How much do you practice a day?

[rachmaninoff_forever]

During the school year, I do two to four hours depending on my homework load.

But no matter what, I will always get at least two hours in.

But on weekends, I don't practice at all.  The auditorium is closed and I can't find a place where I can use their pianos.

So what about you kids?

[lloyd_cdb]

30 min a day, an hour if I'm lucky.  Luckily I have more time in front of a computer to argue with you guys than I do depressing myself over my talents (lack thereof).

[jesc]

for a good number of months: zero

During the times when I was regularly posting here I was practicing at least an hour or two a day. Right now I have a lot more work than I usually handle. It's fun, but I had to sacrifice piano in order to do all of it.

Now, I'm trying to post here whenever I can so that I don't completely forget piano 

[zillybug]

On days that I work, I usually practice 1  1/2 to 2 hours. On the days I don't work, I usually get in 3 to 3 1/2  hours. It averages out to about 15 to 16 hours a week.
Zillybug

[tchristec]

When I have school I usually try for around 2-3 hours.  When I am on break or when I have fewer classes it is usually 4-5.  Or when I get burned out and lose my focus, whichever comes first

[searchingfordistance]

I practice About 2 hours a day,14 hours a week but I have time to practice 88 hours a week(12 hours a day). But I don't seem to be using the time to actually practice because school comes in the way and I get distracted and I train alot and play Discgolf on my free time away from school. 

[asuhayda]

I try to practice 2 hours a day.. but it's tough nowadays with work and teaching.

[patrickd]

During the school year, about 2 hours a day depending on midterms. When I am on vacation, up to 4 hours.

[perprocrastinate]

Usually 1-2 hours on weekdays excluding Fridays, 2-3 hours on weekends including Fridays.

But average per week, I'd say a little more than 10 hours. I've been trying to cut back on practice time and focus more on efficiency.

[ranniks]

An hour a day, weekends a little bit more. Lately more though.

[rachmaninoff_forever]

It's kinda cool how once you're in the zone, you can practice forever and you're like not conscious about it.

Kinda like sleeping, except you're awake.

[shaggyy]

It depends. When I have school I think I play one to two hours a day and when I'm off I think mostly three hours to four hours a day. But that's just playing, and mostly I play parts I already know well or well enough to play slow through. With hard parts I practise very little (also cause I suck at sight reading, and it takes me forever to figure out a hard part), but when I know the part better, I practise it more and how better I can play it, how more I play it.

[ladychopin]

every school day - at least 4 hours
weekends - about 6  some times more and some times less

[clavile]

Normally I practice 1-3 hours a day.

When I practice I forget the time!

[iansinclair]

Widely variable -- as much as I can, and it's never ever enough...

[chadbrochill17]

I try to get about 2 hours in a day. It's a good break from my 19 credit hours of mostly physics and astronomy. Luckily our music department has practice rooms with Steinways so its awesomeeeeee.

[firepanda]

30 minutes or so.  If I'm eager I do several sessions a day: it helps relax me.  On the other hand, I spend a long time just learning the pieces, sometimes up to a year.  I find it all balances out.

[hfmadopter]

30 min a day, an hour if I'm lucky.  Luckily I have more time in front of a computer to argue with you guys than I do depressing myself over my talents (lack thereof).

It sounds like piano is not your passion then. If you got away from the computer and put another 30 mins or an hour in at the piano you might find your talent increases ! But ultimately by the sounds of it, you would rather be at the computer.

[cvp1796]

On weekdays, I practice about 1-2 hours because I have school...

And on weekends, I practice 2-4 hours, usually.

[chopin2015]

every school day - at least 4 hours
weekends - about 6  some times more and some times less

+1
Now it's homework time and it really just sucks I have nothin' in me for that! plus I'm vegetarian and there is nothing to eat in this house! I'm hungry and tired and need more Beethoven!

P.S some people probably do not even need to practice this much, I know I do though.

[lloyd_cdb]

It sounds like piano is not your passion then. If you got away from the computer and put another 30 mins or an hour in at the piano you might find your talent increases ! But ultimately by the sounds of it, you would rather be at the computer.

Did I say I spend my time sitting at my piano but typing on my laptop? Nope.

I am involved in this crazy concept called "work".  While I don't necessarily always have things to do while at work (which is why I'm typing this post), I still have to actually BE here in front of my computer.  If they let me have a piano next to my desk, I'm sure it would be drastically higher.  The fact that I'm spending my free time at work reading and posting here as opposed to searching out the newest and coolest internet memes probably should be an indication of my interest.

I'm not quite sure why you took the time to call me out on being disinterested...

[davidjosepha]

I'm not quite sure why you took the time to call me out on being disinterested...

Musicians generally don't know what it's like to have a job

I kid, I kid.

Over the summer, I practiced maybe 3-5/day. At school now, I'm working at an hour a day 4-5 days a week. That's about all I can manage at the moment, but I still really enjoy it.

[evitaevita]

When I have school, it depends on my homework, so:
weekdays: 30 min-2 hours/day + some practice at school (I go to music high school)
weekends: 3-6 hours/day.

