Tips for motivation to practice

[martinn]

Hello,
I’m 49 years old and have decided to take up piano and started dabbling about a year ago. Until covid is out, definitely, I won’t take lessons. My progress is about from preparatory and this year I have started level 1. My problem is that after work and chores I feel severly tired and just can’t force myself to practice as much as I think would be necessary for decent progress. As old, I can’t set goals, other than just seeing where I will end with my playing. Progress feels great, but that alone can’t overcome my feeling of tiredness. What would be your tips for keeping up motivation for an adult beginner ?

[brogers70]

Set very small goals. Practice every day, even if only for 5-10 minutes. If you have only 5-10 minute, pick a very, very small goal - playing a scale very slowly and with relaxation. Learning 1-2 measures of an easy piece. You'll have years when the pressure of work is off and you'll have more time to practice, so right now a consistent little bit each day will get you going. In fact, I think that at the beginning, logging lots of time is not all that helpful. Just learn to make the correct motions, and practice only the correct motions for a little bit every day.

[martinn]

Set very small goals. Practice every day, even if only for 5-10 minutes. If you have only 5-10 minute, pick a very, very small goal - playing a scale very slowly and with relaxation. Learning 1-2 measures of an easy piece. You'll have years when the pressure of work is off and you'll have more time to practice, so right now a consistent little bit each day will get you going. In fact, I think that at the beginning, logging lots of time is not all that helpful. Just learn to make the correct motions, and practice only the correct motions for a little bit every day.

Yes, my goals are a bit diffuse, but have decided to set aside 5PM 30min practice and if I feel motivated another 30min at 7PM.

[frodo1]

I just noticed your post.  Here is what I was going to say:

Broggers70 post is very helpful.  I might add:  Set a minimum practice goal for each day.  You can always practice more than the minimum if you feel up to it, but try not to fall below the minimum.  For example: If you practice 20 minutes more than the minimum one day, you still need to practice the minimum minutes the following day. 

Here is a possible schedule for minimum practice:
First month: 5 minutes a day
2nd month: 10 minutes a day
3rd to 6th month: 15 minutes a day

After 6 months, see if you can bump the minimum up to 20 to 30 minutes.  The main point: Keep the minimums very small and allow your body and brain to adjust slowly over time.

[martinn]

I just noticed your post.  Here is what I was going to say:

Broggers70 post is very helpful.  I might add:  Set a minimum practice goal for each day.  You can always practice more than the minimum if you feel up to it, but try not to fall below the minimum.  For example: If you practice 20 minutes more than the minimum one day, you still need to practice the minimum minutes the following day. 

Here is a possible schedule for minimum practice:
First month: 5 minutes a day
2nd month: 10 minutes a day
3rd to 6th month: 15 minutes a day

After 6 months, see if you can bump the minimum up to 20 to 30 minutes.  The main point: keep the minimums very small and allow you body and brain to adjust slowly over time.

Sounds good to get used to the system. I will see if that will make practice reliable consistent.

[frodo1]

Sounds good to get used to the system. I will see if that will make practice reliable consistent.

Still do your proposed schedule - 30 minutes at 5PM, etc. - but if you feel tired and don't want to practice any that day, see if you can instead do your minimum for that day (maybe 5 minutes for the 1st month). 

Good luck! 

[martinn]

Thanks, then there is decisions about how and what to practice. In principle I have a repertoire book and a technique book with graded music, and I have a bit difficulty deciding which book I should use at any time or polish the music from a previous book. Technique takes lot of time, but maybe that’s most important like brogers70 said. Hovever, progress will be quite slow. The most fun is polished music that is starting to sound like something real.

[frodo1]

Thanks, then there is decisions about how and what to practice. In principle I have a repertoire book and a technique book with graded music, and I have a bit difficulty deciding which book I should use at any time or polish the music from a previous book. Technique takes lot of time, but maybe that’s most important like brogers70 said. Hovever, progress will be quite slow. The most fun is polished music that is starting to sound like something real.

See what others have to say.  Here is what comes to my mind.  You say "The most fun is polished music that is starting to sound like something real.".  I would run with this at your early stages.  This is what you enjoy.  Also, your pieces will have scales, arpeggios, chords and other items as these are the building blocks of music.  By making your pieces sound good (assuming they are good pieces for your level and they are properly fingered), you will be learning scales, arpeggios and chords and other basic techniques.  But see what others say here.

[brogers70]

Technique takes lot of time, but maybe that’s most important like brogers70 said. Hovever, progress will be quite slow. The most fun is polished music that is starting to sound like something real.

