How to convince my parents to let me quit piano?

How do I convince my parents to let me quit piano?

• My parents don't want to let me quit piano, but I hate it with a PASSION! Okay, okay, I know. Piano might be good for me, but I hate the songs that I'm playing. Can someone please, if you can't think of ways I can quit piano altogether, can you please think of a reason I can convince my parents to let me switch to a different piano studio that lets me play whatever songs I like? Thanks!

• Answer:

  If you will just consider a couple of issues, I may be able to help you out. 1) If you haven't been taking lessons for a good three years or so, then it is probably too early to quit. 2) If you quit taking lessons, you must still be interested in learning new things and "choosing" (not just remembering) to practice? 3) You may just need a break. When I quit taking lessons, I did not touch a piano for 6 months. Then I went right back to it and worked considerably harder than when I took lessons. I have not stopped again since, except for when I was recovering from some injuries. I quit for exactly the same reason you want to stop or switch. Switching studios, however, is probably not an option because most music teachers will want you to learn specific things that are used in specific songs. No decent teacher is going to let you just play what you want. When I quit taking lessons, I started watching and learning from other piano players, and studying on my own. Now, with YouTube, it is very easy to do this, and it will cost your family a lot less than the lessons. There are also some pretty good websites that offer online lessons and assistance. However, if you aren't ready for the responsibilities that go with this, then it's a bad idea to quit the lessons. The question really becomes do they want you to keep taking lessons (for whatever their reasons might be), or do they want you to learn how to play and appreciate music? These are not the same. If you can convince me that it's a good idea to quit, then I would be more than happy to help you convince your parents. As a music instructor I can assure you that when a student wants to quit, it not only is no longer fun for the student, but it is also no fun for the teacher. It then becomes a waste of your money and a waste of that teacher's time. You may email me directly through my profile if you think I can help. Just thinking about some of these things may be enough for you to convince them that you are making an educated decision. Good luck! Kabum (pianist for 45 years & music instructor)