If you’ve tried learning piano as an adult, you’ve probably wondered – should I invest in private piano lessons … or is there a better, more flexible option?
When you’re trying to improve your piano playing, sometimes there’s nothing like private lessons with the right teacher.
But one-on-one instruction often comes with its own challenges.
- Scheduling conflicts
- Recurring cost of weekly lessons
- Travel to and from lessons
Not to mention the quite evident disappointment on your piano teacher’s face when you return the following week, not having practiced what you were supposed to practice.
These are all very real downsides I’ve experienced over the years.
In fact, these downsides are what prompted me to search for an alternative solution.
One in which I could learn classical piano from home, at my own pace, without rearranging my entire life.
Let me introduce you to ProPractice by Dr. Josh Wright.
This post may contain affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. These links include resources such as Modacity, Dr. Josh Wright ProPractice, Piano University by Zach Evans, Musicnotes, Playground Sessions, Skoove, and Piano Marvel. For more details, please refer to my full disclosure and privacy policy.
I take no credit for the images appearing on this page. Specific photos are courtesy of Canva. Although I am a nurse practitioner, I am not YOUR medical provider. The information in this post is for informational purposes only. It does NOT replace individualized health information from a qualified medical professional. Please see a qualified medical professional for individualized assistance with your health and wellness. I do utilize AI for certain aspects of content creation; however, the main ideas are all my own.
Private lessons are great for personalized feedback.
But for busy adults, ProPractice by Dr. Josh Wright is often the more practical – and sustainable – way to improve.
What ProPractice Offers
ProPractice is a video-based program created by Dr. Josh Wright, an experienced concert pianist.
He is not only a talented performer but also earned a Doctor of Musical Arts degree.
The program is divided into different skill levels, starting with the early beginner who has never touched a keyboard and can’t read music, through the most advanced levels of playing.
His series is based on classical repertoire, meaning you won’t find videos on how to play “Shape of You” or “Beautiful Things.”
But you will find tutorials on how to play the Moonlight Sonata and Clair de Lune.
You’ll also receive access to an exclusive Facebook group where you can ask questions and interact with other students.
This program also teaches you how to approach a new piece and gives you suggestions for not only note playing but phrasing and other aspects of playing a piece really well.
The main benefits to students include:
- Structured curriculum
- Learn at your own pace.
- Focus on technique and classical repertoire.
- No scheduling constraints
- One price means lifetime access – no recurring monthly payments.
- No commute time
- Online interaction with fellow students
- Exceptional customer service
What Private Lessons Offer
Sometimes the key to faster progress is individualized feedback.
The type of feedback that can only happen in a one-on-one encounter.
I’ve spent years and thousands of dollars on lessons and feel it was well worth it.
Playing a musical instrument well is the journey of a lifetime, and getting undivided attention from someone further along on their journey is invaluable.
Private music lessons give you the opportunity to set individualized goals and really focus on achieving them with someone who has been where you are right now.
You can get personalized feedback on things like hand position, phrasing, note accuracy, and your ability to convey the most emotional aspects of a piece.
Private instructors can help you play a wide variety of music, including jazz, pop, and even lead sheet playing.
With private lessons, you’ll get:
- Real-time feedback
- Accountability for achieving specific goals
- Personalized instruction
- Encouragement for when things get hard (and they will get hard!)
- Lesson time with someone as passionate about the instrument as you
- A supportive environment
- Learning at your pace
- Access to a wider variety of music and new concepts than you would ever find on your own
Cost Comparison
Regardless of teaching style and other differences between the two options, I think it’s reasonable to explore the price differences.
After all, you want to know exactly what you’re getting yourself into.
Private Lessons
Estimating the cost of private lessons is somewhat challenging because it depends on the qualifications of the piano instructors and the level at which they’re teaching.
I currently have 2 beginner students and charge $20 a lesson, but I’ve paid as much as $75 a lesson when I’ve studied with college professors, given their higher music education backgrounds and performance experience.
This also varies widely depending on where you live and how often you take lessons.
In general, it’s reasonable to assume $40-100/lesson.
This translates into $160-400/month.
At those rates, you’ll be paying somewhere between $1920-$4800 a year for private piano lessons.
Keep in mind that if you’re going less than weekly or in specific geographic areas, this price could be much less.
And most teachers charge a late-cancellation fee or require payment up front.
But these are quite reasonable estimates for the average person taking piano lessons in a private setting.
ProPractice
In contrast to a weekly pay-per-lesson fee, a one-time fee gains you lifetime access to the ProPractice program.
Dr. Wright continually adds content to the course, and I would consider the current content extremely robust, as it offers the majority of the well-known works from the classical repertoire.
Beginner and advanced students alike will appreciate the flexibility in selecting repertoire at their level and instruction on the required piano technique needed to play each piece.
The cost of this course is just under $800.
But when compared to the cost of weekly lessons, it’s still less than half the cost you’ll pay for weekly lessons in a year at a rate of $40/lesson.
No commuting and no rearranging your schedule to make it happen.
Not to mention, no disappointing teachers when your practice sessions fall by the wayside during a busy week!
Time and Flexibility
Aside from cost, there are some noticeable differences in time and flexibility between these two courses.
Private Lessons
Depending on the teacher, private lessons with professional musicians often don’t give you much flexibility.
Many teachers even charge the lesson fee if you cancel at the last minute.
Other teachers implement an upfront lesson payment plan to ensure no fees are missed.
In most cases, piano teachers will offer makeup lessons if an upfront lesson fee is involved.
But you still need to carve out that regular time in your calendar to drive to and from the lesson.
Not to mention the time for the lesson itself, which can range anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes.
