Should i quit piano?

[gradedpiano]

Hi everyone. I have played piano for around 2-3 years now. For the first 2 and a half years i only read the treble cleff and played on a little keyboard. I managed to get to  grade 3 just by reading treble cleff. I take LCM grade exams and they have seperate books where one only uses the treble cleff with written chords above while the other uses bass cleff as well. Last year i began learning to read both cleffs. I am having real trouble sight reading, even easy stuff with the bass cleff involved. Im getting really frustrated as it takes me ages to be able to play a piece and i seem to be getting no where with any piece i learn. Im currently practising music of the night. I can sometimes play the passage i have been practising perfectly but other times I make mistakes. This happens all the time and i never feel as if im ready to move on. My teacher got me a grade 2 book. The same thing happens. I can sometimes play a piece but othr times i make mistakes. I cannot play scales well and have to look at the keys and i still make mistakes playing them slowly. It doesnt seem to matter what difficulty i play at, i still make mistakes and im getting nowhere. I wasted an entire weekend of practise and im still in the same place as i was on saturday morning. I think i should just give it up as its wasting my time and i obviously dont have the talent to progress any further.

[keyboardclass]

Maye you should quit a forum!

[gradedpiano]

why?

[scottmcc]

these kind of obstacles are exceptionally common.  the way to break through them is to move away from the place where you are sticking--instead of trying to break through the wall, go around it.

you're stuck with poor reading ability?  memorize a piece so that you don't have to worry about the sheets being in front of you.  done.

you're having trouble with scales?  learn all the arpeggios and you'll be surprised that the scales have caught up.

you have to look at the keys while playing scales?  who cares?  at this point, does it really matter?  just for fun, try closing your eyes when you play, or playing with the lights turned out.  another good way to improve your scales is to play with your hands crossed (LH starts on middle C, RH starts an octave lower), or to play with your hands a 10th or a 6th apart instead of an octave apart (LH starts on E, RH starts on C).  give your brain a little workout!

the pieces you're learning aren't working?  find some new ones--preferably pieces that absolutely haunt your brain, that you can't stop playing.  

I'd say you should find a piece that is a challenge for you, one that you absolutely love, and focus on learning it (and almost nothing else) for about a month.  spend the first two weeks getting it completely memorized, and the last two polishing up the details.  when you come back to your old routine, you'll be impressed at how much better everything else got in the interim.

[sfkrystal]

You mean, you still make mistakes on pieces you've already learned to play too!? And I thought I was the only one.. 

How often do you practice, and how do you feel about practicing?

Although the key to learning the piano is consistent practice, the key to being able to practice consistently is falling in love with it. Like scottmcc says above, find "pieces that absolutely haunt your brain, that you can't stop playing." Get yourself to the point where you can't wait to sit at the piano to practice every day.

[becky8898]

Hi: do you enjoy playing piano? I dont mean getting better, I mean do you enjoy playing? If you do then you shouldnt quit. Why would you stop doing something you enjoy? Do you want to get better? How fast do you want to get Better? Are you being realistic in what you think you can do?

Your weekend wasnt wasted, not if you spent it involved in music.  Why not take the things your not good at and jump into dealing with them head first.  Like spend some time reading bass cleff only .  work on it. Give your skills a chance to catch up.  How about sitting at the piano. Close your eyes explore with your other senses. Hearing, touch, etc. 

I guess my point is everyone can progress, its only a question of being patient and smart. 

Just keep plugging but plug along smartly . I have been very lucky , all these little tidbits of info I have gotten from a wonderful teacher. Maybe that is what you need.  A good teacher over even a short period of time can make a huge huge huge difference.

Cheers, Becky

[arabesquedcr]

Your teacher should have started you in both clefs right from the first beginning lesson.  What you need to do now is spend some time every day reviewing a good beginner book to learn to read both clefs simultaneously.  With consistent persistence, your bass clef reading will catch up with your treble clef ability.

[raintree]

This is a great thread. Just by way of encouragement. I was feeling so especially stuck in my playing that I completely stopped and focused ALL my music time on ear training for about two weeks. And very much to my surprise a lot of things clicked when I returned to my rep. NEVER QUIT, if you enjoy it.

[kurtdaniel1]

Get some help finding a teacher who will teach you the right way to practice! Once you're on the right path, be patient with yourself.