How much shall I practice?
If you really like it that much? You WILL find time.
Quick answer will be:
1. Everyday for half hour for new learners.
2. At least 45 minutes to an hour daily, from grade 3.
3. For really young learners (age 3-5), 15-20 minutes, could do two sessions daily, and make it fun!
Always Always Always be creative with practice methods, make it fun and ‘unnoticeable’ for all repetition (called practice).
*If we miss one day of practice, we go backwards for about 3 days.
When I started learning piano, I was 6 and a half years old, my mum already set my practice routine up at my local music studio after my first lesson: every single day for half an hour, like it or not.
I remember it was a bit boring in the music room when I just learned middle C, D and some other notes in my first few lessons, as everyone does.
I had to sit there in the practice room every day with either my parents or my grandma for half an hour.
It set my mind for regular practice from the beginning.
For young learners, (age 2-13) it is very important to have support from home with practicing. Even if parents have zero music instrument experience, any family member spending time with children everyday or any practice routine is very essential. Parents could learn and practice with children at home, by just being there for them in each of their learning step, you bond relationships with your children, parents will see what their children are going through during their learning process technically and psychologically.
Remember!! Have compassion on this learning journey with yourself and your children. Our destination is ‘the journey’, not the ‘destination’ as such.
For adults learners, we have our day jobs, night jobs, duties…etc,
just remember, every little regular practice, even just 5 minutes go play the piece that you are learning once, or a couple of times of finger exercises in-between other activities, such as waiting for the vegetables to cook, will be better than none at all.
The most important thing is to allow that little time or ‘moment’ regularly to play on the piano, or whatever you are learning and wish to master; and other most important aspect is. How To practice. I will talk about this in my next blog.
Whatever skills, techniques, knowledge that we learn and wish to master are by ‘Repetition’, (concisely!) in order to grow the brain’s neural network. Repetitive practice is helpful in improving skills and leads to profound changes in the brain’s memory pathways.
See practice as a fun way to exercise our brains each day and you get to master a new skill as a bonus.
Happy practice!
Fifi