I also started as an adult (age 40); I had a good background in classical guitar, viola, and theory, but no experience with the piano. That thing about polished music can be a two edged sword. If you already really love music, you may have pretty high standards for what is polished music that is starting to sound like something real. That can, perhaps, set you up for frustration and disappointment. If I were going to start over again, I'd wish that I had treated practice in my first year or so more as a kind of meditation concentrating on getting the right physical sensations of playing and listening for the right sounds - when I finally approached things like that 14 years after I'd started and worked on pieces that were too hard for me (and which had caused me to develop a very tense and inefficient technique), I started just playing two note slurs from an arm drop, slow scales and very easy pieces for 15-20 minutes a day and the progress was unbelievable, so much more helpful than the three hours of struggle a day I'd been putting in before that. I wish I had started with that slow, meditative approach, without thinking too much about playing something that sounded real right away. It's true that the love of the real music can be a powerful motivator, too, but I wish that for the first little while I'd treated practice as a kind of meditation on sound and physical sensation without worrying about getting in touch with the great composers just yet. Obviously you have to decide what works for you.

[frodo1]

That thing about polished music can be a two edged sword. If you already really love music, you may have pretty high standards for what is polished music that is starting to sound like something real. That can, perhaps, set you up for frustration and disappointment.

You raise a very good point here.

The OP is age 49 and has been dabbling in piano for about a year.  I’m guessing that he took music lessons in grade school perhaps because he is not mentioning any difficulties in reading music. 

“Polished music that is starting to sound like something real.” – This phrase is a bit of a paradox.  How can a polished piece be just STARTING to sound like something real?  Maybe the OP can clarify. 

Can the OP play the pieces while keeping a reasonably steady beat at an appropriate tempo with a reasonably even sound without a lot of pauses or missed notes?  If no, I think it would be worthwhile to spend more time on the pieces.  A few pauses and missed notes are okay.  It’s tough to say though without hearing a performance.

[Bob]

Set a schedule.  Don't worry about motivation.

You've already mentioned a few problems to overcome.  You're tired.  So rest.  Your unconscious is telling what one issue is.  Cut something else out to free up time or to rest more.

Can't set goals?  Bullshit.  I would imagine you already know what your goals are.

And you like progress.  So there's the reward.

[frodo1]

Set a schedule.  Don't worry about motivation.

You've already mentioned a few problems to overcome.  You're tired.  So rest.  Your unconscious is telling what one issue is.  Cut something else out to free up time or to rest more.

Can't set goals?  Bullshit.  I would imagine you already know what your goals are.

And you like progress.  So there's the reward.

Yikes! 

[martinn]

I also started as an adult (age 40); I had a good background in classical guitar, viola, and theory, but no experience with the piano. That thing about polished music can be a two edged sword. If you already really love music, you may have pretty high standards for what is polished music that is starting to sound like something real. That can, perhaps, set you up for frustration and disappointment. If I were going to start over again, I'd wish that I had treated practice in my first year or so more as a kind of meditation concentrating on getting the right physical sensations of playing and listening for the right sounds - when I finally approached things like that 14 years after I'd started and worked on pieces that were too hard for me (and which had caused me to develop a very tense and inefficient technique), I started just playing two note slurs from an arm drop, slow scales and very easy pieces for 15-20 minutes a day and the progress was unbelievable, so much more helpful than the three hours of struggle a day I'd been putting in before that. I wish I had started with that slow, meditative approach, without thinking too much about playing something that sounded real right away. It's true that the love of the real music can be a powerful motivator, too, but I wish that for the first little while I'd treated practice as a kind of meditation on sound and physical sensation without worrying about getting in touch with the great composers just yet. Obviously you have to decide what works for you.

Good points, learning from others can save time and frustration.

[lostinidlewonder]

Hello,
I’m 49 years old and have decided to take up piano and started dabbling about a year ago. Until covid is out, definitely, I won’t take lessons. My progress is about from preparatory and this year I have started level 1. My problem is that after work and chores I feel severly tired and just can’t force myself to practice as much as I think would be necessary for decent progress. As old, I can’t set goals, other than just seeing where I will end with my playing. Progress feels great, but that alone can’t overcome my feeling of tiredness. What would be your tips for keeping up motivation for an adult beginner ?

I would not encourage practicing when you are tired or worn out. Studying the piano is a very mentally draining practice and if you are not in a relaxed state you can merely flounder about and waste time, if you are a masochist go for it! Why not have a relaxing bath or nap, meditate or something that revitalised yourself when you are home, only then go ahead and practice some piano.

Practice method needs to be also scrutinized, if you are merely brute force repeating until improvement hits you of course this is not a good idea, mindful practice actually make the mentally draining experience of piano practice a lot easier to deal with since you are understanding the process rather than blindly running through it all. What is mindful practice? Well books could be written about it for the specific individual, that's why a good teacher is paramount.

