I started learning when I was about 10 years old, but hated being taught.
I never really mastered reading music fluently... far too boring and the exam pieces were dull and not what I wanted to play at all. So my creative side took over.
I can play copycat, improvise and compose my own music to a pretty high standard.
I wrote and performed
this little number when I was 14 for my music GCSE (argghh.. that's over 20 years ago!)... please excuse the bum notes. I remember being terrified at the time.
Maybe being taught as an adult would work, but for me as a kid it was almost a complete turn off, and not that useful.
I'd recommend learning the very basic theories first from an online tuturial (i.e. identifying the notes on the keyboard, basic chord formulation and key signatures), then find an easy song you'd like to be able to play and work it out yourself.
Practice it, refine it, and once you've mastered it... try domething else in a different key.
I know other very capable pianists who can read music fluently, but when asked at a party to play without the written score, to make up a tune on the spot, or to play the latest chart hits ... they simply can't do it.
They would all rather be able to do what I can do.
I have actually agreed to teach a lass at work for free to evaluate my methodology. Will probably start sometime in the new year, but the last thing I want to do is restrict any creative flair... something traditional teaching tends to do.