.

With years of experience in both performing and teaching, he shares practical advice through ArtMaster to help musicians at every level build skill and confidence in their playing.