Have you ever taken piccolo lessons? It may seem weird to take lessons on the small flute, but it can be well worth it.
As long as you want to learn and improve, you can make the most of your time and money. Then, you’ll be able to play your favorite piccolo pieces with ease.
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Learn More
One of the best reasons to take piccolo lessons is to learn more about the instrument and music in general. Even if you have regular flute lessons, you can only cover so much during that time.
Taking regular piccolo lessons or a one-off lesson gives you more time to learn. And as long as you do your research regarding the best piccolo teacher, you will be able to learn how to play the piccolo well.
Then, you won’t have to worry about people wincing at the idea of you playing the small flute. Instead, they might look forward to hearing you. And you could get more gigs as a flute player.
Receive Guidance
Arguably, you could learn the piccolo on your own. You could, buy piccolo books, watch YouTube videos, or read blogs, like Piccolo Perfection. But that can only get you so far in your piccolo playing journey.
Without some direct guidance from a teacher, you won’t be able to learn all of the ins and outs of the piccolo. You could learn the basics, and you might even be able to get into a college orchestra or band on the piccolo.
If you really want to improve on the piccolo, you need to take it just as seriously as you take the flute. Having a teacher who can guide you is crucial to getting better.
Improve Your Playing
As you learn more and receive guidance, you’ll naturally be able to improve your piccolo playing. The piccolo can be very difficult for some players, and it takes work to get good at it.
If you want to join an orchestra as the piccolo player or take on other flute gigs that may require the piccolo, you need to be a good piccoloist. You don’t have to be perfect or even a specialist, but you do need to know how to sound good.
Then, people will trust you to play the piccolo well. And you’ll be able to get more gigs from the people you meet at earlier gigs. If you can prove to them you’re reliable, you’ll have an easier chance getting to perform.
Reach Specific Goals
Maybe you don’t need to take ongoing piccolo lessons but still feel like you could use some help. Whether you have an upcoming audition or just need to get over a hump, take a few lessons on the piccolo.
Your teacher can help you figure out what to work on to achieve the goal you have. And if that goal is an audition, you can stop taking piccolo lessons after the fact.
So you don’t need to completely change your schedule to account for studying the piccolo. But you do need to consider what you want to get out of piccolo lessons to make the most of your investment.
Hold Yourself Accountable
Do you ever find yourself dreading practicing the piccolo? If so, you may benefit from simply having someone to tell you to practice. A piccolo teacher can easily act as an accountability partner.
They can give you regular assignments to complete before your next lesson. That way, you’ll have more motivation to practice even when you would rather do something else.
Of course, you can find your own ways to hold yourself accountable. But it’s easier to give yourself excuses than to give a teacher your excuse. So consider taking lessons for the practice motivation.
Consider the Cost
Piccolo lessons aren’t for everyone. Before you sign up, you should consider if you have enough money. Especially if you take lessons with a piccolo specialist, you can expect to pay a lot for your lessons.
Now, the investment will be worth it for all of the benefits I already mentioned. However, it’s not going to be an option for everyone. If you’re on a tight budget, you may want to study on your own.
You can also take a course (stay tuned for one from Piccolo Perfection). That way, you’ll get a lot of the value of lessons. But you won’t have to pay as much to have a bit of guidance.
Make Time to Practice
Another thing to consider before you start taking piccolo lessons is if you have the time. Not only do you need to have time for the lessons themselves but also for your practice time between lessons.
You don’t need to practice for hours a day. But you do need to practice consistently so that you can make progress. Otherwise, you’ll just have to spend lessons going over the same thing and wasting your time and money.
Consider if you’ll need to give up certain essential activities, such as sleep. While you can make some sacrifices, piccolo lessons don’t have to be more important than your health.
Be Interested in the Piccolo
Whether you own a piccolo or need to buy one, you need to have some interest in the instrument. If you’re a flute player and hate the piccolo, you won’t like piccolo lessons.
At the very least, you have to like how the piccolo sounds. You don’t need to be a good player or even have played the piccolo before. But you do need something to draw you to the piccolo.
If your flute teacher is telling you that you have to learn the piccolo, that’s great. However, you need to want to learn and take lessons on the piccolo for those lessons to be worth it.
Study the Flute First
Speaking of the flute, you should get a good grasp of flute playing before you even think about taking lessons on the piccolo. The flute is much easier for absolute beginners, and it’s more affordable.
You should know how to play most, if not all, of the flute’s range. Make sure you can get a good tone in the upper register. That way, switching to the piccolo won’t be as difficult.
While some people learn the piccolo first, it’s not ideal. By knowing how to play the flute, you can use your piccolo studies to focus on the differences so that you can become a better piccolo player.
Will You Take Piccolo Lessons?
Taking piccolo lessons isn’t for everyone, but it can be a great decision for some. Whether you want to be a piccolo specialist or simply improve on the instrument, give lessons a try.
You never know what might come of a lesson with a piccolo teacher.
Do you want to take private lessons on the piccolo? Contact me to learn about rates and availability.