| 1. Decide what you want and commit to it with the right | | | | out on the piano, the way you will improve rapidly |
| attitude. | | | | is to concentrate completely for every minute you set |
| Quite simply, you need find out what exactly you really | | | | aside for practice and focus on improving those |
| want to achieve. Is it to play songs or pop tunes? | | | | few things. This could be part of a piece, a new |
| Perform with others? Take exams and gain | | | | chord, a scale or anything you choose. Seeing this |
| certificates for your own records? The commitment | | | | progress gives you a sense of achievement and will |
| to this will come once you know what you want and | | | | keep you motivated, energised and going through the |
| it is a MUST for you. | | | | session and the next. |
| Getting your mindset right is probably the single most | | | | 6. Work on improving your memory, posture and |
| important thing you will ever do as a beginner. | | | | energy levels |
| Practicing because you have to (not want to) and just | | | | That’s right! Your brain is the other important tool |
| going through the motions will not get you anywhere. | | | | other than your hands. You can make great progress |
| This approach nearly always leads to boredom, | | | | by simply practicing memorisation exercises that will |
| frustration and eventually giving up. What a shame | | | | help you remember. Also, piano playing is generally |
| that would be. | | | | quite sedentary and it's not the best thing to sit |
| 2. Be realistic about what you want | | | | perfectly still if you are practicing for an hour, for |
| As much as you might have a goal/dream to play a | | | | example. The way you carry yourself at the piano |
| concerto at Carnegie/Royal Albert Hall, you also need | | | | should always be upright or in a way which isn't |
| to honestly ask if you have what it takes to achieve | | | | slouched, stooping, laid back or otherwise passive. |
| your goal. Often many people will say something along | | | | Your physiology also affects how you think, feel and |
| the lines of: “I want to play Madonna’s/The | | | | therefore work, so you should aim to keep your |
| Beatles/Britney Spear's greatest hits in my first | | | | energy high by sitting up straight, flexing your arms & |
| year!” thinking it’s easy to replicate what the | | | | upper body now and again, and even standing up |
| professionals do on TV. A more realistic aim might be | | | | after an intense practice session. Also try not to |
| to complete a series exercise books up to a certain | | | | frown when you encounter difficulties, as that |
| level, e.g. 'to get to book 4 in 10 months'. Family | | | | subconsciously builds frustration. |
| members and friends will be able to honestly tell you if | | | | 7. Don't get put off by mistakes |
| you have any musicality, but it also helps to speak to | | | | This is a big one and can be disheartening for many if |
| musicians, whoever they may be and find out from | | | | their approach to problem solving is not right. Please, |
| them, what it takes to succeed, based on your own | | | | don't worry about making mistakes. If you're just |
| strengths and weaknesses. | | | | beginning, think long and hard about some of the great |
| 3. Set a date for when you want to achieve your | | | | performers of any instrument. Think about how much |
| goal | | | | effort they put into what you thought 'looked easy' |
| Once you’ve settled on a realistic goal, you need to | | | | when they performed on TV or live. If all they (or |
| think how long it will take for you to achieve and what | | | | we for that matter) did was worry about making |
| exactly it will take. Write the deadline down, have it in | | | | mistakes, they would never have achieved progress |
| front of you when you practice and remind yourself | | | | and thus, greatness in their chosen instrument. The rest |
| exactly what you must do to achieve your goal. Also, | | | | of us also learning would live in constant fear! |
| having someone you are accountable to, who can | | | | When you are learning a new piece of music for |
| monitor your progress to keep you from losing focus, | | | | example, if you were to know in advance that you |
| is vital. | | | | where going to make 34 mistakes before you could |
| 4. Commit to a practice schedule | | | | play the piece perfectly, would you worry about |
| It is important that you find a time that works for you | | | | making these mistakes? Of course not! I am |
| and stick to it. The point of a schedule is to get into a | | | | guessing you would want to get these 34 |
| routine and build momentum. Constantly changing your | | | | mistakes out of the way quickly as possible. |
| practice time means you're at the mercy of other | | | | What this means is each mistake you make brings |
| things that might be distracting. | | | | you closer to your goal. You progress by learning from |
| 5. Focus on a few Things at a Time. | | | | mistakes, so expect them and be ready to deal with |
| Don't try to learn everything all at once – it just | | | | them. As long as your ear can recognise when you |
| won’t work. Break your practice down into easy to | | | | have made mistakes, you can correct them and move |
| do-steps. It is better to focus on one or two areas, | | | | on. |
| working on it repeatedly and becoming a master than | | | | Commit to doing these 7 things regularly and you'll |
| to try and learn 10 different new things and only | | | | find learning the piano/keyboard more enjoyable. |
| develop sketchy knowledge at best. When you start | | | | |