On holidays, maybe 3-4 hours/day (apart from weekends, when I study less).

I can't imagine my life without music!

[ladychopin]

+1
Now it's homework time and it really just sucks I have nothin' in me for that! plus I'm vegetarian and there is nothing to eat in this house! I'm hungry and tired and need more Beethoven!

P.S some people probably do not even need to practice this much, I know I do though.

What do you mean by : "some people probably do not even need to practice this much" you can always practice more,the more that I practice I finish learning the text sooner, beside that, It's FUN 

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Wow that's surprising. 

Apprently St. Olaf wants to use our Steinway for the week and they're getting it tuned.  So I can't practice today.   

I was gonna do a recording session, but it got canceled.   

So now I'm home EXTRA early! 

Wel at least I have time for my homework. 

[perprocrastinate]

Wow, you guys (or gals; don't want to gender discriminate) practice a lot.

Are you all going into music conservatories or something?

[outin]

Wow, you guys (or gals; don't want to gender discriminate) practice a lot.

Are you all going into music conservatories or something?

I don't, I just don't watch much TV anymore

[danhuyle]

Monday to Friday - 1 hour
Weekends - 2 hours or more

[tchristec]

I only have 2 classes this semester so I have lots of free time.  But there is never enough time for all the music out there

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Wow, you guys (or gals; don't want to gender discriminate) practice a lot.

Are you all going into music conservatories or something?

That's what I'm hoping to do.

[unholeee]

sometimes 0
sometimes an hour. i try to get between 2-4 hours. across 2 sessions.
sometimes 12 hours (esp. if i dont have internet)

just depends on mood and work schedule (aka 84 hours this week)
I read it was better to do some amount per day than none - and I have a $20 keyboard at work - but can't bring myself to use it as the speakers are distorted / broken and it sounds absolutely woeful. I suppose I could do aural training or sigh... something or other reading ... oh well back to tv with my head on the desk.. how hard my job is.

[brogers70]

Now that I'm retired, 3 hours a day. It's a great luxury to have the time to spend on it.

I do have a question. How do you all feel about regularly taking a day off. Sometimes I think that the post practice improvement works best if you do take a day off every week or two, but it would take me many months to try to do a controlled study on myself. Do any of you have a feeling that you make better progress if you take a day off at regular intervals?

Bill

[jayeckz]

My practice time varies so much day to day.

I have practiced up to 18 hours.  I've also done as little as 5-10 minutes in a day.  Sometimes I may not practice for a week.

In the past month, I've probably averaged 2 hours a day.

I do have a question. How do you all feel about regularly taking a day off.

I think it really depends on what you're learning, how you feel, and what you're trying to accomplish.

When I learn/practice awkward pieces a short break does wonders, but I definitely improve the more I practice.

Do any of you have a feeling that you make better progress if you take a day off at regular intervals?

I don't think so.  Taking a day off regularly is slowing progress in the long run.  I think of it this way:

Person A: practices 3/2/1 hours a day everyday
Person B: practice 3/2/1 hours a day 6 times a week

Person A gets an additional 156/104/52 hours of practice in every year.

The only time I would suggest taking a break, is if you're physically tired or not mentally focused.

[j_menz]

I'm somewhat disappointed that this thread has focussed entirely on the quantity of practice, and not covered the quality of that practice.

If all you are practicing is your mistakes, making them bigger, better and more ingrained, then frankly you'd be better off not doing any practice at all.

[clavile]

I don't, I just don't watch much TV anymore

HAH!!!

I'm somewhat disappointed that this thread has focussed entirely on the quantity of practice, and not covered the quality of that practice.

If all you are practicing is your mistakes, making them bigger, better and more ingrained, then frankly you'd be better off not doing any practice at all.

Amen!

[ajspiano]

I'm somewhat disappointed that this thread has focussed entirely on the quantity of practice, and not covered the quality of that practice.

If all you are practicing is your mistakes, making them bigger, better and more ingrained, then frankly you'd be better off not doing any practice at all.

I practice 30 minutes a day, but my efficiency multiplier is 57. So that's equivalent to 28.5 hours per day.

[rachmaninoff_forever]

I'm somewhat disappointed that this thread has focussed entirely on the quantity of practice, and not covered the quality of that practice.

If all you are practicing is your mistakes, making them bigger, better and more ingrained, then frankly you'd be better off not doing any practice at all.

Well I don't actually do that.  So...

But it sucks because when people are walking by, they're like, 'dude why do you play the same stuff over and over again?  You freaking suck loser...'

[chopin2015]

I'm somewhat disappointed that this thread has focussed entirely on the quantity of practice, and not covered the quality of that practice.

If all you are practicing is your mistakes, making them bigger, better and more ingrained, then frankly you'd be better off not doing any practice at all.

yes thankfully my teacher tells me what I do wrong and I get to correct my mistakes every week except the stuff I work on on the down low, which I am just so scared because it's the same etude she worked on and she already made fun of me as the person who learns etudes for fun but I still need her amazing priceless help! ... I need to make some videos for you guys but photobooth is so awful it makes what I play sound even worse because no dynamics(laptop mic not the best)

[j_menz]

But it sucks because when people are walking by, they're like, 'dude why do you play the same stuff over and over again?  You freaking suck loser...'

