How do you have the will power to simply stick to pieces?!

[cjcarrington97]

Basically, I have had this problem with learning new pieces on the piano for a VERY long time now. I simply don't have the will power and was wondering if there were any tricks or techniques that I could use to help me solve this problem.
There are many pieces I want to learn and have memorised, like the Beethoven Sonatas, Various Chopin repertoire and a few Mozart Sonatas, and of course anything else that attracts my ears. Any help will be great!

[mcdiddy1]

I had this problem also. I did not realize it was a problem until I had lessons with my piano teacher at the university. In my experience it is better to learn a limited number of advanced pieces exclusively. Western music only uses a specific number of scales and rhythms and learning them very well will benefit you in the long run. When you master a Beethoven Sonata, then you become faster and faster at learning his other works. It may take you 3 months to learn the first and the second one may take 6 weeks and the next 3 weeks. Having a variety of practice methods and becoming more skilled at break down pieces and understanding them will only help you in the long run.

I don't think the problem is will power but motivation. When you are motivated, you can climb huge mountains you would not have taught possible. So find a piece that you fall in love with, and learn it from a variety of different angles. With the meteronome, clapping, playing in rhythms, fast, slow, listening , analyzing, technique, and most importantly with a good teacher. WIth consistancty in your practice, you will able to build a very large repertoire and will motivate you to learn more difficult and challenging pieces.

[cjcarrington97]

I had this problem also. I did not realize it was a problem until I had lessons with my piano teacher at the university. In my experience it is better to learn a limited number of advanced pieces exclusively. Western music only uses a specific number of scales and rhythms and learning them very well will benefit you in the long run. When you master a Beethoven Sonata, then you become faster and faster at learning his other works. It may take you 3 months to learn the first and the second one may take 6 weeks and the next 3 weeks. Having a variety of practice methods and becoming more skilled at break down pieces and understanding them will only help you in the long run.

I don't think the problem is will power but motivation. When you are motivated, you can climb huge mountains you would not have taught possible. So find a piece that you fall in love with, and learn it from a variety of different angles. With the meteronome, clapping, playing in rhythms, fast, slow, listening , analyzing, technique, and most importantly with a good teacher. WIth consistancty in your practice, you will able to build a very large repertoire and will motivate you to learn more difficult and challenging pieces.

Thank you for the reply, I really appreciate it! 
It really makes me feel so much better to hear great advice. I shall take on the methods of learning the Beethoven sonatas, cause that is something I really want to do right now, it's just, having the MOTIVATION! 
Could I ask though, what would be a good start, so basically which Beethoven sonata should I start with?
I'm pretty much capable of the Op.49 No.2, I have also learn parts of other sonatas like the Tempest and Moonlight. With thanks

[the_duck]

As far as sticking with pieces... The main thing that deters people from sticking at something is a lack of progress. If you can't see any light at the end of the tunnel then it seems fair enough to bail out and try something else. The problem with this is that it doesn't address the reasons why you were unable to make substantial enough progress. If you develop good (efficient and effective) practice habits then progress becomes automatic (not necessarily always incredibly fast, but always moving in the right direction), therefore if you are constantly moving towards your goal then there is no reason not to stick at a piece. This is especially true since the slowest progress is usually at the beginning, and after the initial labour things often come together very quickly and easily.

As far as Beethoven sonatas go... I would resist the urge to dip into bits and pieces of different sonatas, since you won't have a clear goal in mind and it will be very tempting to keep chopping and changing. Instead, pick a sonata that you really love and think is manageable (op.49 no.1 or 2 would be good starters I think) and COMMIT to learning it. Not giving yourself a get-out clause is a great way to stay motivated!

Edd

[mcdiddy1]

Thank you for the reply, I really appreciate it! 
It really makes me feel so much better to hear great advice. I shall take on the methods of learning the Beethoven sonatas, cause that is something I really want to do right now, it's just, having the MOTIVATION! 
Could I ask though, what would be a good start, so basically which Beethoven sonata should I start with?
I'm pretty much capable of the Op.49 No.2, I have also learn parts of other sonatas like the Tempest and Moonlight. With thanks

Im glad you found it helpful. I think the key is you pick one sonata and learn it. Just avoid the late,r bigger, technically challenging sonatas like the Apassionata and such and finish the Tempest, Moonlight, and shorter earlier Sonata. I think you should try and find a way to set a date to perform the piece in some context that may help give you the motivation to learn it thoughly and  memorized.

[cjcarrington97]

As far as sticking with pieces... The main thing that deters people from sticking at something is a lack of progress. If you can't see any light at the end of the tunnel then it seems fair enough to bail out and try something else. The problem with this is that it doesn't address the reasons why you were unable to make substantial enough progress. If you develop good (efficient and effective) practice habits then progress becomes automatic (not necessarily always incredibly fast, but always moving in the right direction), therefore if you are constantly moving towards your goal then there is no reason not to stick at a piece. This is especially true since the slowest progress is usually at the beginning, and after the initial labour things often come together very quickly and easily.

As far as Beethoven sonatas go... I would resist the urge to dip into bits and pieces of different sonatas, since you won't have a clear goal in mind and it will be very tempting to keep chopping and changing. Instead, pick a sonata that you really love and think is manageable (op.49 no.1 or 2 would be good starters I think) and COMMIT to learning it. Not giving yourself a get-out clause is a great way to stay motivated!

