Why Is A Teacher Better Than YouTube?
I love YouTube.
I have learned so much on that platform, it’s crazy. You can basically attend a lecture on any subject you want at any time. You can go down a rabbit hole and learn everything you ever wanted to learn about the French Revolution or dog training. You can get step-by-step instructions on how to fix your toilet. You can basically get a college degree’s worth of education anytime you want.
What an amazing gift!
There are, however, some drawbacks to learning something on YouTube, especially when it comes to music. I think YouTube is a great place to start, but as you get serious about music, you are going to need a teacher. Here are 6 reasons why…
#1: A Teacher Gives You Feedback
A teacher can give you feedback on what to work on and where to improve. You get to play or sing in front of a trained professional who has been doing this their whole life! A teacher is your own personal mentor.
Anyone who wants to get good at something does it by hanging out with other people who are good at that thing. That is how it has worked for thousands of years and that hasn’t changed with the invention of the internet.
A teacher can help you improve in ways that are specific to you. They can show you what to practice and how to practice it.
A teacher will give you personal feedback that applies directly to your situation and your goals. A video can’t do that.
#2: A Teacher Gives You Accountability
A teacher will keep you accountable to practice and to show up to your lesson every week. Anything you want to do well, you need someone to keep you accountable to get there.
We all have done it before. We get really excited about something, say we are going to do it, and then when it gets hard, we give up. But if we have someone to keep us accountable, it helps us to show up even when it gets hard. And I don’t know about you, but every time I have shown up and done the thing I didn’t want to do, I am always so glad I did.
How many times have you wanted to lose weight and start going to the gym? On your own, that commitment may only last a few weeks. But if you have a workout buddy, you are there every week. And the best part is you get to see the amazing results. You get to keep your commitment to yourself. You get to achieve your goals. That is the power of accountability.
A teacher will keep you accountable so you can reach your goals. A video can’t do that.
#3: A Teacher Gives You A Clear Path
YouTube videos are great, but have you searched for “how to play piano” recently on YouTube? Good lord! There are a million videos that come up. And everybody has a different “method” to teach you.
Where do you even begin?
And if you can get yourself to begin, what do you do next? What order do you do these videos in? After you scroll through a hundred videos or so, how do you not just give up, go hit your couch, and start watching Netflix?
There is too much information on YouTube and it leads to information overload. That leads to total paralysis because we don’t see a clear path to what we want. If we can’t see a clear path, we will give up.
A teacher will lay out a clear path for you with clear goals to work towards. They will give you a step-by-step lesson plan to help you achieve your goals. Once you accomplish one thing in your playing, they will tell you what the next thing to work on is. No more confusion about what to do next.
A teacher will show what works best for you and give you a clear path to achieve your goals. A video can’t do that.
#4: A Teachers Gives You Encouragement
A good teacher is more than just a teacher. They are your coach. Your counselor. Your own personal motivational speaker. They are they to encourage you when you want to give up or when you start to doubt yourself. They are there to remind you why you wanted to take lessons in the first place. And they are there to remind you of all the awesome progress you have made when you forget.
We all have bad days. We all get down. And we need people in our lives to remind us what is true when we start to believe all the lies rolling around in our heads. We need to be reminded that there is hope, purpose, and light in our lives.
A teacher will cheer you on when you are having a hard day and celebrate with you when you are having a good one. A video can’t do that.
#5: A Teacher Gives You Confidence
Playing or singing in front of other people can be scary if you’ve never done it before. Being able to perform in front of your teacher is a great first step to getting comfortable performing in front of others. By showing up to your lesson regularly, you will build a relationship with your teacher. With that relationship comes comfort and familiarity.
As you become more comfortable, your confidence in performing will grow and you will want to play in front of other people. At that point, a teacher can give you opportunities to perform at student recitals and public concerts which will build your confidence even more.
A teacher will give you chances to perform and help build your confidence. A video can’t do that.
#6: A Teacher Gives You Friendship
We are not meant to do life alone, and music is no exception. Music is meant to be enjoyed with others. There is something incredible about playing music with others that bonds us together.
Learning how to play music with a teacher creates a special relationship. A friendship. And whether you become besties with your new teacher or not, it is always good to have one more friend. It is always good to have another positive influence in your circle.
Many of my students have become my friends. I am so thankful to music for bringing these amazing people into my life.
A teacher will become a great friend in your life. A video can’t do that.
The Best Way To Learn Music
There is no wrong way to learn music. You can start today by listening to your favorite songs and writing down what you like about them. That counts! That is learning music.
Then you can jump on YouTube. Watch some videos on music theory and how music works. That is learning music.
The point is you don’t have to wait for everything to line up perfectly to get started. Just get started!
And when you are ready to really dive in, there will be a teacher ready and waiting for you that will give you all the things you need to succeed. I love YouTube, but nothing beats learning something you love from someone who loves it as much as you do!
