As I have mentioned in other articles, I get quite a bit of advertising for online piano courses and most of them are similar, not just in their methodology but also in their advertising blurbs. One claim that is common is that you don’t need to learn music theory in order to play the piano with their method.
If you can play the piano completely by ear (and I am one of the many that can’t) then the statement is true – you do not need to understand music theory to play the piano because you can just automatically play. However, if you are with the vast majority of people that can’t play be ear, then I would argue that you need some music theory.
I get that learning music theory is not exciting and no student of mine has ever been thrilled to do music theory, especially kids and teenagers. However, having a basic level of understanding is actually necessary for a music student to learn in order to be able to read music.
These online piano courses do teach a style of music that doesn’t require for you to read music at all. What they teach typically is how to play the piano using chord symbols. There is nothing wrong with that, although I would argue that reading musical notation is still helpful (but maybe I’m too biased towards classical music).
What I would state is that to understand the chord symbols is actually music theory. Sure, you are not reading notes, but you are reading a symbology that does need an understanding of what the symbols mean in the first place. Also you do need to learn what ‘major’ and ‘minor’ means, as well as the difference in sound that the two types of chords produce. Understanding the technical difference between these two types of chords is very useful in playing these chords correctly. This is a part of music theory and not just for popular and jazz music but for classical as well.
With any type of musician, the more advanced your skill level becomes, the more music theory is useful. For instance, there are many more chord types that can be learned and incorporated into someone’s playing, but unless you know about them, you can’t actually use them.
Music theory is a part of learning to play the piano, or any other instrument that you care to name, because it gives you the knowledge of what to play and how to play it, regardless of whether it is a complex, fully written out classical notation or simple and basic chord symbols.
So, if you see one of these ads for online piano courses, then understand that music theory is a part of their teaching methodology, whether they like to admit it or not.