What You Need in Your Piano Room

1) A piano! (or if not practical, an electronic keyboard – preferably full-size and touch-sensitive with pedal attachment). See Tips for Buying a Piano.

2) Piano stool (preferably adjustable and if not provide a cushion. Ideally your stool should be a two-seater stool with opening lid to store music). You can purchase a piano stool at Musicroom.com. Piano stools are sometimes referred to as piano benches and you can also find them at Amazon UK/Amazon US or eBay.co.uk/eBay.com.

3) A chair (for yourself – placed alongside the piano – generally to the pupil’s right). Make sure it’s a comfortable one – you may be sitting still for a long time!

4) Detachable piano music stands of various sizes (unless your piano has an adjustable stand built on) and a music book clip (sometimes listed as a sheet music holder) to hold pages back. There are music stands (and in some cases book clips too) at Amazon UK/Amazon US.

5) A CD player – this is particularly handy around exam time when your piano student can try playing his piece along with the CD. There are plenty of CD players of various prices to choose from at Amazon UK/Amazon US and eBay.co.uk/eBay.com.

6) Piano books including: beginner’s course books, examination books of all grades, scales books, sight-reading, aural books, a variety of other music of all genres (including duets) and theory books/past papers. I generally buy the majority of my piano books and sheet music from Musicroom.com or Amazon UK but they are also available from Amazon US and eBay.co.uk/eBay.com.

7) New notebooks (for when your pupil’s current one is full).

8) A list of piano pupils’ telephone numbers (in case they don’t turn up for a lesson).

9) A pencil, pen and rubber.

10) Your diary (which should include important family appointments so, for example, you don’t book a piano lesson at the same time as your child’s dentist appointment).

11) Music reference books (e.g. to look up meanings of obscure musical terms or facts about composers and music styles or periods).

12) Tissues/wet wipes (in case of nosebleeds, sticky fingers or an emotional pupil)

13) A metronome. This is not essential but it can certainly come in handy. My own is the traditional style, similar to the Wittner Metronome with bell at Amazon UK and Musicroom.com – although you may prefer one of the digital ones which are also available these online stores or at Amazon US, eBay.co.uk/eBay.com.

14) Reading glasses if required!

15) A glass of water (piano-teaching can be thirsty work as you sometimes have to give lengthy explanations.

16) Coins as change (if charging an amount which might require it).

17) A book of blank receipts (if you have pupils who request confirmation of payment).

18) Magazines (in a comfortable waiting area – ideally outside the piano room).

(See also Does Your Home Have What it Takes?).