Keeping Joy in Learning: The Payam Method for Piano
In the world of music education, the joy of learning can sometimes be overshadowed by rigid methods and traditional practices. However, the Payam Method revolutionizes piano instruction by prioritizing student enjoyment. Featured in our latest video, “How the Payam Method Keeps the Joy in Learning Piano,” we explore how this innovative approach transforms the learning experience.
From improvising classical masterpieces to playing contemporary songs that resonate with their interests, Payam Music centers around what students love. This method not only fosters a deeper connection to music but also encourages creativity and self-expression. By engaging students with music they are passionate about, the Payam Method ensures that each lesson is not just educational, but also a source of joy and fulfillment.
Join us in discovering the elements that make the Payam Method a unique and effective approach to piano learning. Whether you’re an aspiring pianist or a parent seeking the best for your child, this video will provide insights into how enjoyment can enhance musical education.
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Video “How the “Payam Method” keeps the joy in learning piano” was uploaded on 05/25/2026 to Youtube Channel 60 Minutes



































Music teacher and performing artist here. This reeks of a scam. What Payam postulates is not new. He is just repackaging what other teachers and method books already do, and is selling it in a big way. Mark Cuban is one of his investors?!?
For a thousand years withing my soul this is exactly what I have been thinking and is how I've taugh when I was teaching. The art of the piano is to teach students children and adults the absolute joy of playing the piano. I fully agree about the why composers think because I'm a self-taught composer and pianist. Between age 14 and 17 I did have formal piano lessons, but fortunately, my teacher recognized my gift to improvise both original music, but could improvise on classical music she was teaching me from other composers. So I agree 100% with his method. The very first thing I teach my students adults and children is a piece from Michael Arron Adult Piano Course entitled "Contrary Motion." However, I don't show them the music because a first day, first time student my in all likelyhood be intimidated by seeing the notes on the staff for both left and right hand played together. So I write the fingering on a blank sheep of paper. For righthand it is 531, 234, 531, 234, 535, 424, 313, 2 / lefthand: 531, 234, 531, 234, 535, 424, 313, 2, The second section is the same except the last beat. 531, 234, 531, 234, 535, 424, 313, 3 / lefthand: 531, 234, 531, 234, 535, 424, 313, 1,. This same piece using the piece of paper with the fingerings on it becomes their daily exercise and warm up for the remainder of their time with me until I intruduce Hannon. The best part is when they've gone through all the pieces leading up to the piece in the book they already know it and come to realize the importence of finger numbers in music. I've not taugh since covid more so because by the time things were back to normal after covid my mother's healt began to decline. It has only been 3 years since her passing and I'm still not ready to return if ever. My feelings are if it is not fun why do it. So there is nothing really new here in this Payam method. He has discovered what those of us who are three times his age learned either naturally or were taught by our gifted teachers. My memory of lessons with Dr. Felix Cathern Murry Hayes is how she was always laughing and smiling during my lessons with her because she was facinated with my approach to the piano as a teen. To me the black and white keys were like Lego blocks and I was always trying to make something new with them. Mind you, before I forget to mention. Technical exercises such as scales, arpeggios, Hannon and the like is something I believe with all my heart based on my own experience is best left as a suggestion to students and not a command. As a teen Dr. Hayes did not push them on me. At the time I did not know that being a "Concert Pianist" was a thing. It was later in life at age 25 and after that I learned of the world of Classical Music, Concert Pianist and Chopin and other great composers like him. It was Schubert's G Flat Impromptu that altered the course of my life at age 26 after hearing a recording of Horowitz playing it. At age 35 I purchased a 6'9" Simi-Concert Grand Piano and then forced myself to spend the next year and a half working on only learning and practicing the 24 major and minor scales, arpeggios and Hannon exercises to develop a skill level of a professional. Just as water seeks it's own level, every pianist must seek their own level of accomplishment. Each person comes to the piano with their own goals in mind. As a teacher it is the duty of the teacher to know what those goals are for the student then teach them all you know with will give them the skills needed to teach themself. In the end no teacher can create a pianist. It is the individual who must do the work to become what they will become as a musician. If the student is the child of a person who wanted to take piano lessons when they were a child but did not, who is now trying to live out their piano dreams in their children tends to end in greate disappointment. Only the person who has a passion of their own to learn to play an instrument will rise to the level of a highly skilled professional. There are thousands of people who studied piano early in life who walked away from it as an adult and chose a different path.
Nothing new here, except the venture capital.
