For this blog post, we interviewed a newer student of mine, Sue! Sue lives in Idaho (USA), and while she is brand new to PIAF, she’s already made great progress!

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: I saw Scott’s PBS show years ago. For years, I didn’t think I could afford it or would want it. COVID came, and suddenly I had LOTS of time on my hands, so I decided to look into it again. I went to Facebook and saw one of the ads there, and I signed up for the free lesson.

Q: Who or what inspired you to pick up learning piano again?

A: I have taken classical piano lessons before, probably eight to nine years of lessons through a nun at a Catholic School. It involved practicing for an hour every day at the school. All through grade school and high school I played piano and read music, and used it to compete in pageants. I could still play after I got married and had kids, but the songs I could play were only the ones I really enjoyed. I couldn’t grasp picking up new skills and practicing new songs.

My husband plays the guitar, writes his own songs, and plays entirely by ear. He wanted me to play with him, and I could play the chords, but couldn’t pick out the melodies of his songs. I never really used my ear a lot, and I’m excited now because I’m learning how to use my ears to play the songs. With Scott teaching, everything makes sense. I don’t have to be so rigid at the piano.

Q: Did you have any prior musical training?

A: I did sing in a choir for a bit, and tried to learn the harmonica once… That did not last very long.

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

A: Scott taught me how to relax while playing. The lessons I had growing up were so strict, there was no flexibility to playing a song. Nowadays, if I make a mistake, I know I can keep going and maybe even cover it up.

The other thing that’s big to me is learning how the chords are constructed. I’m on Course 2, and growing up, I had to memorize chords. Scott introduced me to how chords were built, what a root of a chord was, and so on.

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

A: It’s definitely a stress reliever. I really enjoy playing. I also have arthritis, and it keeps the joints in my hands moving, which is something you never really consider to be a bonus with piano. In addition to that, my husband and I both sing in our church choir. I think playing piano has helped me to sing better and know which notes I need to be singing.

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

A: My goal is to get through all of Scott’s Courses. I also need to be practicing more, I need to make it part of my routine.

Q: Anything else you wanted to mention?

A: I’ve chatted with Piano in a Flash’s support team a couple times, when I struggle in a certain area, and they’ve all been very helpful so far. Some of Scott’s videos are really helpful too— they’re a great additional resource to have.

You can start finding success at the piano just like Sue did— check out our free webinar today!