Piano Blog“Every person everywhere joyfully engaged in music”

By DeRicki Johnson, Guest Blogger

Like many people who have let life get in the way of music, I found myself casting around for a self-improvement activity that would actually stick.

As a youth, I dabbled with music, playing the viola for several years and the cornet in high school band. I lost touch with that part of my life once I began the all-consuming business of “adulting.” I missed the healing power of music and how it seemed to improve my cognition and creativity, but the expense and scheduling requirements of private lessons placed learning to play an instrument out of reach.

Years ago, I got the sudden inspiration to buy a keyboard I saw in a pawn shop window. I figured I’d watch some YouTube videos and be proficient in no time. How hard could it be, right? Wrong. Without guided instruction, and someone to inspire me, I wasn’t up to the task. For the next 15 years, my keyboard gathered dust in my closet.

I eventually dragged my keyboard out of its dusty tomb and considered how to succeed in learning to play it this time around. Private lessons were out of the question — too expensive. Online video tutorials, though more affordable, weren’t much better than my previous strategy of watching random YouTube videos.

That’s when I ran across an exceptional online music education service called Practicing Musician.

What sets it apart from other online services is how the learning track mimics the private lesson experience, with step-by-step modules that progress from acquiring and maintaining your instrument, to inspirational interviews and performances by your teacher, to access to sheet music for the sequentially ordered and gradually progressive lessons. The quality of the videos is high and crystal clear, making it easy to see what’s being taught.

I was so intrigued that I contacted the CEO and Founder, Jake Douglass. He told me over the past several years, Practicing Musician has won the respect of K-12 teachers who report improved proficiency among students using the service over those who don’t. At-home users also give the service high marks, according to Jake.

What’s more, Practicing Musician is completely free — making it a no-risk situation for anyone who wants to pick up an instrument or get back to one they left behind. It is, without question, the easiest and most effective way to learn to play an instrument I have come across.

So, satisfied with my research, I surfed over to Practicing Musician to set up my account and pick my instrument. Next I met my teacher, Nozomi Khudyev, an accompanist at The Juilliard School. Nozomi’s interview and performance videos provided me the inspiration to begin my classes. Since this is a self-regulated learning experience, other more seasoned students might skip some of the early lessons, even as I was able to easily jump past the section on “Choosing your instrument.”

I can’t emphasize enough the ease with which I am able to follow my lessons. The whole thing is designed with simplicity in mind. Nothing is assumed. Nozomi and Jake — himself an accomplished musician — are holding my hand through each step of the process. Sheet music for learning and practice are built seamlessly into my classes.

The built-in assessment software gives me immediate feedback on my playing after each session, as if a private teacher had listened to me play. It is the piece that truly separates Practicing Musician from every other online music education tool I found.

I’m so impressed and excited with Practicing Musician, I made a donation to support their mission of bringing effective music education within reach of millions of people. Stop using that guitar as a wall decoration, or grandma’s old piano as a place to stack your bills. Try your hand at that forgotten school band instrument up in the attic — you know, that viola your kid just “had to have,” but promptly ditched once you bought it. Learning to play it will be a lot more fulfilling than re-watching “Avengers: Endgame” on Netflix for the umpteenth time.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I was so impressed with Practicing Musician, I approached Jake about doing this guest blog, sharing my personal experience with the service. He offered to pay me for my effort, so I’m receiving a modest standard blogging fee.

(What Jake didn’t know is I was offering to do this for free — but hey, I’d be a fool to turn down a couple extra bucks. Anyway, I hope this disclaimer didn’t just set fire to my check!)

DeRicki Johnson is a Texas freelance writer and poet, whose debut collection of poetry, “Give Me A Minute,” has been released. You can find some of his short form poetry on Twitter and Instagram.

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