Tips to Make The Most Of Your Piano Practice

Time is precious, and allocating some to regular piano practice can be tricky due to life getting busy and other priorities getting in the way. However, as any music teacher will tell you, keeping your practice as regular as possible will always do more good than cramming hours of practice across just two days.

So, suppose you’ve already been moving things around and struggling to find time to practice. In that case, the last thing you’ll want to do is waste those opportunities to play by trying to remember what you’re supposed to practice or forgetting to focus on a subject that really needs your attention.

Here are some tips you can try so that next time you’re sitting down at your piano to start your practice, you’ll know how to maximise your time effectively.

1. Organise your practice

Easy to say, harder to do. But what exactly do we mean when we talk about organising piano practice? Keeping a practice diary and organising when and how you will tackle different aspects of your piano playing progress is pivotal to making progress.

You could try splitting different areas of your learning, like scales or playing a new piece, and choosing on which days you’ll be doing what. This way, you’ll never find yourself wasting time trying to decide what you should tackle instead of actually practicing.

1. Learn from your mistakes

Even if you have a piano teacher, your practice is a moment that requires you to become your own teacher. This means that as you play your piece, practice your scales, or focus on anything else, you need to be vigilant and acknowledge what you’re doing wrong rather than be tempted to close an eye on your mistakes and carry on. Your practice stops being beneficial to your progress if you end up repeating the same mistakes, and might make it harder to fix once you get used to playing that way!

If you’re unsure of how to fix something, instead of practicing it wrong, reach out to your teacher and ask them to help you find a way to fix it.

1. Don’t forget to challenge yourself

It can be comforting to stick to what you know. Of course, perfecting the piece you’re playing will take time and so regular practice that focuses on that one piece specifically, makes a lot of sense. However, it’s difficult to make real progress if you never challenge yourself to try something new.

The way you challenge yourself doesn’t have to be overly complicated, and it’s important that you stick to the level you’re comfortable. However, it will come a day when you’ll realise that you have learned what you’ve been practicing and need to switch gears. If you’re working with a piano teacher, they will probably let you know when it’s time to try something harder but if you’re working by yourself, you can also notice when practice is getting too easy and comfortable, and it’s time to change things up.

1. Set goals & rewards

Regardless of age or experience with the piano, anyone can find practice easier and more enjoyable by introducing goals and rewards. Regardless of how short-term the goals or simple the rewards might be, don’t be afraid to set yourself something to work towards. Don’t underestimate the motivating powers of a little treat at the end of practice or being able to tick a goal off your list!

We hope you’ll find these tips an inspiration to make the most of your practice and that next time you sit down at the piano to start playing, you’ll be more aware of how you’ll spend your time and how you can make progress at the piano.