No, and a teacher shortens the path considerably — mostly by correcting posture and habits that are hard to see from inside. Self-teaching works, and it works faster with occasional lessons than with none.
What lessons buy
Correction, sequencing and accountability. A teacher removes the wrong habit in one session; a video cannot notice it.
What free resources do well
Repertoire, theory, and endless demonstration. There has never been more of it and it has never been better.
A practical compromise
Learn from free material, and take a lesson every few weeks to have your hands looked at. That is far cheaper than weekly lessons and catches most problems.
The questions players ask
What can a teacher fix that videos cannot?
Anything about your hands they can see and you cannot: wrist angle, thumb position, tension, and how you are sitting.
Are the bundled app subscriptions useful?
For structure and momentum, yes. For technique, they cannot see you, which is exactly where a teacher earns the money.
Last reviewed 2026-08-19