How do you know if your practice session is going/went well?

[Bob]

I've got some notes jotted down. I'll add them later.  Ich bin mude...


Some others...
If it's lit, that you accomplished some goal.  Covered a certain section, worked on a certain trouble spot, etc.

Or goals for anything really.  Could be just going through something.


That feel of physically or mentally being pushed.  (not necessarily a good thing though I think)

[slobone]

If I didn't get up from the piano in frustration before the time I set for myself.

[porcupine]

If I'm having a "serious" practice session, rather than a play through for fun (not that serious practice isn't fun, but you know what I mean), I always like to have a fairly precise goal in mind. Sometimes it's purely technical (of the "by the end of this session I will have worked out a logical fingering plan for bars x to y" variety), and other times it's more interpretation, in that I will work on a whole movement - sometimes recording it to get a better idea of how a third party would perceive it - with a view to getting the artistic expression how I want it. And if I achieve the goal, I always reward myself with something sinful like chocolate!

[ted]

I don't do any practice, but the answer in regard to improvisation lies in whether it sounds any good when listening to it later on. Unfortunately, "any good" is mysterious and variable at the best of times, and is completely unrelated to fleeting judgements during execution or, more importantly, immediately afterwards. So I never have the remotest idea really, at least not for a long time after the actual playing. I suppose in general, beauty and surprise should both be present, and a particularly good session will indicate a new direction in some aspect.

[bronnestam]

I avoid setting goals for a practice sessions. I just note what progress I have made during the session. Some things will always go bad, or be in status quo, but there is always little progress as well. This morning I worked with the 1st movement of the Pathétique Sonata and the beginning of the "molto allegro" section sounded worse than usual, but on the other hand I noticed that I don't make these truly annoying mistakes in the Grave intro anymore. So, progress. I also work with Bach's Invention no. 8, where staccato in one hand is to be matched against legato in the other hand. First I could not do it, yesterday I could, even if I had to play very slowly.
So, progress.  And I take that feeling with me when I then leave the piano.

If I started to have goals again (or even worse: compare myself with others) I would quickly find a reason to get impatient and disencouraged, and I know this must be avoided at any cost. When the piano becomes a place for frustration and impatience, it will soon also become a place to avoid.

[g_s_223]

If LH & RH feel they have independent agency: unfortunately all-too-rare.