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Do you believe that there are people out there who simply aren't cut for it, no matter how hard they try to learn and you try to teach? Piano, or even music altogether.

No.

Anyone who has any interest in playing the piano can learn and do something on it.

If you mean are there some people who just aren't ever going to be real good, yeah. But so what?

From the standpoint of a teacher (which I'm not), I would think you just need to adjust expectations, and realize the different goals that people can have.

If a teacher has a very specific or rigid approach, I can imagine that this would be difficult.

No. But I have had students who found coordinating themselves around a keyboard was much, much harder than playing other instruments. For instance, one student who worked hard for 6 years with only moderate results switched to acoustic guitar and became a virtuoso..... Another with a similar story of moderate achievements on the piano augmented his piano lessons with oboe lessons, and within 3 years was working at diploma standard on *that* instrument.

Anyone can learn, with good instruction and the right kind of practice, to play the right notes at the right time.

But...some people are innately musical and others aren't. Anyone who makes it as a professional pianist (or musician) has to have that inherent musicality. It's something that can only be taught to a certain extent.

So to play at a high level? Some (most) people aren't "cut out" for it.

To play recreationally? Anyone can do it.

Who would want to play at that highest level? Not most people - they want music to be a part of their lives, not their profession...... Just like tennis, golf, or skiing.

Well, people who have no fingers...

but otherwise? There are people who won't, and people who have a very difficult time at it; but all of those have another chance tomorrow, next year, whatever - if they choose to.

PS: I just remembered about the guy who recently played piano with his toes. A lot is possible with time and determination. No time, and no determination? Forget it. But then, most worthwhile things are like that.

True, but there are people who have true talent who choose not to work towards the highest level, but potentially COULD if they wanted to.

Some people don't have that talent but that doesn't mean they can't play piano at all.

It seems we're all unanimously a bit puzzled at the question.....

It doesn't take a shrink to think that maybe it's about frustration over a particular student or two.

(Or if Gyab isn't a teacher, then over Gyab's self.....)

if that chinese guy can play with his toes, and the poor guy had his arms amputated and never gave up at it. im willing to say that anyone can do almost anything they set their mind to.

I'm kind of applying this to dance in my life. I took ballet as a kid, but it didn't come naturally to me, so I gave up. I started again when I was 18. I was DETERMINED to do it, to learn how to dance and get better at it.

I've been taking classes on and off since then (five years). Can I dance? Sure! I can show up to classes, follow the choreography, and work on form and technique. Am I good at it? Decent, for an adult beginner. Have I improved since I started? Absolutely. Am I "cut out" to be a "real" dancer? Absolutely not. But it's something I enjoy and that adds to my life, so I continue to do it.

I think it's the same thing for piano. Anyone can play piano - anyone can take lessons, learn how to read notes/hear the beat/follow rhythms etc. and apply it to pieces at their level. Most people who take piano lessons don't aspire to reach the highest level. You just have to be realistic with your goals.

If they are trying, then no. There's is absolutely no reason why they wouldn't be able to learn, unless it was there was some sort of mental deficiency or the drive just wasn't there. Trying because you want to and trying because your parents told you to or they wouldn't buy you the car isn't the same thing.

But that's really just saying yes to the original question.

'cut out for it' doesn't exactly scream mentally incompetent

That's exactly right. I know of people who seemed to be tone deaf (to the outside world) who set their minds to it and sat at a keyboard for months on end trying to match pitch with each note.. I had a drummer once who did that. He was singing backing vocals on stage for me within a matter of 3 months.

So the answer is no. I don't think its impossible. People who don't seem to get there don't not because of something innate, that's for sure.

The last-to-get-picked (for the piano team) will always be with us.

+1

I know plenty of people who were told that they weren’t cut for it. I’m one of them. When I was a child, for some reasons, I had lots of fear. I was naturally very un-coordinated too. I always got D for gym classes while I got lots of A’s for other subjects.

Due to extreme shyness and natural lack of coordination, whenever I went to my piano lessons, I could not play very well. I was scared of my first teacher too. I remember my hands became like stiff wood in front of her. She scolded me like “Ahhh, you are breading the egg again! Why can’t you relax your hands…etc”. The relationship ended shortly. One day I was told to clap my hands to show her that I understand rhythm. I was so nervous that I could not hit any single beat right. My teacher told my parents that I was absolutely not talented and not meant for piano. My parents begged her to teach me because I wanted a lesson very badly. She decided have one of her students teach me. Actually, the young lady (her student) was very kind and I made a decent progress under her. This was 30+ yeas ago in one of the obscure town in Japan. I am sure nowadays things must be different.

If any child likes music, I think you ought to think that person has some potential to enjoy music. Classical piano music does not speak to everyone. When it does, I think it’s precious and I tend think there’s all what you need to learn the piano. I am not wonderful pianist but I enjoy playing the piano for my family and friends. I think the piano helped my coordination too.

I don't see bad coordination as something you're stuck with. All bodies are pretty much mechanically the same. It's imagination. Some just don't have it.

In 23 years, I have encountered 2 adult students who I believe found even the most basic sequential co-ordination so difficult as to effectively rule them out of any meaningful playing whatsoever. I can also think of a few, of various ages, who were never able to establish any sense of pulse, at least under my tutelage.

Certainly, there is a recognized condition which prevents a person from recognizing any kind of pitch - it would not surprise me if there turned out to be a similar condition relating to rhythm.

That's not to say that there would be no benefit whatsoever to someone who struggles with musical concepts to such a degree in taking lessons.

I am not a teacher. Is my repertoire that difficult? :p Anyway.

I asked because I wanted to know if I should stop taking exams and lessons and just look at piano as a hobby. I am just one or two steps away from being eligible to teach elementary students. The problem is, most teachers have already been there when they were 14 years old, while I'm already in my 20s and still learning, trying to get there. Even if I successfully obtained the accreditation and demonstrated my playing and teaching skills to potential students and their family, no doubt they would ask why I have so little experience teaching piano compared to others my age.

Just... self-esteem issues, basically.