Practice
Practice Expectations
The key to learning an instrument is consistent, deliberate practice. At your lesson, I will provide guidance on what and how to practice.
For younger children, practice may be as simple as repeating a small part of a piece four times, once or twice a day. As they progress in skill and age, practice will naturally become more involved.
Older children and adults will have daily practice of technique, sight reading, and song pieces. At each lesson, I help each student create a manageable daily practice plan for the week tailored to the student's needs, goals, and length of typical practice time.
Advice Regarding Practice
After the first couple of weeks (when piano is no longer a novelty), children may dislike practice time. This is normal. This will also get easier when practice time becomes a natural part of your child's routine. Try these simple tips for helping your child stay on track:
- Set a designated time for practice. Protect that time. Remember: 20-30 minutes each day is far more productive than 2 hours every few days. It may help to associate it with a daily activity (for example, my children do "diligent practice" AFTER DINNER every day). Figure out what time works best for you and your family, and make it a habit, built into your daily routine. (Please note: length of recommended practice time varies by age and student.)
- Focus less on the amount of time spent practicing and more on what should be practiced. Try setting a goal such as, "Play these two lines, four times, at a slow tempo, and then you can be done," instead of "practice for ten minutes." This helps children keep their eyes off the clock and allows them to be drawn into the process and purpose of deliberate practice. It also gives them an achievable end point that is within their control.
It may take up to six months for practice time to feel like a natural part of your child's routine and for them to "click" with their instrument. Don't let them give up too early - the hard work becomes so worth it!
Did You Know?
Sight reading is the ability to play something you've never seen before. Did you know that sight reading is actually a separate skill that requires daily practice apart from current pieces? My goal is to make sight reading simple and natural from the start - just like reading this text - which is why I incorporate the practice of sight reading into each lesson.
Practice is something we know we must do to learn piano. But did you know that productive practice is a learned skill? Deliberate practice is a must - from techniques for building finger strength, speed, and dexterity, to how much focus/time we give per assignment. At your lessons each week, I will show you how to organize your practice time in order to gain the most progress between lessons.