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The hearing and observing the student can do in an online lesson is the same as in an in person lesson.

Online is absolutely fine to learn piano and absolutely the best option if you have to drive hours away for piano lessons. I absolutely agree you want to be paying with piano teachers with credential. Online means you have huge range of teachers to pick from. Most of us had to do online lessons in the pandemic. I resisted for a long time but eventually tried it but now back to face to face. I am not sure if it was difficult for beginners to learn onine so maybe someone hear who has tried it can give you tips. Good luck.

HBIII, you might have gone down this route already, but if not, I’d look at the Washington State Music Teacher Association Website (https://wsmta.org/about-wsmta/local-chapters/). Unlike in my state, they don’t seem to have a statewide ‘search for a teacher’ function. Instead, this seems to be available on some of the local chapter websites. If you can’t find local chapters listed that are near you, you could contact the WSMTA and figure out who might be able to help you.

I don’t know that there are any particular credentials required, but the teachers are at least serious enough that they have joined a professional association.

I sent you a PM. I know a lot of piano players in WA state, including rural areas.

Not quite. There are things you miss out in an online lesson. Someone can't physically show you the feeling, you are limited by your piano and recording quality, etc. There's also a psychological aspect which makes it generally easier to learn from someone if you're facing them in real life.

Thanks for the link Sgisela! The county I am in (Okanogan County) doesn't have a website, but I did find their facebook page. I left them a message about finding teachers a few weeks ago but never heard anything back. I did PM PianogrlNW (who posted right below you that she might be able to help), so we will see how it goes :-)!

You can also search mtna.org by zip code.

But I’m confident that PGNW will steer you in the right direction— she is an excellent pianist.

What you mention in this latest post is different from what you said in your earlier post that I quoted. What you mention your most recent one about what one misses in an online lesson are valid differences.

Thanks DP. We’re zeroing in on a great teacher!

Great news! I knew if anyone could offer good suggestions, you could

We are still trying to track down a teacher... There is one about an hour away who retired but may still be willing to teach me, just waiting to hear back. Living in the middle of nowhere has a lot of disadvantages lol.

In the meantime my digital piano arrived and I think I am going to try starting with the Piano Career Academy you all recommended. I also ordered the Faber Adult Piano Adventures books. Does anyone recommend using an app like Piano Marvel as well?

Thanks again for the help everyone!

I would not recommend starting with both Piano Career Academy and Marvel at the same time. The whole Beginners' Course on PCA is carefully built up in such a way that you develop your technique skills step by step. Every piece you play is meant to take you one step further - and not more than this one step.

Thanks, I guess I will start solely with PCA then.

I'll see you there then (if you make yourself known). Good luck, and enjoy!

Here is a Piano Education Channel from my piano teacher. I do not think it can replace in-person teaching, but still you can get a lot of great tips. She is following the Afred's class piano textbook.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcEAuMQpfyQiQlBEeGwsRSg

You could also follow this playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpNV0WAsaMNQ5tR0uMPYiJuRGYZoCxG5H

Best of luck!

Still no luck finding a piano teacher despite some serious help from PianogrlNW, but I have been going through the piano career academy beginner classes and it has been great so far, thanks for the recommendation on that, I don't think I would have found it on my own!

I really recommend to get a teacher.

It is very easy to pick up bad habits. In fact, it is unavoidable I think, learning alwaysgoes with errors. It's very difficult to get rid of errors, and even more when you use them for longer time.

It's also very difficult to spot them by yourself. There is just way way too much going on: reading notes, listening to the sound, learning the notes, moving the fingers, the arms, the body.

IMHO only a good teacher in an interactive lesson can spot and correct them quickly. Even then, there will be probably a week at least from the moment you pick up a bad habit till the feedback arrives, which is already bad enough. Video learning makes this more difficult I think (teacher can not easily change focus or walk around you for checking).

Great! Now may I just recommend you submitting a video of one of those first portamento pieces? So you'll know you're on the right track. I remember it took me a while before I fully understood the principles.

Would you drive five hours round trip for in-person lessons like the OP would need to do? There is one retired : one hour each way. Hasn’t heard back

The retired teacher that was one hour each way said no :-(. Another one a similar distance has not responded. So it is looking like it will be a 4-5 hour drive for in person lessons if we can even get a response from any of those teachers.

Of course I would love in person lessons, who wouldn't, but it is looking more and more like it will be impossible. Everyone keeps saying that I need in person lessons, yes I understand and it just makes it more disheartening each time knowing that I won't be able to have that experience. Not everyone can, no matter how determined.

But I am still going to learn the piano somehow...