Taking a Day Off

[devbanana]

I've heard some concert pianists take one day a week off, while others say that they feel like they will fall behind if they do.

I've been taking every Sunday off, but on other days I practice anywhere from 3-5 hours a day.

Do you think it is useful or counterproductive to take a day off?

[faulty_damper]

Learning does not follow the calendar and resting is dependent on the amount of learning that occurs.  The more you learn, the more rest you'll need.  However, it's not necessary to arbitrarily take a day off just because it's Sunday.  Learning requires repetition and consistent practice is results in best outcomes.

[devbanana]

Learning does not follow the calendar and resting is dependent on the amount of learning that occurs.  The more you learn, the more rest you'll need.  However, it's not necessary to arbitrarily take a day off just because it's Sunday.  Learning requires repetition and consistent practice is results in best outcomes.

So what exactly did you mean by the first few sentences of your post? You seem to say the exact opposite later on so I am confused.

Do you think taking a day off is harmful, because it is not consistent?

[faulty_damper]

I mean to say that if you don't practice extensively, you don't need to rest extensively.  Rest directly affects memory in a positive way... unless you refrain too long in which case you forget.  Ideally, you'd listen to your body and mind about when to rest, and not follow an arbitrary schedule which may not coincide with your learning.

Example of extended rest period where significant forgetting occurs: 2-day weekends.  School's should have a day off on Thursday and Sunday instead of two consecutive days off.  Also, since students typically don't learn very much during the school week anyway, any day off is detrimental to learning since they have more time to forget.

"Do you think taking a day off is harmful, because it is not consistent?"
If by "harmful" you mean forgetting, then yes.  However, if you've completely exhausted your body that you just can't do it, then it's actually beneficial to rest.

[gregh]

In my inexpert opinion, there is NOTHING that requires you to practice EVERY SINGLE DAY. Your muscles won't atrophy in a day. You won't forget a skill in a day. It might not even slow your progress, depending on whether you're overworked, burning out, or just going through the motions without focus.

If you think you need a day off then take a day off, and don't feel guilty about it.

[1piano4joe]

Hi devbanana,

I've heard some concert pianists take one day a week off, while others say that they feel like they will fall behind if they do.

Just curious but are you a concert pianist or aspiring to be one?

Do you think it is useful or counterproductive to take a day off?

Both! Confused? I'll bet. I will explain what I mean but first...

I've been taking every Sunday off, but on other days I practice anywhere from 3-5 hours a day.

If Sunday is a family day, work day or whatever that prohibits/prevents practice then so be it. Useful or counterproductive doesn't really enter into it then, does it?

I am taking a day off myself, right now, sort of anyway. I'm here at this site, so is it really a day off?

Yesterday, I did focused practicing for around 3 hours. I am physically and mentally drained. Lately, I have been PRACTICING every other day, anywhere from 3-5 hours a day. I NEED the rest.

Listen to what faulty_damper posted.

Ideally, you'd listen to your body and mind about when to rest, and not follow an arbitrary schedule which may not coincide with your learning.

That is what I'm doing. I have no schedule of practicing every other day but that's what my body is telling me to do. So, who am I to argue with my body? I am quite amazed at just how USEFUL this is. Not only is this NOT counterproductive, in any way that I'm aware of, but I am very surprised at just how much progress I am making doing this. So, if I can take this many days off and STILL make GREAT strides, what would a logical conclusion, about ONE day off, anytime at all, be?

Your mileage may vary! That is what I meant by both. Something can be USEFUL to me and many other pianists and COUNTERPRODUCTIVE to you and many other pianists. I think this is something that you will ultimately have to figure out for yourself and will depend on your ever changing current situation.

Useful and counterproductive will also DEPEND not only on the individual person but on their own personal goals AT THE TIME.

It's almost a certainty, that in one week's time, when MY practice has shifted focus, that taking every other day off will become COUNTERPRODUCTIVE! So, as Bernhard has so often said, "It depends"!

I hope I have been helpful, Joe.

