Piano Practice: The Art of Mixing Work and Play
What does your regular piano practice look like? Meticulous scale learning, exercises, and working progressively on your pieces? Or a more free-spirited time when you let your creativity go wild? Lean too far one way, and it’s a joyless chore; lean the other, and it’s all fun but no benefit. Here are some thoughts on achieving the right balance…
The Need For Structure: Discipline in Piano Practice
There’s no getting away from the fact that musical instrument practice matters. Music is a joy, but without the nose-to-the-grindstone stuff, your progress will be slow and uninspiring. Certainly with piano, structured practice – including key principles (learning the notes, separating the hands, working on small sections, slowing the tempo, etc.) – isn’t just a box to tick off; it’s the foundation of your piano learning. But it’s not everything.
The Pitfall of Beginningitis: Why Sequential Learning Matters
Most of the time, unless you’re approaching mastery of a piece of music, playing through it from beginning to end is not the way to improve. Countless undisciplined music students fall prey to what I call “beginningitis”: they always practice pieces from the start. But when things go wrong, they go back to the start, again and again. Consequently, the earlier sections improve more quickly, but when they come to play through the whole piece, it deteriorates steadily – before grinding to a halt somewhere near the seldom-practised ending! So what makes us approach piano practice in such a disorderly manner?
Instant Gratification: The Allure Of The Quick Win
When I was a child, I often attempted piano pieces that were much, much too difficult for me. This in itself is not necessarily a bad thing (though some teachers will disagree.) I wanted to master something “impressive”, so would happily spend hours learning just the opening bars of a piece by heart. Even if I could only play a small section really slowly, I could then imagine myself being good enough to master all of it. We crave positive feedback – and practising the start of a piece helps us gain the “quick win” of hearing it go well. But of course, the whole performance is only as good as the weakest part. (How’s that ending going again…?)
Freedom at the Keys: The Role of Less-Structured Play in Musical Growth
Practice is not generally the same as playing. Ask a hundred non-players if they would like to be able to play the piano – a high proportion would almost certainly say, “Yes”. Ask the same people if they would like to learn how to practise the piano, and the numbers would probably fall significantly. Regular practice helps us learn to play, but the truth is, sometimes, you just need to play. Anything. Choose something easy, that you’ve already mastered, and enjoy playing it. Improvise, perhaps, if that’s your thing. Play some piano chords and sing…why not? Try a watch-and-copy video or a different piano book. Whatever floats your boat. Because the reverse is also true: play helps you practise! It can bring relief to the frustration of a difficult practice session. And it helps provide the instant musical gratification we sometimes crave. The wisdom, I believe, lies in finding the right balance.
The Blended Experience: When Piano Practice Transforms Into Play
The distinction between practice and play is clear, and yet…there’s a moment, a sweet spot when they start to meld. You’ve been working away at a piece that you once broke a sweat to even attempt, and realise it’s all coming together (at last!) When you hit this point, it’s like finding an oasis in a desert; you’re rejuvenated, excited, and incredibly motivated. Good teachers should seek to engineer these moments by setting and celebrating small milestones, thus getting their students to this happy place as often as possible.
Guides on the Journey: The Balanced Role of Music Teachers
Music tutors are not just drill sergeants. Knowing both the value of structured piano practice and the rewards of play, they should act as guides on your musical journey. A seasoned tutor reads the room well and knows when to dial up the rigour and when to let students freely express themselves. If your piano teacher leans too heavily toward one or the other, talk to them about it. (Or find a better teacher!)
Parents in the Mix: How Support Makes All the Difference
If you have the joy (!) of being a piano lesson parent, remember you’re not a mere spectator – you’re part of the team. When daily piano practice gets tough, your encouragement can be the extra nudge your child needs to keep going. It’s important not to pressure, but to support and empower. Knowing when to push and when to let them just enjoy the music is crucial for maintaining this essential balance.
Balancing piano practice and play isn’t just an instructional strategy. It’s about finding the harmony between discipline and freedom, between rigour and joy. Striking this balance can turn the tedious task of practice into an adventurous – and profitable – journey of musical exploration.
- How do you balance music practice and play?
- What role do you think parents should play in a child’s musical education?
- Do you have any tips or experiences to share about striking this balance effectively?