Things to do · Arts and crafts
Learn the piano as an adult beginner
A friend has invited you to do this with them.
Group piano classes now run in digital piano labs, one instrument and a pair of headphones each, so you can start without owning a piano. City Lit's first year takes a complete beginner from the layout of the keyboard to simple pieces with both hands together, reading music along the way.
Moderate£100 to £500 / $130 to $650A year or moreIndoorsAlone or with othersUK and US
Someone who has done it
These are real people who did this, as reported by the outlets named. We opened each one before linking it. None of them is connected with this site.
What it's really like
City Lit splits its piano teaching into levels that roughly match the ABRSM grades. Year 1 (classes 1A to 1C) starts with complete beginners and ends with simple pieces played hands together; Year 2 works up to grade 1 pieces. The first level, 1A, covers posture and hand shape, fingering in C position, note names and the treble and bass clefs.
In-person classes take up to 15 students, each at a digital piano with headphones. Online classes need your own instrument. For home practice City Lit prefers an acoustic piano but says a digital one suits beginners up to about its fourth level, and it suggests budgeting about £12 a term for music books.
Expect steady rather than fast progress. Beverly Zweiben, interviewed by the Washington Post about ten years after her first lesson, was working on a Bartók piece called Slow Dance.
Ways in compared
| Where | Course/format | Cost (as last listed) |
|---|---|---|
| City Lit, London | Piano/keyboards 1A: 11 weekly 90-minute group classes for absolute beginners | £249, or £199 senior on daytime classes and £174 concession (autumn 2025 listing) |
| Shoreline Community College continuing education | Adult Piano - Beginner: seven 50-minute Monday evening classes, winter 2026 | $299 |
| Private teacher (UK) | One-to-one lessons; EPTA UK lists member teachers by town and county, including online teachers | Set by each teacher; EPTA's page gives no fees |
| Private teacher (US) | One-to-one lessons; MTNA's finder searches by zip code and teaching area, with an online lessons option | Set by each teacher; MTNA's page gives no fees |
MTNA's advice is to interview several teachers before choosing, ask for their written studio policy, ask how much daily practice they expect, and ask if you can attend a student recital.
How to start
- Book a beginners' group class at an adult education college or a community college, or find a private teacher through EPTA UK or MTNA.
- Arrange something to practise on at home: City Lit says a digital piano will do for beginners, with full-size keys and 88 of them.
- Practise little and often between lessons, and buy the class books before the first session.
Where to go
- City Lit: Piano/keyboards 1A, for absolute beginners (London) UK
- EPTA UK: find a piano teacher by town, county or online UK
- Music Teachers National Association: find a teacher by zip code and instrument US
We opened these links on 7 November 2026 and found them to be what we say. Dates, places and prices are on the official page, where they stay up to date.
Plan this
Pick a day, or a month, and we will set out how to get ready, step by step, with a date and a reason for each. Courses and classes have start dates and can fill up, so the plan begins with finding and booking one. Kit comes after the first session, once you know what you need.
Questions people ask
Do I need a piano at home to learn the piano?
For practice, yes. City Lit says a digital piano suits beginners up to about its fourth level and advises full-size keys and 88 of them. Its in-person classes provide a digital piano and headphones for each student.
Can adults learn piano in a group class?
Yes. City Lit runs beginners' piano classes of up to 15 students, and some US community colleges run adult beginner classes through their continuing education programmes.
How much do adult piano lessons cost?
As last listed, City Lit's 11-week beginners' class was £249 and Shoreline Community College's seven-week adult class $299. Private teachers set their own fees, so ask before booking.
How do I find a good piano teacher?
Search EPTA UK's directory in the UK or MTNA's finder in the US. MTNA suggests interviewing several teachers and asking about their training, studio policy and practice expectations.
Where this comes from: City Lit, Piano at City Lit (1 July 2022); City Lit, Piano/keyboards 1A; Shoreline Community College continuing education, Youth and Adult Piano, Winter 2026 (PDF); The European Piano Teachers Association (UK), Find a Teacher; Music Teachers National Association, Find a Teacher; Music Teachers National Association, Choosing a Music Teacher; The Spokesman-Review (from the Washington Post), More older adults learn it's never too late to pick up a musical instrument (14 November 2016). Opened 7 November 2026.
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