The weakness on understanding leads to a difficulty in memorization AFAICTДЄll this stuff gets ironed out in piano lessons I'm sure but it seems to happen at a pretty late stage that isn't great for an adult beginner. Weakness on learning to play with others Weakness on developing a sense of rhythm and playing by ear Huge emphasis on reading music and playing it back even if you're not understanding it Piano is super super super biased towards classical music

Nothing beats a teacher but there are some problematic things with piano teachers IME. I do think you need the music theory though, such as awareness of chords and functional harmony.Д¬onsider learning some of the classic synth basslines - they tend to have tutorials on youtube - like Material Girl or Tarzan Boy. (Of course the DX7 was played very much as a piano at times)

I mean, to play the melancholy chords of 'Drive' by the Cars, you need some of the skills of a pianist, but not rhythmic ones. When polysynths got common in the mid 80s, pianistic fingering of chords (but not necessarily rhythms) was used. So pianistic skills would be wasted in this context. A lot of piano technique is getting both hands working together to play rhythm and melody - but generally synths are doing one thing at a time, and cooperating with other instruments.ДЄ lot of classic synth lines are monophonic, aka 'one-finger' lines, although to play them fluidly with one finger would be pretty hard.

Definitely learn the rudiments of piano playing, up to playing block chords (triads) with either hand.Д«eyond that, I think they diverge too much.

Programs like syntorial