I deal with this a lot. And the answer is… yes and no.
When I first learned piano, I had a small keyboard with a little graphical interface on it. This was before the days of YouTube. And it would show me note for note how to play Beethoven’s Fur Elise. That’s how I learned my first songs on piano!
YouTube is the same thing, but just a little more flashy and convenient. It’s learning by rote– by seeing and copying, which is how we learn. But it does leave out a lot of important aspects.
When I have a student that really wants to learn a song (or multiple songs) from YouTube, I tend to go along with it – but I will pull out things from each song that the student can use in other music. Tools like the chords that they’re using, or what key it’s in. This way, we’re learning music theory, but in a practical and fun way!
Then, as they start to enjoy the lessons over time and trust me a little more, we get into curriculum books and incorporate a more methodical approach alongside the YouTube videos, so they’re both doing music they love and getting a strong foundation in music education.
I’m Andy, and I teach piano online in Rosenberg, TX.