[devbanana]

Hi devbanana,

Just curious but are you a concert pianist or aspiring to be one?


Both! Confused? I'll bet. I will explain what I mean but first...


If Sunday is a family day, work day or whatever that prohibits/prevents practice then so be it. Useful or counterproductive doesn't really enter into it then, does it?

I am taking a day off myself, right now, sort of anyway. I'm here at this site, so is it really a day off?

Yesterday, I did focused practicing for around 3 hours. I am physically and mentally drained. Lately, I have been PRACTICING every other day, anywhere from 3-5 hours a day. I NEED the rest.

Listen to what faulty_damper posted.

That is what I'm doing. I have no schedule of practicing every other day but that's what my body is telling me to do. So, who am I to argue with my body? I am quite amazed at just how USEFUL this is. Not only is this NOT counterproductive, in any way that I'm aware of, but I am very surprised at just how much progress I am making doing this. So, if I can take this many days off and STILL make GREAT strides, what would a logical conclusion, about ONE day off, anytime at all, be?

Your mileage may vary! That is what I meant by both. Something can be USEFUL to me and many other pianists and COUNTERPRODUCTIVE to you and many other pianists. I think this is something that you will ultimately have to figure out for yourself and will depend on your ever changing current situation.

Useful and counterproductive will also DEPEND not only on the individual person but on their own personal goals AT THE TIME.

It's almost a certainty, that in one week's time, when MY practice has shifted focus, that taking every other day off will become COUNTERPRODUCTIVE! So, as Bernhard has so often said, "It depends"!

I hope I have been helpful, Joe.

Thank you for your input. Yes I am an aspiring concert pianist. I've been playing for 20 years and practice 3-5 hours per day.

I don't have any reason I need to take off, only that Sundays are the day my family goes to church and we try not to do any unnecessary work. Of course piano for me is enjoyable, but practice is definitely very hard work if done right.

I've also experienced some benefits at times to leaving a piece for a couple days once I've drilled it for a week or so. One such piece where I was having trouble, I came back to it a few days later and suddenly I was able to play it much faster. My thought was that my brain was still making the necessary connections during my days I didn't play that piece.

[czernyragtimepianoplayer]

Hi!  I take every Sunday 'off', too!  I think it's very good to have one day off each week to allow your fingers, wrists, arms, shoulders, your entire mind & body some time to rest and thus allow it to recover and GROW!  I chose Sunday, as my religion, LDS/Mormon, teaches me that Sunday is and should be a 'day of rest' for everyone, its one of our 'church laws'   That one day off gives your mind a day to reflect on "if" your practicing/study/playing your piano truly the way YOU want too, and you have the day to study/read your piano books, deside "if" your really on the right course using this book or that, and how about this technique or that Etude, or this book or that may be a good chance to also do online 'chat' about piano learning with friends, such as I'm doing now, or at least you'll have a little extra time for 'other things' in general, say another passion in your life, a new friend, your spouse/lover, or "whatever"....  In any event I know from all of my many Sports Atheletic Body Building experiences that ALL of ones body parts require some rest regularly, yes, you must work them very hard, but once a weel rest & 'healing' I think is a very wise idea, even though piano work is much different than say body building, or swimmimg, or football/wrestling, it still a very good idea to let the fingers have time to 'recover', and thus become stronger through the 'process' of tearing down tissues THEN giving them some time to BUILD BACK UP!  Actually, 2 days of rest/week might be a very good idea for some people, especially a older person, or a married person, or someone who just needs more time away from the piano to live life in all areas.  Well, it's certainly something one should think about depending on ones ability at the piano and many other things, but I take every Sunday off, yes indeed!

[1piano4joe]

Hi devbanana,

Sorry, but I didn't know you were an aspiring concert pianist who has been studying piano 20 years when I wrote my first reply. I may not have replied at all and it certainly would have been quite different if I did.

So, I will take my chances and ATTEMPT to write a more appropriate response to your questions. I say ATTEMPT because I will be making most of it up as I go along. I ask you to KEEP THAT IN MIND when reading my post. In addition, your reading a response from an intermediate pianist with less that half your experience and it's quite possible that I will be wrong and/or not have any idea what I am even talking about.

