For this blog post, we interviewed Diane! Diane lives in Colorado (USA), and hasn’t been with Piano in a Flash too long, but is already enjoying her time at the piano.

Keep an eye out for more Q & A blog posts like this one: we enjoy hearing from students, and we want you to be able to read about their story with Piano in a Flash too!

Q: When did you first learn about Scott and Piano in a Flash?

A: March 2019. I saw an advertisement on Facebook and signed up for the webinar. Now I’m in the middle of Course 3. I’m looking forward to playing the song “Memory” from Cats, that’s next on the list.

Q: Who or what inspired you to start playing/pick piano up again?

A: I don’t know that I had any one source of inspiration. I had a piano for 30 years as a piece of furniture. I thought my kids might play it, but they never really did. I did take lessons in my forties, but I was afraid to play in front of people, and would get really stressed out if I did not have enough practice time before the next week’s lesson.

Q: Did you have any prior musical training?

A: I took dance lessons as a kid, but that’s as close to music lessons as I got. My daughters are professionals in the world of dance and musical theater, but I never was involved to the extent that they are.

Q: How was learning piano with Scott’s method, versus learning other instruments?

A: Scott’s method is so different from the classical lessons I had. With my previous teacher, she would give me several songs of her choice to learn, and periodically, I would get to pick one song I enjoyed. WIth Scott’s method, he teaches you that you have a choice. That was key to playing the piano, it’s all about freedom. I was such a rigid player, I felt like I had to play every song just as it was written on the page. The piano and I were fighting, and the piano would win every time. At the beginning, Scott would sneak in another note in the chord, or add a note in the right and. It spiced up the song, just a tad. No one had ever told me I could do that before. With Scott’s method, I can learn the gist of the song, and then spruce it up with arpeggios or whatever I choose. Now, the piano is closer to being my friend.

Each song in Scott’s lessons is different, and they’re all songs I enjoy. What you’re supposed to learn from each song is spelled out for you too, which makes me more willing to play them. Compared to traditional weekly lessons, there is so much freedom with these online lessons. I can move on when I’m ready, and not feel pressured to be ready for a certain day the following week, like I was with classical piano lessons.

Q: Has playing piano helped you in other areas of life?

A: I don’t know exactly, but I am confident that it is a really great exercise for my brain. Just like crocheting, which I also enjoy, this is a great way to challenge yourself.

Q: How has playing piano broadened your musical skills?

A: I did not know much at all about music theory, and Scott slowly, but steadily, introduced music theory to us. It helps broaden our knowledge of the piano and how we can use it to make songs sound richer.

Q: What’s your next musical-related goal?

A: I want to continue with these courses, and improve my skills. I especially want to work on playing more freely, by ear. I want to sit down and know the notes and chords well enough to sit down and play and have it sound great to myself and others. I would also love to be able to play in front of family and friends, which is something I’ve never done before.

Do you want to find success like Diane did? Click the button below to start your piano journey.