Tired of practice

[pianolion]

I'm often feel bored when I'm practicing.

[dee101]

Ditto to that!

I try to keep my practise to half hour slots, sometimes less, sometimes more, with breaks of varying length in between . As well as just picking a section of each piece per day to work on and pulling out books of other non grade pieces and sight reading them and or, picking a "fun" piece (non-grade) and working on that. As in I will learn this song this week and learn something new this week. But that's just me. keeps it interesting and pushes me to expand my repertoire. 

[pianolion]

Part of why I'm getting tired is because I'm not accomplishing. It is getting better but too slow, and I'm not sure of it is aging or what

[ajspiano]

Part of why I'm getting tired is because I'm not accomplishing. It is getting better but too slow, and I'm not sure of it is aging or what

This should get you started..

If you  want the excruciating details, have a look on these threads:

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2526.msg21829.html#msg21829
(how to organise piano practise in short/medium/long term – Principle of memory retention – Principle of 15 minute sessions – stopping when you achieve your goals. Teachers should teach how to learn)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,3039.msg26525.html#msg26525
(how big are your hands, and does it matter?  7 x 20 minutes – exercise/activities to strengthen the playing apparatus – ways to deal with wide chords – the myth that Richter was self-taught – 3 stages of learning – Example: Chopin militaire Polonaise - scientific principles for testing practice methods – Example: Prelude in F#m from WTC1 – when to join hands and why HS – practice is improvement – the principle of “easy” – Example: Chopin’s ballade no. 4 – repeated groups)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,4105.msg37603.html#msg37603
(Does age and practice time matter? –  Summaries of the 7 x 20 approach – averages and standard deviations are given for the several numbers – need for a practice diary – how to deal with mastering something and forgetting it next day – what exactly is mastery – the 3 stages of mastery)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,3561.msg31700.html#msg31700
(7 X 20 principle, how do you know when you mastered a section, when to use the methods, and when they are not necessary – investigating the reasons for difficult)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,4689.msg44184.html#msg44184
(20 minutes – practice starts when you get it right – definition of mastery : learned – mastered – omniscience – Aim for easy – final speed in practice must be faster than performance speed – Example: Chopin Op. 10 no. 2 – outline – repeated note groups – HS x HT)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,4710.msg44538.html#msg44538
(7 x 20 minutes – Progress is the ultimate decider – How to break a piece in practice sessions – Example: Satie gymnopedie – importance of planning – aim at 100 pieces per year – Example: Bach Cm WTC 2 -)


https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,4858.msg46087.html#msg46087
(Paul’s report on B’s method. Feedback from Bernhard including: HS x HT – Example: Lecuona’s malaguena – 7x20 – need to adjust and adapt – repeated note-groups – importance of HS – hand memory – 7 items only in consciousness – playing in automatic pilot - )

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,5177.msg49229.html#msg49229
(more on 7x20 – what it means to master a passage)

 

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

In the URL's replace "forum.net" with "street.com" if they do not work properly.

[dee101]

By not accomplishing do you mean that it's getting better yet slowly but it seems to you that it'll never be performance ready?

[pianolion]

If I knew I have a performance tomorrow I can learn my difficulties in 3 hours and it is will be ready. But since my performance is in 3 weeks from now I feel lazy

[ajspiano]

If I knew I have a performance tomorrow I can learn my difficulties in 3 hours and it is will be ready. But since my performance is in 3 weeks from now I feel lazy

1. grow some discipline.

2. set a target to learn more pieces in the same time frame.

[dee101]

I know where you're coming from. Though I can be the opposite if I hit a mental block. Nothing will go right, I procrastinate, I over think and get stressed. Recently, I was preparing for a recital medal exam as a break from numbered grades. I had hoped to sit in at Easter but was so busy and stressed, nothing would go right. The minute I said I would postpone it to later in the year, things started to click and work out but than the lazy aspect comes in. I know I have months, I take forever to actually get everything together.

So I think what I'm saying is to maybe try and trick yourself. You said performance is in three weeks, organise a mini performance in a week for a friend or family member. Hope that helps.

[pianolion]

It is so weird, when I have plenty of time- no desire to do anything.  Why stress is so helpfull?

[ajspiano]

It is so weird, when I have plenty of time- no desire to do anything.  Why stress is so helpfull?

Do you like the pieces you are studying?

[pianolion]

yes, I do like pieces I'm playing, but it just been over 30 years playing piano. I'm facing same ideas, technique, memorization. Even listening other musician suggestions about music I hardly can find something new. It become a routine. It is like been at the factory making the same detail over and over.

[rachmaninoff_forever]

This is what I do: 

Whenever I feel bored, I play a passage that I really like a couple times, and then I go back to practicing.  If that doesn't work, then I go like, 'man, I'm such a loser!  I only practiced for like an how yet Valentina Lisitsa can practice 15!  I gotta do work man!'.  If that doesn't work, then I pretend like I'm Horowitz or something and I'm practicing for a performance.  and if THAT doesn't work, then I don't know what to day. 

[johnmar78]

mate, if you think you have enough practice and fed up already. This is what I do.
Split your program into 3 groups or more. Like A,B,C. If A gets bored, do B or C and take turns. You need both physical(hand muscles) and mental break. So I called it - the emtional energy.
Try do 15 hours like Pro...is not that easy. Remember these people build their hours up just like you do laps in endurance running from a long period of time. This required mental discipline and "parenting" supports. These days, I found lots young people or this generation are lacking in dicipline. Sigh.

Cheers

[akthe47]

I'm often feel bored when I'm practicing.

Aside from what has already been said:

1)  Look for inspiration in amazing performances.  Take advantage of the fact that you can find a slew of performances, both by some of the best and even by amateurs who take piano to the next level.  This is similar to the Lisitsa comment above (15 hrs is insane!).   You're old enough to know that back in the cassette tape/record days, it was NOT easy to get a hold of a recording-- now it's just a click away.

2)  Look for inspiration in new music.  They don't have to be difficult, but if they are technically challenging, all the more better. 

BTW, I truly believe the 25 min work followed by 5 min break (aka Pomodoro technique) is critical in practice of ANY discipline--- whether that's 20 min or 30 min or whatever you choose, the mental break is one of the biggest factors in my practice productivity, as of late.

Don't forget that everyone goes through the same struggles.  So yes, apply as many 'tricks' as you can, but also know that developing a tough skin to work very hard will yield huge returns-- the tricks are just icing on the cake.

[danielekstrom]

I sometimes get anxiety when I practice, but I never have ever gotten bored. I don't know how that's possible. It's such an intense experience. It can be difficult to start though, but once you start, it's really difficult to stop. Maybe you should reassess what your studying. Maybe your material is a bit dry for you at the moment. Maybe find something that you'll enjoy more. Also, maybe try just doing some improv in between.

[keyboardkat]

Try practicing they way Jorge Bolet and Walter Gieseking did, away from the piano.
Mental practice is invaluable because it frees you from purely instrumental considerations.
Bolet said that he never solved a musical or technical problem at the piano, only away from it.

Walter Gieseking's book, written with this teacher Karl Leimer, describes this method.  The student is guided through learning Bach's Two Part Invention No. 1 in C by using mental practice alone.  It requires intense concentration and is exhausting at first, but the challenge may revitalize you, and your memorization will be helped immensely.