This is the Piano MacDonalds…so ridiculous. Real piano teachers dont see their students as commercial ventures like this guy…backed by Mark Cuban and other advocates of “scaled up” capitalism. This guy makes false blanket statements that 60-minutes just repeats as if it is fact, They make $100 per hour yet if you go to your local Indeed, you will see them advertising for teachers at $22 hour. The “teachers” are not required to have any piano teaching experience and in fact are not required to play the piano. I have lost my respect for 60 minutes on this bad reporting. Also, I am losing my respect for sell-out Hans Zimmer…that’s sad. Does he really need the money that badly? Artists corrupted by greed. If you want to excel at something, there are no shortcuts. Pianists get excellent by putting in long hours of hard work and loving what they do more than money
60 Minutes Promoting Piano Scams?? Payam Music Exposed
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0M5psGnclX0
Blatant advertorial! So long, 60 minutes. It was a nice minute there before you went bogus!
“Amway” is now spelled “Payam” 😂
Seasoned 60 Minutes investigative reporters look skin deep into an obvious multi-level marketing scam and bless it In Bari’s Name. 😂
This “revolutionary” method ranks right up there with Theranos! You’ve got your fake origin story, your unproven fake secret sauce, your famous clueless backers, your venture capital kickoff, your nationwide overnight rollout, and a long slide straight to prison! Payam can bunk with Elizabeth Holmes!
Imagine applying this technique to airline pilot training! Student pilot solo in two days, then the next week they are flight instructors, and get automatic jobs at the thousands of flight schools that open up across the country, which self populate with students and instructors. Airline ticket prices will drop as a result, and most flights will be a rich, enjoyable experience, with loads of fun right up to the scene of the accident!
“60 minutes”, time to change your name to “60 seconds”, because that’s how much thought you put into this obvious scam rocket booster.
This is such a puff piece for a future business from a promoter who has no background in music. Lots of piano teachers and piano methods already do these things. Payan is just ignorant of what already exists.
Careful. Don't be duped by this 60 minutes piece. There is plenty that is missing here and misleading. He has not discovered a novel and revolutionary technique. Look at some of the YT response videos from professional piano teachers.
Looks like CBS is soft launching their newly propagandized 60 minutes. Full of false claims and not a single one investigated with so much as a question. This is clearly an ad placement.
I dont agree.
Music is a discipline.
Doing stuff you don’t always love then finding joy later through difficulty has more value on the long run than doing things you only love all the time.
It’s giving grifter. Terrible technique, outdated compositions, and flat out wrong information. Do better 60 minutes.
I call this BS😂
Private equity strikes again.
Who pulled the strings to get this infomercial on 60 Minutes?
This is a promotional scam, with lies about "traditional" piano teaching all over the place. I've been teaching piano for 20 years, and always taught like this. I thought 60 minutes was a serious channel. You should be ashamed of yourselves!
Beautiful
This is just a paid commercial for Payam Music. And the grift continues…
60 Minutes has become garbage since the MAGA takeover.
Wow…….. 🤡🤡🤡
RIP 60 minutes.
I realized my hand independence improved dramatically once I stopped trying to fix both hands at once and actually spent weeks drilling the left hand alone until it was on autopilot.
More on this in Hands Free by D.K. Marden — a practical guide to independent hand technique on piano and organ.
This whole video is an ad in which claims are made that are unverified. Is this a scam? If what you hear here sounds too good to be true, likely it is. Beware of this video's claims. How can Whitaker sit there and not ask for any of the claims made for verification?
This Payam method is absolutely a crock. There is nothing revolutionary here. The only thing that's revolutionary is that we would listen to a hack tell us that hundreds of years of music teaching and methodology has been wrong and the HE, ALONE, has all the new answers to unlock musical secrets. He is not a very good pianist, by the way — anyone who has studied piano knows that. He's a fraud, and his business practices are essentially a Ponzi scheme.
How much is he charging for this? That’s the scam. I’ve taught piano for 40 years. He’s just a scammer charging $$$$$$
Another scam, pushed out by 60 mins.
Sad day for America. No more journalism. Bye 60 minutes
Meghan the piano teacher disagrees…..just came from her video critiquing this
Can someone please tell me the peace he’s playing at three minutes 17 seconds? Thank you
Commercialization of the media? I guess it’s been happening for a long time but dang this sure is a bad look.
60 minutes is doing infomercials now… it's really sad.
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we have to make sure mr payam has a white marker for the black keys, dont want the kids to miss out on them
and we should remember what maestro andras schiff said, in piano there is no shortcuts
mxncb
ps, when did 60 min got bought by private capital ?
Paid ad
its nonsense, but you'd better PAY AM!
Why is this video not deleted yet. It's a complete joke
Scam Scam Scam- where is your conscience?
Scam! from decades long piano educator. There are no shortcuts…