Music Students

Many students start piano lessons and love them, but hate the practicing. Even students who have been studying for quite some time can become dissatisfied with the results they are getting from their practicing. Here are some tips to assist you in making your practicing more fun, more successful and more productive.

1. Set small, achievable goals.
Eventually you will be able to play the entire piece on which you are working. You can learn the piece and feel frustrated along the way, or you can learn the piece and feel successful as you achieve each small goal toward your bigger goal. Either way, you've learned the piece and feeling successful is much more fun!

2. Practice for shorter periods of time.
Unless, you are working on endurance, shorter practice periods (15-20 minutes) allow you to stay focused and feel alert. Six, thirty minute sessions are better than one, hour and a half session. Don't be afraid to take a 5 or 10 minute break throughout your practicing.

3. Practice for results, not time.
Like number 1, set a goal and practice until you reach that goal before going onto another goal. Don't just practice until 20 minutes are up. You'll be too busy watching the clock and not concentrating on accomplishing your goal.

4. Know when to ask for help.
If you have honestly worked on a goal and have tried all the tricks you know to accomplish it yet are still unsatisfied with your results, ask someone who has already played the piece you are working on. It could be your teacher or a friend or your mom or dad.

5. If you feel frustrated, take a break.
Often, we hear the phrase, ¡°No pain, no gain. I prefer to say, ¡°Know pain, no gain!Your body sends a pain signal when you are physically hurt to stop you from what you are doing. The pain of frustration is your minds way of telling you to take a break Pay attention to the sign of frustration; if you don't, the mind will usually increase the level of frustration until you do!