 |
| Practice practice practice.... |
1. Practice other pieces other than the ones you are going to play for exams
If you sign up for piano exams such as ABRSM, Trinity or AMEB exam, you are more likely to stuck to practice the pieces that you are going to play for the exam. Well, after a while you may find that its getting more and more difficult to simply make yourself sit down and practice the exam pieces. This is the time when you need to give yourself a break. Why don't you start learning other pieces for fun?
In fact, you can download some of the scores available on this website and try it for yourself. Just be aware that many of the pieces that I have arranged for piano solo require you to be at least at an intermediate level or higher. But, sometimes you can just try pieces that are harder to feel how is it like. If you are not yet at an intermediate level, then you may want to try my composition such as The Little Bunny or Moments. Both of the compositions provide some challenges on its own, but they are not as difficult as the rests of the pieces that I play.
2. Play with friends
Most often than not, when you are practicing on the piano, you are alone. Why don't you go out and play together with friends? Play duet with friends may give you new motivation to practice and its fun! You also can learn from each other and most importantly, practicing is no longer a lonely activity.
3. Spread your practice time throughout the day
Find yourself to feel bogged down just by the thought that you are going to sit on the piano and practice in the next hour? Well, instead of allocating a specific time in a day to practice, it is better if you spread the practice throughout the day. Maybe you practice for fifteen minutes in the morning just before you go out of the house to try out a few difficult bits of your pieces, then continue to try other bits after lunch when you got a bit of free time. Most importantly when you practice you need to concentrate and not to simply repeat what you play. Practice smart is better than practice hard.
4. Record yourself playing and post it on YouTube
This might not make any sense if you are shy or never perform in public. Just get rid the thought of people will humiliate you if you play badly. In fact, you can get more useful comments from someone who are more advance than you that probably can help you with the problems that you have. More likely than not, people in the community will support you with what you are doing. The encouragements that you receive from people through their comments will be your motivation to make another video to show the world how much you have improved.
Attending concerts and live events will refresh your passion to music. If you have never attended a concert or live event before, then you should, especially if you are learning an instrument. Although you may be thinking that you can watch those events from TV or your computer, you will get an entirely different experience if you attend the concert live.
5. Attend concerts and events
Attending concerts and live events will refresh your passion to music. If you have never attended a concert or live event before, then you should, especially if you are learning an instrument. Although you may be thinking that you can watch those events from TV or your computer, you will get an entirely different experience if you attend the concert live.
By Erik Tjahja