I've heard some concert pianists take one day a week off, while others say that they feel like they will fall behind if they do.

I'm wondering what that could possibly mean, cause again, I have absolutely no idea. What does it mean when a concert pianist says that they are FALLING BEHIND? Are they Not building repertoire at an appropriate rate? Are they not maintaining repertoire? Are they not maintaining skills? Is it all of these and many, many more? How do I answer a question when I'm not really certain of all it's facets and/or implications?

My first thought is that, "A pianist should NEVER compare themselves with others". This is great advice, in general, of course, BUT maybe, just MAYBE, this is EXACTLY what an aspiring CONCERT pianist should be doing and/or thinking? I really don't know.

Let me ask you what does it mean to be a concert pianist? What SPECIFICALLY are you supposed to be able to know and do? Everything there is? That can't possibly be right. A more accurate childish answer from me would simply be, "A LOT"!

Can a concert pianist sight read anything, instantly? Maybe some can and some can't. I don't know.

Does he/she know all the Beethoven sonatas? All the Chopin etudes? Tons and tons of Bach? Have the ability to play insanely difficult pieces or learn them in a day? I don't know any of these things.

I will have to ASSUME that whatever the case may be, that TIME is perhaps the biggest commitment involved or at least a big part of it. I have read quite a few books on TIME MANAGEMENT and I think that everyone in all walks of life could benefit, IMMENSELY, if they did!

I've heard some concert pianists take one day a week off, while others say that they feel like they will fall behind if they do.

This suggests to me that SOME actually DO fall behind (whatever that means) and SOME DON'T!
Okay, Why could this possibly be true?

Well, if it's NOT necessarily the time (quantity) involved then maybe it's the QUALITY of time spent. This is a fact of life for pianists of all levels but must be, extremely true (I am making this up, remember?), for a concert pianist. What do you think so far?

This next bit just might be the most important part of this post. I think a planner is a necessity with every little detail not only accounted for but also what is the relative importance of that detail and how often does it need to be addressed and how will I make time for it. A highly efficient, well organized, goal oriented, well thought out individualized custom planner that works only for you is probably key to NOT falling behind. Without one, maybe a concert pianist practicing 7 days a week could fall behind while another practicing only 5 days a week leaves him in the dust!  

I will make up even more stuff now. Some of this might be off the wall but I am only trying to help you help yourself and get you thinking about your planner.

Is is necessary to play scales at all or can I streamline this process? I like that word. STREAMLINE everything sounds right to me.

Eliminate scales, check. Eliminate warm-up or adapt it so that it is more productive. That sounds right to me. Some people just do scales and arpeggios in one key only and that is their warm up. Two birds one stone. I like it. Maybe entirely not appropriate? I don't know.

I am now, going to  pretend that I am a concert pianist. Maintaining repertoire? What all of it? Are you kidding me? This can only become a larger and larger task I assume. STREAMLINE! How? I don't know. Maybe let some things go. I have lists and I'm only an intermediate. I'm not sure I would even want to read a repertoire list of a concert pianist considering how long it must be. I guess I would have a pretty good idea of how long I can leave something and what condition it would be in after various lengths of time and know approximately how much time is needed to bring it back.

Priorities. What are these? I don't know but it must vary from time to time and pianist to pianist. If there is an upcoming performance then maybe that is first and foremost the priority and neither building repertoire, nor maintaining one is.

Lessons. Taking them and giving them. Does a concert pianist even take lessons? I don't know but do doctors have doctors?

Does giving lessons cause one to fall behind. Maybe, Maybe not. I don't know. If it's a beginner or an intermediate student then maybe so. An advanced student could mean time saving opportunities for maintaining and/or analyzing repertoire and maybe on occasion the student teaches the teacher something!

Falling behind. Doesn't this happen to everyone anyway, all the time? I mean doesn't focusing on one thing mean neglecting something else in a way? I just mean that with a balance when one side goes up, the other side goes down, that's really all I mean.

