Practicing + The Real World [Bob asks]

[Bob]

Does anyone have any ideas for going about practicing while living in the real world?

By this I mean, ways of using those little bits of time during the day, as opposed to blocking out a few hours and sitting down at the piano.

For example, you can make a practice tape and practice in the car while driving.  So, while you're driving to work, you can learn more of the melody or harmony in a piece.  Do you have any other ideas like this?

[Hmoll]

I tend to practice a lot of different sections of a piece for about 5-10 minutes each. Once I have the right feel and what I think is the correct motion, and can repeat that about 3 times, I stop practicing that section until the next day. As a result, I can grab 10 minuted here and there - let the dog out, worj on a section for 10 minutes, then let the dog in; put on the coffee work on another section, then the coffee's ready, etc.

[Glissando]

I buy CD recordings of most of the piano books I buy- that way I'll have recordings of pretty much everything I'm working on. Then I use iTunes to burn the several (4-6) pieces I'm working on onto a single CD that I can take around with me where ever I go.
And I like to tote a theory book around to study when I don't have anything else to do.

[cysoto]

Bernhard has some great tips throughout this forum.  You may want to do a search and check out what he has to say about this topic, it has truly helped me manage my time.

[cysoto]

Oh and, one more thing... It may be a good idea to move this thread to the "STUDENT'S" board.  I think you will get more answers there (and faster too).

[Daniel_piano]

Does anyone have any ideas for going about practicing while living in the real world?

By this I mean, ways of using those little bits of time during the day, as opposed to blocking out a few hours and sitting down at the piano.

For example, you can make a practice tape and practice in the car while driving.  So, while you're driving to work, you can learn more of the melody or harmony in a piece.  Do you have any other ideas like this?

Tap the rhythm and solfege the piece while you're not at the piano
In this way you solve all rhythm problems before ever touching the piano saving a lot of ineffective times at the piano and taking advantage of those little bits of time

Daniel

[Bob]

By "real world," I mean when things in life (like your job) affect your practicing, so you can't sit down for a solid block of uninterrupted time.

[lostinidlewonder]

Definatly if you have little time free when you listen to your music have the sheets infront of you and follow it. Make markings and add comments of your own. This at least gets the visual absorbtion of the piece out the way to a degree. If you are confident what sections sound like you should be able to point to any random bar and in your head hear what that part sounds like and how it has to be done. This can be done without a keyboard which is good. I did it for hours on plane flights to kill boredom lol, and to make my mind away from the fact that the plane is going to crash in any second. lol

[Sketchee]

Something interesting that I find myself doing is thinking about the music away from the piano.  Memorize the music carefully. If you have little time and/or can't get to the piano, memorize just from the sheet music.  Take a phrase or measure or small section and think about it. "What fingers will I need? What chord is this? Where is the melody?  What does this rhythm sound like? What does this part look like on the piano keyboard? Ascending or descending?"  When you have it memorized, you can think of all these things anywhere.  You have an idle mind at lunch, while your taking a walk, excercising ... Any free moments in your daily routine can be transformed into practice!

Sometimes when I'm alone in the car, I'm at a stop light or something and I start humming or singing the melody of a piece I'm working on.  (Yes I'm a little weird! ) When the car is idling at the light and the engine seems a bit more quiet I need more sound than just the radio I guess.  Not only the melody, but sometimes I'll do the accompaniment or bass and if there's call and response I'll try to do them all.  Then I have the other parts going in my head

My aunt told me as a child that smart people bored because there's always something to think about.

[Shagdac]

Interesting post Bob. I actually changed my job of 10 years because of a new job which presented itself that would allow me MORE practice time. Yes, the $$$ was better, however the big selling point was more time for piano, which had taken priority in my life.

When away from the piano, seems I'm always listening to CD's of the pieces that I am working on. When I am at work, I constantly have my CD's in, and music in front of me. I even have a little "roll out keyboard" I keep locked in my desk, that I pull out and practice fingering, etc on. I have found that even when I'm away from my piano, I can accomplish quite abit, whether it be memorizing, fingering, or really trying to figure out how a certain passage should be played. I also enjoy reading about the composers of the pieces I am currently involved in learning. Often this gives me more insight as to what they were experiencing as they composed a certain piece. While this is not directly practicing, the knowledge I gain often affects the way I intepret a piece. Also, when away from the piano, I often mentally make up my schedule of what I am planning to accomplish that next day, week, etc when I do actually have time with the piano. I have found by making a "plan" of what I hope to gain, acheive and learn within certain time periods, I rarely find myself wasting time when at the piano. I know what I'm going to practice, for how long, and exactly what my goals are for that particular practice session. Having this in mind prior to practice time has made my practice sessions far more productive.

S

[Bob]

I guess a related question is...

How do you practice away from the piano?  or in the car?  or at your desk?  or while sitting in a dull meeting?

[Shagdac]

In the car - by listening to the piece on a CD..or several different recordings of the piece to hear different interpretations.

At my desk- Again, listening to the CD, going over the fingering by actually doing the movements on my desk with the music in front of me. Or taking out my roll up keyboard and laying it on my desk and playing it very slowly..(it has sound, etc).

Sitting in a dull meeting - can't do  too much without drawing attention to the fact that my mind is not on the meeting, but I can mentally practice in my head, hearing the piece, practice my memory.

I think one can pretend any flat surface is their keyboard and somewhat "practice" playing. As long as I have the score in front of me, and a flat surface I can practice anything, at least to the point of having it help me when I actually am at the piano.

S