Are these the same people who will practice the same skateboarding move, or basketball shot, or lap of the pool or whatever time and time again...?

[brogers70]

I don't think so.  Taking a day off regularly is slowing progress in the long run.  I think of it this way:

Person A: practices 3/2/1 hours a day everyday
Person B: practice 3/2/1 hours a day 6 times a week

Person A gets an additional 156/104/52 hours of practice in every year.

The only time I would suggest taking a break, is if you're physically tired or not mentally focused.

No doubt 7 times X is greater than 6 times X. The question is whether taking a regular break makes the hours you practice more effective. I pretty much never feel unmotivated; I always enjoy practicing. But sometimes when a trip or something else keeps me from practicing for a day or two, I feel like I've continued to improve, and that the subsequent practice has been more productive. I guess I'll just have to do a long-term experiment, a couple of months doing 6 days/week, a couple doing 7 days/week, and see which works better.

[zezhyrule]

Less than I should... Only about an hour.

[clavile]

Are these the same people who will practice the same skateboarding move, or basketball shot, or lap of the pool or whatever time and time again...?

And then will the skateboarding move, basketball shot or lap in the pool benefit them when they're 70 like your piano will?

[zezhyrule]

I'm somewhat disappointed that this thread has focussed entirely on the quantity of practice, and not covered the quality of that practice.

If all you are practicing is your mistakes, making them bigger, better and more ingrained, then frankly you'd be better off not doing any practice at all.

Ooh yeah. I try to set goals for accomplishing something within the piece rather than just playing through it over and over until my time is up like some people do. Like I used to do...

[j_menz]

And then will the skateboarding move, basketball shot or lap in the pool benefit them when they're 70 like your piano will?

I rather think you have missed my point.  

[clavile]

I rather think you have missed my point. 

I think you may have missed mine too?

I completely understand your point. T'was merely a continuation of the thought....

 

[jayeckz]

The question is whether taking a regular break makes the hours you practice more effective.

Wasn't the original question: "Do any of you have a feeling that you make better progress if you take a day off at regular intervals?"

I accidentally deleted a few important sentences in my previous post (I tend to ramble so I end up removing at least half of my original comments).

I originally wrote something along the lines of: Person B would need to be about 15% more efficient to progress as well as Person A

My answer to your new question: without a doubt, yes.  Standing up, stretching, and walking around for a minute or so every 30-40 minutes makes my practice much more efficient.  I don't know why, but I tend to have better focus if I take these mini breaks.

If you're talking about taking a break once a week, I doubt the break will make the time you spend practicing more effective.  For me, effective practice is all about staying focused.  Perhaps that one day will do wonders for you; however, when I come back from a day or so break from practicing, the passages I've worked on are pretty much exactly how I've left them.  Sometimes I may have a revelation away from the piano, but it's rare.

I pretty much never feel unmotivated; I always enjoy practicing.

You are blessed.  I always hate practicing mainly because I go through multiple love-hate cycles with the pieces I learn.  When I start practicing I usually hate my playing and ultimately the piece. Eventually I achieve the sound/ideas I want and come to like the piece once again.  Finally I go to my lesson to sometimes have my ideas absolutely destroyed by my teacher convincing me to hate my playing once again.  

But sometimes when a trip or something else keeps me from practicing for a day or two, I feel like I've continued to improve, and that the subsequent practice has been more productive.

I find this hard to believe.

[ajspiano]

I find this hard to believe.

I tried to find a link to something appropriately concise and reputable to back this up but failed. My understanding is however that the brain forms synapses when exposed to a simulus (like practicing) and that at first they are weak and tailored toward short term memory. If however there is daily exposure the synapses are strengthened and form long-term connections.

I'm also led to understand that long-term connections don't form instantly during the practice session. Rather that they form over night and even over a series of days or weeks. As in the brain continues the growth post practice. If you practice something daily for an extended period it is possible for the brain to continue to form connections in relation to the stimulus for several days after you cease practice - which leads to the experience the brogers is talking about.



Each dot represents a repetition..  short term memories formed within each session are the lower lines..  the more consistent upper line is the long term memories that are formed post practice.

also read this..
https://pianofundamentals.com/book/en/1.II.15

[j_menz]

I would add that in the time you are away from the piano, you may actually be thinking about the piece; refining your musical conception of it away from your physical limitations and the sound you are actually producing. When you return to the piano, you may actually have a better idea of what you are trying to do.

[robert_henry]

We are often better the next day because of a process called consolidation. It's why breaks and sleep are so important.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_and_Memory

Spacing your practice throughout the day in 20-30 minute sessions is the best way to do it. Practicing, going away from the piano, and then coming back, repeated several times a day, is the most powerful form of learning one can do.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spaced_repetition

I do five minutes here and there. Sometimes an hour. Sometimes 20 minutes. Sort of random. The brain loves that.

If you're doing 3 hour marathon sessions, you're wasting a lot of time and energy.

Robert Henry

[ajspiano]

Robert Henry

!!!

How pleasing it is to see you here after such a lengthy absence.