How annoying...what to do!

[smiggy]

Hi I'm Josh...don't post that much.
I practice about 4 to 6 hours a day, just because I love the piano to pieces. For the past 2-3 months, I have been focusing on like 4 different pieces, 2 of which I practice a huge amount. My dad is fine and quite proud. He enjoys listening and all that.
However, my mother, been the pestering woman she is, is fed up of hearing the same pieces over and over again. She 'suggests' I learn something she likes, something which is jazzy and enjoyable (hmm).

Does anyone else get this? What do I do? Drop the pieces I am learning (which I love and want to play to my full potential) or should I put it aside and expand my repertoire?

[bella_brito]

Dude, the same thing happened with me. When I was studying for a presentation, my mother told me that she simply couldn 't handle anymore to hear me playing the same pieces all the time. And that she was tired of the concerts and presentations that happened almost every day.
Solution? Studying only when she wasn't at home.
 
 My suggestion is: don't leave the pieces that you are already studying, but get something she likes to hear, something really easy, that wouldn't nonplus your study.

[javacisnotrecognized]

Practice on an electronic keyboard with headphones.

Or buy her a set of earplugs as an early mothers day present.

[smiggy]

Don't have an electric I try to do a lot of practising at college so I have less to do later at home, but always end up practising loads in the evenings
I'll take you up on the suggestion of learning something she likes, I got a good piece by Fasil Say that I'll learn till she gets bored (so demanding these mums)

[bella_brito]

Don't have an electric I try to do a lot of practising at college so I have less to do later at home, but always end up practising loads in the evenings
I'll take you up on the suggestion of learning something she likes, I got a good piece by Fasil Say that I'll learn till she gets bored (so demanding these mums)

For my mother I've started to play some Coldplay songs and some movie soundtracks (what is actually really funny!).

[smiggy]

Lmao, tunefull stuff compared to Rachmaninoff and Liszt lol

[hyrst]

It's funny, it can actually work the other way, too.  I am the mother of a teenage boy who finished high school a couple of months ago and is hoping to start uni in 4 months.  He is home virtually 24 hours a day and sleeps in until 11:00 to 13:00.  I am the pianist, and although he loves music - especially neoclassical and techno, he really does not have much sympathy for a lot of the old stuff (definitely NOT scales and studies) and I am sure he doesn't want to hear it practiced several hours a day or to be woken up by me practicing.  I find it quite difficult and frustrating.

My solution is not really a solution, but at least I get to do several hours practice a day - I am lucky enough to have an electric and an acoustic piano.  I work on the electric most of the time, with headphones.  (I know you said you don't have this option, but I do hear what you are saying).  This allows me to work on learning new pieces - the notes and some technical aspects.  Every now and then I work on the acoustic with the practice pedal on.  The problem with all this is that with very little work time being able to hear the subtleties of the differences in tone I produce, my touch deteriorates really badly.  I begin losing confidence to play the acoustic because it feels different and sounds awful.  The good things are that I still get to learn the notes and phrasing of new pieces and to exercise my fingers.  This would be possible on the practice pedal or the electric.  It does take me a week or so to get my touch back again when playing the acoustic properly. 

I find this whole situation rather hard to cope with.  I do think about finding other places where I might be able to practice - like a friend's house.  I am fortunate to have the electric option and not to have a recital soon.  What keeps me going is that I remind myself to value the presence of my son.  He is getting older and is looking to leave home for uni in a few months.  I will have lots of time to myself after he has gone, but my time around him is limited. 

Likewise, there needs to be some give and take with your mother.  She won't always be there - probably since you will leave home in a number of years.  Appreciation is a big thing - it doesn't solve the problem but it helps with the annoyance.  If she really cannot handle hearing the same things all the time, play a few things for fun that break the monotony for her.  If you have the money you could sometimes do nice things for her, too, that will give you both a break - especially if you have a recital and you have to work long on the same things.  Maybe give her a movie ticket or the money to go out for afternoon tea or buy her a, iPod and load on a some good songs she can listen to and block out some of what you are playing.  Do extra things around the house too, so she appreciates you more and is willing to put up with more.  Maybe she would buy you an early birthday present of an inexpensive electric - benefit you both.  But it takes sacrifice on both sides.

I think a lot of people are in similar situations, be it neighbours, siblings, husbands or wives, etc. 

[smiggy]

Thanks for the good reply!
I might try and go round friends houses and annoying there parents I should ask for an electric piano for a birthday or something