| Practice is essential to become a good piano player. | | | | level of proficiency. |
| As you play the piano and try to progress towards | | | | The important aspect of this is that the actual tension |
| becoming a piano giant it is important to be aware of | | | | level in your hands and in your body when you |
| some traps that will prevent you from reaching your | | | | practice a specific piano piece tends to be at the |
| goal. | | | | same level when you play the same piece of music at |
| It is a joyful experience to grow as a pianist and | | | | a performance. |
| musician if you practice in a sensible way using the | | | | If you have practiced a piano piece with a high tension |
| experience from a teacher or other sources like | | | | level you will most probably find it hard to perform the |
| books and piano instructional DVD's and more. | | | | same composition in a relaxed manner. |
| The feeling that you are approaching your goals gives | | | | 3. Making mistakes. Can your practicing lead you away |
| satisfaction and a belief in yourself. | | | | from learning a piece of music? You probably want to |
| What traps am I talking about then? | | | | become a better piano player by practicing but if you |
| Learning processes can take you towards your goals | | | | play too fast when learning new passages it is likely |
| but as you practice you might unconciously learn things | | | | that you will make a lot of mistakes. |
| that are limiting your progress. | | | | When learning a passage of music these mistakes will |
| I don't think that you want to learn things that will limit | | | | be part of the learning process. The more mistakes |
| your progress and if you will be aware of these thing I | | | | you make the harder it will be to play the passage |
| know that you will avoid them. Here are some traps: | | | | right. |
| 1. Uncomfortable feelings. There can be reasons for | | | | To put it another way, all mistakes accumulate and |
| you not being at ease as you practice on your piano | | | | becomes a disturbance when you try to play the |
| like stress or negative feelings regarding your ability to | | | | passage right. Instead it will become easier and easier |
| progress. | | | | to play the music wrong. |
| Maybe you are preparing for a performance, a piano | | | | But, don't let this information depress you. This |
| lesson or something else and you feel less prepared | | | | information can be good news if you use it to your |
| than you want or other negative thoughts are | | | | advantage! |
| disturbing you. | | | | Here are some tips: |
| Having these feelings as you play on your piano is not | | | | 1. Comfortable feelings. Try to practice in an |
| so very good. Why? | | | | atmosphere of peace and joy. How? By not |
| These negative feelings tend to be evoked as you | | | | procrastinating working on you piano lesson homework |
| play the same piece of music at other occasions. I | | | | and by having a positive attitude. |
| guess this is not what you want. | | | | 2. Relax. A piano session with practicing and |
| It can lead to an aversion towards a certain piece of | | | | memorizing piano pieces can also be an occasion |
| music for the rest of your life or that you quit playing | | | | when you practice relaxation. As you play, try to pay |
| altogether because of uncomfortable feelings as you | | | | attention to your hands, fingers and the rest of your |
| play. | | | | body using as little force in your playing as possible. |
| 2. Muscle tensions. Well, you might play in a very | | | | This will benefit both your mental and physical health! |
| relaxed way but many pianists tend to tense too much | | | | 3. Make no mistake. At least, not too many. If you |
| as a result of maybe playing faster and on a level | | | | practice new piano pieces slowly, with concentration |
| above their technical skills. | | | | and with correct posture you will be rewarded with |
| This is very common among young kids trying to play | | | | learning your homework faster and also feel much |
| like their musical heroes while actually being on another | | | | better. |