Thanks for checking this report out. I trust that you will pick up some useful information.
Please feel free to leave a comment in my blog. Now - on to the news that you can use.
What, practice you say... Yes, sorry about that, but if there really is one major
secret about learning anything, especially playing an instrument, that secret is
(drum roll, please,) you will actually benefit enormously by practicing.
OK, explain it to me - why do I have to practice? Well, first off - let me say that
you don't HAVE TO practice. There are very few things in life that you HAVE TO do.
It's just that, if your objective is to learn this new skill enough to have fun and
enjoy it, practicing will get you there lots sooner. The big news here is how to
practice effectively.
Why - The repetition of anything new creates brain and muscle memory which
leads to sort of a semi-automatic response. Example - playing a scale on a piano
requires starting with a certain finger on a certain key, followed by more fingers
and keys at a constant speed and volume.
There are many variables which all require conscious thought and mental
processing time when you are first learning this skill. At some point, you will
be able to play a scale at any speed and volume using both hands in perfect
synchronization (even though the fingering is different in each hand) with
nearly no mental effort.
As you practice, you are training your brain. When you play a piece
correctly and
feel good about your effort (positive emotions,) your brain files that away in
your
subconscious mind as the desired result.
Your subconscious mind then helps you repeat the process. All this is
automatic
without our conscious effort.
So that's the Why, what about the How?
How #1 - Get your attitude adjusted before you start to practice (you do
this
yourself.) Be relaxed and excited enough to look forward to your practice
sessions. If you are forcing yourself to (for example) sit at the piano keyboard
for 1 hour - you are only kidding yourself.
I know, because I've done it more
than a few times. You won't play the pieces you should - you will stall,
daydream, goof off, etc, etc.
It's really important that you want to learn to play. Better results come
with wanting to practice. (If you don't want to practice, then don't bother
because you will be mostly wasting your time and energy.)
How #2 - Effective practice (my definition) is repetition leading to
mastery of a challenging assignment. So, yes, you should have an assignment (an objective) that
you're working on to really call it practice.
If you're working through a course on your own, set your own goal - like xx number of new pages
or whatever fits best. Playing for fun and relaxation is wonderful, but unfortunately, not really
practice.
How #3 - It's really important to pay attention to the basics. Proper seating
and good lighting are very important. Having some control over interruptions and distractions helps
a lot. For example, I have my digital piano in a room
with a window, lots of good lighting, doors to shut, and headphones - so I can play loud and
long without affecting the rest of the household.
How #4 - Sometimes (maybe) it's perfectly OK to not practice every single
day - the world probably won't notice. It's much more important to feel a desire, an enjoyment, of
practice than to feel pressured.
Sometimes you will be surprised at your improvement since the last time
you played. This improvement is coming right out of your subconscious mind.
Now and then, if you are paying for private lessons, you will have a lesson
where it's painfully obvious to you and the instructor that you haven't practiced
(at all.) Just take your lumps and resolve to find more time in your busy schedule to relax
enough to want to practice. When you do, it's great. When you don't - well…
Regarding daily practice... Yes, you will progress further much faster if you do practice
daily.
How #5 - Leaving it to chance to find time for a 30+ minute session every
day just doesn't
happen for most of us. Try scheduling in small blocks of time, either just before, or right after
something else. For example - 15 minutes before departing for school or work each day.
Then 15+ minutes right after school before homework. Then 15+ minutes right after dinner,
or some special TV show. You get the idea - if you don't schedule practice
time - you will probably not practice.
Additional tips and techniques to improve your skill and increase your joy (because you're
playing
so much better,) will be coming. I trust you gotsomething you can use here. If the spirit moves
you, drop me an email, or put a comment in my blog at http://www.the-piano-depot.com/blog
Learning to play the piano (or keyboard) is fun. Playing in a group is even more
fun. You're invited to share your experiences on my blog. Relax and have some fun.
If you're looking for a piano course, (or some cool gift ideas) check out my reviews
and actual customer's testimonials at Best of
the Best Piano Courses Reviewed
Good luck and have fun.