It can be really hard to fit that type of weekly commitment in amongst all the other demands of your busy adult life.
Again, the benefits of individual piano lessons are tremendous, but they come with a trade-off, sometimes in the form of limited time flexibility.
ProPractice
When it comes to this piano course, you have all the flexibility you could ever want!
Take as much time as you need to achieve your personal goals.
You can choose to start at the beginning and work all the way through or skip around to the pieces that you are especially drawn to play.
Late day at the office?
No problem! You can choose whether to squeeze in a few minutes of practice when you get home.
Kids have soccer games?
No worries! You have the flexibility to decide whether to squeeze in a practice session before the games.
This method of learning classical piano is really designed for the busy adult.
You can also watch videos as much as you like to really glean the information from them that you need to play the way that you envision yourself playing.
Looking for a more flexible way to improve?
If weekly lessons don’t fit your schedule, ProPractice by Dr. Josh Wright gives you a clear, structured path—without rearranging your life.
Depth of Learning
When it comes to depth of learning, sometimes private lessons come out on top.
It’s impossible to beat the individualized feedback you receive during one-on-one lessons with a teacher.
Private sessions offer the luxury of conversation with your teacher about your individual goals and receiving feedback on how close you are to those goals.
But if you already have a solid foundation in note reading and playing the instrument, ProPractice can fill in the gaps for you if private lessons are not feasible for you right now.
Dr. Wright covers all aspects of playing each piece in his videos, from tackling octave leaps to bringing out the melody in harmonically complex music.
He gives the right balance of technique and musical aspects of playing to help advance your skills.
And unless you post a video in the Facebook group, you won’t get individualized feedback on your playing.
The Real Problem
Most adults don’t fail because lessons don’t work.
They fail because lessons don’t fit their life.
And with ProPractice, you have exactly what you need to advance your skills at your own pace and without disappointing your piano teacher.
I may have mentioned this a couple of times previously because, as a chronic people pleaser, I still shudder to think about the disappointment in my teachers’ faces when I didn’t live up to their expectations.
Just a little real-life piano PTSD …. lol
Who Should Choose Each
Choose Private Lessons If:
- You want real-time feedback on your playing technique and musicality.
- Your schedule permits adequate weekly practice and lesson times.
- You have very specific piano goals or have been struggling to learn on your own for a while now.
- You’re looking for a tailored approach to your piano learning.
Choose ProPractice If:
- You need flexibility
- You’re craving structure without scheduling.
- You love playing classical piano!
- You’re serious about improving, but don’t have time for weekly lessons.
- Your nearest teacher is miles away, and you’re not thrilled at the idea of online lessons.
My ProPractice Experience
Several years after graduating with a fine arts degree in music, I found myself wanting to continue improving my piano skills.
But between working full-time and 3 kids, I was pressed for extra time.
I took a few lessons here and there from college professors in the area, but found I couldn’t keep up with the practice required to meet their expectations.
I was craving growth at the keyboard on my terms.
And so I started searching for ways to continue working on my skills at my own pace.
A pace that would support all the responsibilities that come with being an adult.
And then one day, I stumbled across a YouTube video of Dr. Wright.
Over the next few months, I continued watching his videos and finally decided to jump into ProPractice.
And I couldn’t be happier!
His videos give me the technical and expressive components I need to seriously improve my piano skills… on my terms and at a pace that fits my life.
Objections
Can I really improve without a teacher?
Absolutely! Dr. Wright gives you the information you need to improve your piano playing, even when learning on your own.
Is ProPractice really worth the cost?
I have found this course to be well worth the cost, especially when you calculate the cost of regular lessons with a private teacher.
Even when you calculate the monthly costs of those other online learning programs, ProPractice is well worth it.
What if I don’t like classical piano music?
I would suggest you find another online learning program if you’re not into classical piano because ProPractice is ALL about the classical.
He does have a few bonus videos on jazz, but for the most part, this is definitely a classical forward program.
Final Verdict
If you have the time, budget, and consistency to commit to it, private piano lessons are incredible.
There’s no true substitute for sitting down with a skilled teacher who can listen to your playing, correct subtle mistakes, and guide you in real time. If that setup fits your life, it’s a fantastic path forward.
But for most adults… that’s the problem.
It doesn’t fit.
Between work, kids, unpredictable schedules, and everything else life throws your way, it becomes really difficult to show up consistently, practice consistently, and get the full value out of those lessons.
And that’s exactly where ProPractice by Dr. Josh Wright shines.
It gives you something that’s surprisingly hard to find as an adult learner:
A clear, structured path to improvement—on your schedule.
No rushing to make a lesson.
No wasted weeks when life gets busy.
No wondering what you should be practicing.
Just focused, intentional progress… at a pace that actually works for your life.
That’s why, for most busy adults who are serious about improving—especially in classical piano—ProPractice is the more practical and sustainable choice.
And in many cases, the one they’ll actually stick with.
If that sounds like where you’re at right now, you can check out ProPractice here and see if it’s the right next step for you.
Because at the end of the day, the “best” method isn’t the one that looks perfect on paper…
It’s the one you can actually follow through on.
Until next time, happy practicing!
Ready to finally make consistent progress?
If you’re serious about improving-but need something that fits your life-ProPractice by Dr. Josh Wright is the program I keep coming back to
And if you’re looking for more piano inspiration, check out some of my previous posts:
- ProPractice vs. Piano Marvel: 2026 Comparison for Adults
- Best Grand Piano for Home Use (And What I Recommend Instead)
- Can Adults Learn Piano? A Complete Beginner’s Guide
- How to Balance Piano Practice and a Busy Mom Schedule
- Learn How to Practice Piano in 15 Minutes a Day
