We are all gifted in different ways and in different measures. We know that this is true and we also know that there is always going to be someone who is better than us about anything and everything. It is life. So then why is it that so many people have an attitude that the can’t learn to play the piano because they won’t be very good?
It does not matter whether you can play the piano well or not. What does matter is whether you enjoy playing something on the piano. There are plenty of people, who, by the way don’t claim to be able to play the piano, but can play ‘Chopsticks’ or ‘Heart and Soul’ . So what if that is the extent of what you are wanting to play.
If you wanted to play like one of the world’s best piano players, you would need to practice approximately 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, all year round for a couple of decades. Who has the time or energy for that? I, for one, cannot afford that time to practice and nor do I want to. At this stage of my life, looking after 3 teenagers, I am content to practice when I can. Years ago, I got to a stage where I was good enough to be able to become a piano teacher. These days, I am not quite as good as I once was, but still have enough knowledge and experience to be able to play very well. I know that when I have the time to have a regular practicing routine, I will be able to get back to the standard I once was.
My point is simply that it does not matter how well you play, it is whether you put in the time and effort to get to the point where you are content with what you know and what you can play on the piano – you don’t have to be brilliant, you just have to make yourself happy.
The other point I am making is that being brilliant comes at a cost of a lot of time and a lot of effort, that the vast majority of people are not willing to do. This is okay. You only need to put in the time and effort that you have decided to devote to playing the piano and to do that consistently for a period of time and that is enough to be able to play well enough, according to your own standards.