Piano lessons · Miami
Piano lessons in Miami, for the grown-up who always meant to.
There’s a piano in the living room nobody plays. Or a song you’ve hummed for twenty years. Willy B teaches students from age 7 to seniors to play the music they love, in your home, at his studio or online.
In short
Willy B is a Miami piano teacher who gives private piano lessons in Miami and online for beginner and intermediate students from age 7 to seniors, including adult beginners and returning players. A multi-instrumentalist who plays piano at events and on recording sessions, he teaches in students’ homes, at his Miami studio, or over video; lessons focus on playing, with notation if you want it. During his years in cancer research at the University of Miami, he co-authored a published pilot study on individualized piano instruction for breast cancer survivors.
- Ages
- Kids, teens, adults and seniors
- Kids
- From age 7 · background check on request · progress notes after each lesson
- Levels
- Beginner and intermediate
- Where
- Your piano at home, his studio, or online
- Focus
- Playing first; notation if you want it
- Research
- Co-author of a pilot study on piano instruction for breast cancer survivors, Oncology Nursing Forum (2019)
Chords, songs and your ear
Learn how chords work and a whole songbook opens up. Lessons build from there toward the music you actually want to play, by chord and by ear. Willy reads music and can teach notation if you want it.
On your piano, or his
In-home lessons, anywhere in Miami from Key Biscayne to North Beach, mean learning on the instrument you’ll practice on. If it hasn’t been tuned in a while, book a tuning first: an out-of-tune piano makes every song sound wrong. At his studio you’ll play high-end pianos in a soundproofed room, and you can record what you play. Studio sessions.
Piano lessons for kids 7 and up
Private piano lessons start at age 7, on your piano at home, at his studio or online. A parent, nanny or house manager can book and schedule. You’ll get a short progress note after each lesson, and a background check is available on request. He also runs a music program for kids at CARE Elementary School, a tuition-free nonprofit school in Miami.
Acoustic or digital?
Either works. An acoustic piano tuned in the last year is a joy to learn on. A digital piano with 88 weighted keys and a sustain pedal comes close, never needs tuning, and lets you practice with headphones at midnight. A small keyboard is fine for the first weeks, but your hands will outgrow it. Ask Willy before you buy.
Practice that fits a full calendar
Adults tend to progress best with short, regular practice: ten to twenty minutes most days beats one long session a week. Leave the piano open and the music on the stand, so sitting down to play takes seconds, not a decision.
Pop, soul and folk songs built on a few chords are a common first step: the left hand holds the chords while the right plays the tune. It’s one of the quickest ways to sound like music, and to want to keep going.
Piano, learning and the research
Before music became his full-time work, Willy worked in cancer research at the University of Miami’s Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. He co-authored a small pilot study, “Individualized Piano Instruction for Improving Cognition in Breast Cancer Survivors,” in which six survivors took eight weeks of piano lessons (Oncology Nursing Forum, 2019). Read his story.
His lessons are music lessons, not treatment. The goal is simple: playing songs you love.
Who it's for
- Adult beginners starting from zero
- Kids 7 and up starting their first instrument
- Returning players who quit as kids
- Seniors who want a new challenge
- Homes with a piano nobody plays
- Singers who want to accompany themselves
- Songwriters who want to find their chords on the keys
Beginner & intermediate topics
- Finding your way around the keyboard
- Chords, and how songs are built from them
- Hands together: chords in the left, melody in the right
- Playing by ear
- Basic theory: keys, scales and chord progressions
- Accompanying yourself or a singer
Lessons
Wake up the piano in the living room.
Tell him your level, the songs you love and where you’d like to learn.
- Guitar, piano, voice and harmonica
- Ages 7 and up; beginners welcome
- In your home, at his Miami studio, or online
- Background check on request; a progress note after each lesson
- Runs a kids’ music program at CARE Elementary School
Book a first lesson
Got it. Thank you!
Willy or someone on his team will get back to you, usually the same day. Keep an eye on your inbox (and your spam folder, just in case).
Questions
Good to know
Can adults learn piano from scratch?
Yes. Adult beginners are welcome, and adults bring something kids don’t: they know exactly which songs they want to play. Lessons start there.
Am I too old to learn piano at 50?
No. People start piano at 50, 60 and beyond, and adults bring focus and taste that kids don’t have. Your hands may need a little more warming up; your goals will be clearer. Willy teaches adults and seniors at their own pace.
Do I need a piano at home to take lessons?
It helps to have something to practice on between lessons. If you don’t have a piano, a full-size digital piano with weighted keys is a good start, and any keyboard will do for the first weeks. Ask Willy before you buy.
Do you offer piano lessons for seniors in Miami?
Yes. He teaches seniors in their homes, at his studio and online, at whatever pace suits them.
Will I learn to read music?
If you want to. Lessons focus on playing: chords, songs and playing by ear, which gets most people playing real music soonest. Willy reads music and can teach notation if you want it.
Can you teach me to play piano by ear?
Yes. Hearing a song and finding it on the keys is a skill, and it can be learned. It’s one of the most freeing things a piano player can do.
Should I learn classical or pop piano?
Whichever music you love. Classical piano is usually learned from sheet music; pop, soul, blues and jazz lean on chords and playing by ear. Willy plays soul, blues, jazz and pop, so that’s his home ground.
How long does it take to learn piano?
It depends on your goal and your practice. With a little practice most days, simple songs with both hands usually come within months, not years. Playing freely, by ear and with feeling, takes longer, and it’s the best part.
Do I need a piano teacher, or can I learn from an app?
Apps are good at notes. A piano teacher is good at you: your hand position, your timing, the habits that will hold you back later, and the music you actually want to play. Many students use both.
How much are piano lessons in Miami?
Willy quotes lessons personally rather than publishing prices. What shapes the fee: whether he comes to your home, you come to his studio or you meet online; how long each lesson is; and how often you meet. Lessons come in packages of 4, 8 or 16 hours. Ask about piano lessons.