[martinn]

You raise a very good point here.

The OP is age 49 and has been dabbling in piano for about a year.  I’m guessing that he took music lessons in grade school perhaps because he is not mentioning any difficulties in reading music. 

I played classical guitar for a few years, but had a very long pause, so I had to learn piano staff from the beginning. Quite slow.

"Polished music that is starting to sound like something real.” – This phrase is a bit of a paradox.  How can a polished piece be just STARTING to sound like something real?  Maybe the OP can clarify. 

Not enough work on several aspects. Needs more work, and polishing.

Can the OP play the pieces while keeping a reasonably steady beat at an appropriate tempo with a reasonably even sound without a lot of pauses or missed notes?  If no, I think it would be worthwhile to spend more time on the pieces.  A few pauses and missed notes are okay.  It’s tough to say though without hearing a performance.

Yes, tempo can be almost there, but other aspects maybe then missing. Sound and tone perhaps not developed, because I am using a digital piano. Don't know where I can go with just a digital piano.

[martinn]

I would not encourage practicing when you are tired or worn out. Studying the piano is a very mentally draining practice and if you are not in a relaxed state you can merely flounder about and waste time, if you are a masochist go for it! Why not have a relaxing bath or nap, meditate or something that revitalised yourself when you are home, only then go ahead and practice some piano.

Yes, practice is indeed mentally very demanding and intense. But on the other hand, I think I should force myself to practice some minimum every day.

Practice method needs to be also scrutinized, if you are merely brute force repeating until improvement hits you of course this is not a good idea, mindful practice actually make the mentally draining experience of piano practice a lot easier to deal with since you are understanding the process rather than blindly running through it all. What is mindful practice? Well books could be written about it for the specific individual, that's why a good teacher is paramount.

Yes, I have a vague picture of good practice from books, but specific tips are always interesting. I am very scientifically oriented, so I try methods and tips very extensively, naturally.

[frodo1]

Not enough work on several aspects. Needs more work, and polishing.
Yes, tempo can be almost there, but other aspects maybe then missing. Sound and tone perhaps not developed, because I am using a digital piano. Don't know where I can go with just a digital piano.

A possible general rule to consider: to completely polish and perfect a level X piece, you need to have gone through and completed level (X+2) pieces (i.e. 2 levels higher).  In your case, you need to have completed level 3 pieces to perfect level 1 pieces. Depending on your definition of polish and perfect, you could experience frustration (as brogers70 mentioned) trying to perfect level 1 pieces having only gone through level 1.

The fact that you enjoy polishing up the pieces tells me you are on the right track.  It sounds like you are off to a great start.  Of course, take lessons when you feel comfortable with covid and you are ready.  Best of luck!

[martinn]

A possible general rule to consider: to completely polish and perfect a level X piece, you need to have gone through and completed level (X+2) pieces (i.e. 2 levels higher).  In your case, you need to have completed level 3 pieces to perfect level 1 pieces. Depending on your definition of polish and perfect, you could experience frustration (as brogers70 mentioned) trying to perfect level 1 pieces having only gone through level 1.

The fact that you enjoy polishing up the pieces tells me you are on the right track.  It sounds like you are off to a great start.  Of course, take lessons when you feel comfortable with covid.  Best of luck!

OK, I will remember to continue polishing when advancing. My work with ”preparatory” level music is not over the top, I just feel I could learn more by applying more work.
Thanks for the sparring, it’s usually good when someone tells you something, even if that probably should be close to obvious. There are always new ways to express things.

[martinn]

I think there are indeed so many dangerous pits in the track of piano practice, so I have to carefully reconsider what other are saying, and where I go wrong or may go wrong.

[skypert]

10 minutes of quality practice is always better than 30 minutes of sloppy.  Don’t accept sloppiness and adjust your practice to your state of mind. Saving the more mental stuff for when you are alert.  There are other things you can do when tired. Basically scale practice focusing on being accurate and precise is less mind taxing as is ear training, etc (ps, I don’t know a lot, less than a year into this game)

[ranjit]

How about setting aside time to practice in the morning, before you go to work?

You could look at the journalist Alan Rusbridger for some inspiration on learning the piano while having a demanding job: https://www.theguardian.com/music/video/2013/jan/11/alan-rusbridger-chopin-video

[martinn]

Why not trying the morning practice. It could be beneficial, but until now I have never tried to extensively use the mornings. Still, I try a minimum session in the evening, and that is not so difficult, mostly I needed to believe that I can commit to it. Probably when I get used, I can do more and higher quality practice.