How the "Payam Method" keeps the joy in learning piano

60 Minutes Overtime How the "Payam Method" keeps the joy in learning piano .chip { background-image: url('/fly/bundles/cbsnewscore/images/chip-bgd/chip-bgd-60-minutes-overtime.jpg'); } By Brit McCandless Farmer May 24, 2026 / 7:00 PM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google Learning to play the piano has long been associated with rigid lessons, endless scales, and strict adherence to classical repertoire. Rarely has it been considered fun. But now, Payam Khastkhodaei wants to change that.This week on 60 Minutes, correspondent Bill Whitaker reports on Khastkhodaei's new method of teaching piano, which he calls the "Payam Method." Khastkhodaei's philosophy is simple: students learn best when they are engaged, motivated, and allowed to play music they love. Learning to read music and to understand scales can come later.  Whitaker knows firsthand how discouraging traditional piano instruction can be. He recalls his own childhood lessons as rigid and unforgiving: scales first, then Beethoven, with little room for exploration or enjoyment. "I was sort of lost by year two," Whitaker admitted with a laugh. "Never caught up. I was a terrible student."Khastkhodaei's approach is different.Instead of following a single method book or fixed curriculum, the Payam Method is personalized for every student. A 4-year-old might begin with nursery rhymes. A 6- or 7-year-old could move on to songs from movies. By the time students are 10, they may be learning music from their favorite video games. For Khastkhodaei, the genre matters less than the engagement."No matter their age, no matter the kind of music they like, we're able to write it up, teaching the specific technique when you learn," Khastkhodaei explained to Whitaker.He compared his approach to teaching English literature. Assigning a student to read "The Odyssey" every night might be engaging for some, but not for everyone. Giving students the freedom to choose what they read, while still holding them accountable for learnin...