Well this post is long and I am tired so...

I hope I have been helpful, Joe.

[devbanana]

1piano4joe,

Thanks for your reply.

When I said about falling behind, I was referring to this quote by Ignacy Paderewski:

“If I miss one day of practice, I notice it. If I miss two days, the critics notice it. If I miss three days, the audience notices it.”

As I said that's not really been my experience, but perhaps I just don't recognize it.

I agree about scales. I rarely practice scales. Occasionally I will play the scale of a piece I'm learning, but I don't dedicate time specifically to scales.

[brogers70]

Isn't the best way to answer this question just to do the experiment? For a few months, take off one day a week and see if you feel like you are either doing better because you concentrate better on the other days, or falling behind because you are practicing less overall. It doesn't matter what people say they think about it, it only matters what actually happens when you do it.

[devbanana]

Isn't the best way to answer this question just to do the experiment? For a few months, take off one day a week and see if you feel like you are either doing better because you concentrate better on the other days, or falling behind because you are practicing less overall. It doesn't matter what people say they think about it, it only matters what actually happens when you do it.

Yes, this is true. I just wanted to see what the experience of others was. I don't want to waste time with inefficient methods if I don't have to.

[iansinclair]

I was a church organist/minister of music (now retired) -- not quite the same as a concert pianist, but certainly constant hard work (at the very least, if you've never really looked at it -- four to five hymns every week, one or two choir anthems, prelude, offertory, postlude -- and you need all new stuff for at least a few months.  Not to mention special services, funerals, weddings...).

I always took a day off -- Monday.  Not that I didn't think about music; I did.  But I did not play or practice at all that day.  Even within the practice routine, there were what might be thought of as days off: I always tried to be at least two months ahead with the solo music, and I would work on next Sunday's music every day, and on the new stuff every day until it was technically OK.  But in between, I would usually take a day or two "off" from the other pieces.  For me it worked.

[pianoplayer51]

I have a day off but the day off depends on what else is going on.  You need a day off occasionally because you need to do other things to relax your brain and hands.  Yesterday (Saturday) was my  day  off when I spent it out and about with friends

[bronnestam]

I often take day offs and I have not noticed that has deteriorated my playing - on the contrary.

We all know that resting is an important part of learning and building up strength. Without it, you will soon develop injuries, lack of concentration and bad self confidence because we discover that our learning capabilities seem to deteriorate - are we silly, untalented? No. The brain needs to do its post-processing work. Your muscles need to recover.

I am constantly working with trying to improve my practicing technique. Ten minutes of real good practice is much better than three hours of unplanned dabbling. 
I also spend more time planning and evaluating my playing, instead of just playing. So, I spend a great deal of time sitting at the piano in silence. Next step is to sit in the armchair instead, or take a walk while I think of the music and my playing. That is also valuable practicing time for me.

Three days ago I had my latest piano lesson, the one before that was at least one month earlier. During this month I have not been practicing very much, especially not the Beethoven sonata which was my major assignment. Instead I spent most of my actual practicing time learning a new Chopin piece, because that was more entertaining. But of course I contemplated a lot over my Beethoven as well, listened a lot to my recording sessions and also listened to professional recordings ... And se there were also quite few days where I had not time to practice at all, because Real Life had so many other challanges for me to deal with.

My teacher was very pleased with my progress with the sonata, and she concluded that I had certainly improved a lot since last time!

 

[ranniks]

If you are a concert pianist, you will know what to do.

If you are not, why are you taking it so serious? If it's your passion, you won't think of taking a day off, you will think 'oh my hands feel very tired today, or my mental state is not good for today's practise, so I'll just not practise today'. That could mean taking 2 months no piano practise each year. If it's your passion, you'll know what to do as well.

So take a day off if you want, it's not like you're getting paid to do this, or that someone will die if you don't play the piano for a day.

And I commend you on playing 3-5 hours a day. I hardly play an hour a day now a days. Never have played more than an hour though.