Edd

Thank Edd! I find this really helpful as well and I also understand what you mean in the first paragraph. Maybe then I should probably try and finish the Presto Agitato    as all I need to do is learn the rather annoying 'chordy' parts. But I do also like the Andante of the Op.49 no.1, and would be a good start as I already know how to play Op.49 No.2. As well as the Tempest...ahhhh see this is also a problem, I like too many of the Beethoven sonatas and never manage to stick to one cause I end of drifting toward another.

Im glad you found it helpful. I think the key is you pick one sonata and learn it. Just avoid the late,r bigger, technically challenging sonatas like the Apassionata and such and finish the Tempest, Moonlight, and shorter earlier Sonata. I think you should try and find a way to set a date to perform the piece in some context that may help give you the motivation to learn it thoughly and  memorized.

This is actually a real good idea with setting a date, and I also understand fully what you mean about not learning the harder sonatas, I think this will give me a bit of elimination of choice when choosing the sonata to learn.
What would really help me though, and I would be ever so grateful if you could, but could you from, say 7th Aug 2011, set dates for me to learn
-Tempest (I know most of the 1st mov, and just before things go slightly 'alien' in the 3rd so about 2 mins)
-Moonlight (I know the 1st mov. already, and most of the 3rd)
-Op.49, No.1, nothing... >.<

I really appreciate this advice as well so please get back to me!  :
Cj

[lostinidlewonder]

I teach students that are like you and are impatient and want to constantly move on. You have to ensure that the pieces that you learn can be learned at an efficient rate, that you do not have to puzzle over it for weeks or months even. This requires that you perhaps give up playing the pieces that you really like to play and learn easier pieces until your learning craft is sharp enough to work on more difficult pieces with an efficiency that does not make you feel like you are dragging yourself through the music. You should choose pieces which you can play from start to finish in one day, perhaps not with mastery but at least the majority of the notes and fingerings, don't torture yourself with brute force inefficient memorizing.

Perhaps you can continue to learn more difficult works but make it your focus to learn many smaller easier pieces, this should also suit your learning style. It is not a good habit to half learn pieces and move onto something else, you should be able to polish up pieces from beginner to mastery, that process is full of experience.

[cjcarrington97]

I teach students that are like you and are impatient and want to constantly move on. You have to ensure that the pieces that you learn can be learned at an efficient rate, that you do not have to puzzle over it for weeks or months even. This requires that you perhaps give up playing the pieces that you really like to play and learn easier pieces until your learning craft is sharp enough to work on more difficult pieces with an efficiency that does not make you feel like you are dragging yourself through the music. You should choose pieces which you can play from start to finish in one day, perhaps not with mastery but at least the majority of the notes and fingerings, don't torture yourself with brute force inefficient memorizing.

Perhaps you can continue to learn more difficult works but make it your focus to learn many smaller easier pieces, this should also suit your learning style. It is not a good habit to half learn pieces and move onto something else, you should be able to polish up pieces from beginner to mastery, that process is full of experience.

Hmmm I see your point also as well, and I totally understand what you mean, but could you give me a few examples of 'smaller, easier pieces' so I can at least have a look at them!
And thank you as well for adding to this post, you don't know how much this is helping me!

[lostinidlewonder]

I would choose pieces which you can sight read at a decent level of accuracy. If you have poor sight reading skills then you need to work out what level you can sight read effectively and work from there improving your reading skills (our sight reading skill is usually much weaker than our technical skill, one musical goal is to draw them closer together). Reading is a commanding force to your learning efficiency and you need to improve that if you are interested in learning your more advanced works with an efficiency that you can stick to.

You cannot go wrong with Bach, his most simplest pieces can even be a challenge to sight read but they are full of useful fingering combinations and musical expression ideas. But do not restrict yourself to this, google searching "easy free piano sheet music" will give you a whole lot of other styles that you can get working on. You have to take away the fact that these pieces might not be very impressive, you want to better your learning craft which has nothing to do with impressing people or trying to prove to yourself how far you can stretch your technical capabilities (no matter how tempting it may be!).

Learn lots of pieces where the one hand plays common chords or arpeggio patterns vs a melody.

[cjcarrington97]

I would choose pieces which you can sight read at a decent level of accuracy. If you have poor sight reading skills then you need to work out what level you can sight read effectively and work from there improving your reading skills (our sight reading skill is usually much weaker than our technical skill, one musical goal is to draw them closer together). Reading is a commanding force to your learning efficiency and you need to improve that if you are interested in learning your more advanced works with an efficiency that you can stick to.

You cannot go wrong with Bach, his most simplest pieces can even be a challenge to sight read but they are full of useful fingering combinations and musical expression ideas. But do not restrict yourself to this, google searching "easy free piano sheet music" will give you a whole lot of other styles that you can get working on. You have to take away the fact that these pieces might not be very impressive, you want to better your learning craft which has nothing to do with impressing people or trying to prove to yourself how far you can stretch your technical capabilities (no matter how tempting it may be!).

Learn lots of pieces where the one hand plays common chords or arpeggio patterns vs a melody.

Thank you! And proud to say, I actually have done the finding easy piano sheet music approach, and I find that it does improve my sight reading quite a bit. So you say I can't go wrong with Bach? Hmmm, I do find Bach quite good to play. So maybe I could learn a few of his Grade 1-4 pieces, sight reading of course!  Thanks again for the post I really appreciate this!