How Can I Keep Myself Motivated While Learning to Play the Piano?

Have a Clear Picture in Mind

I think the most important thing is to have a clear picture in mind when you think of your playing the piano.

How do you see yourself? If you can visualise a picture or even have a physical picture to motivate yourself it helps when you feel that things are going slow or not moving.

‘I Feel as Though I Am Not Going Forward!’

When learning to play piano there are many periods that you may feel there is not much movement.

This is usually not so at all, but for you as the student, it might feel like there is little movement if you look at the grade you are doing, or at the great pieces you still want to get to play!

Just because you are doing a grade two or three syllabus does not mean you are like a small child in grade one or two. No. It does mean that you are slowly but surely and systematically covering what is needed to be able to succeed in piano playing.

Technical Development Takes Time!

Development of finger technique and all other techniques needed for good piano playing, like any other sport, takes time and patience!

Keep on there and do not give up!

The most important thing is to not give up! Never give up!

This means, keep at your piano lessons even if you do not have the time to practise.

Every lesson will still mean that you are moving forward and learning and practising.

Most good teachers are aware of the adult learners’ predicament with time and family and will make room to accommodate for the lack of practise time.

It’s a great time to practise together, especially if you are doing online lessons, there is this great possibility to play together being muted and yet hearing the teacher play.

I find this helps students to hear and copy and play well soon!

Learn a Great Piece That You Always Wanted to Play!

A great way to keep yourself motivated is by learning a great piece of music that you really always wanted to play.

It might be too difficult for you, but as they say ‘where there is a will there is a way’.

It’s the same here.

The music itself will motivate you and compel you to keep on learning.

Think about it.

If you always wanted to play the Moonlight Sonata, then do try to give it a go, even if you learn one bar or two per lesson.

After a long period of time you will be able to play the most important part of the music and that alone will be such a great motivation and pleasure!

The music can be shortened, so that you only play maybe one or two pages of the whole piece.

Do ask your teacher to guide you.

I have had a few very determined students wanting to play certain beloved pieces far above their standard but because of their love for the music, they have and are still busy learning these pieces!

One of these pieces is the Beethoven Moonlight Sonata slow movement.

Although it is far above the students graded standard, this student is learning it extremely well!

She, as well as I, have been pleasantly surprised with her development from a piece of music too difficult for the student!

Her motivation? Her dad played it and it was his wish for her to play it. Greater motivation there will not be. Well done!

Another student has always dreamt of playing Debussy’s ‘Clair de lune’!

Not an easy piece of music and quite a bit above her graded ability at the moment, yet she is learning the piece bar by bar and enjoying every moment.

It’s Important to Really Go Slow in Learning Pieces if It’s Above Your Standard

In the process of learning a piece which is actually above your standard, it’s important to know that it will be slow learning – bar by bar, but in the process you will learn wonderful skills around fingering, legato playing, pedalling and other applicable techniques.

I find it so surprising to see what students can do when they learn something they really want to! Of course it’s good to also do some smaller pieces alongside so that you do not get despondent.

It will just take time to learn and play. That’s all!

Sometimes playing too many small pieces with no real lovely melodies can be disheartening as it makes no sense and one tends to feel like a small child.

Here is a short list of possible points to use to keep yourself motivated:

• Have a clear picture of what you would like to look like in playing piano.
• Have a written out dream to go back to!
• Have a practise routine if possible or a specific time that you know you can quickly run through a few passages etc.
• Have your keyboard open and ready to play in an area where you can see it and it can call you!
• Do not cancel lessons, even if you did not practise at all! Just go or attend your online lesson! It’s ALWAYS worth it and will take you forward. Cancelling lessons will only take you backwards.
• Keep on learning and doing lessons on a regular basis.
• Never give up! Never never never give up!
• Learn some lovely pieces that you really love and always wanted to play, even if it’s really difficult. Learn it slowly – bar by bar and enjoy each bar you conquer.
• Listen to music and watch some piano playing videos to motivate yourself.
• Having a homework book or daily practise book can help to keep you on track, especially if you are used to using diary! It can be really useful to jot down what you practised and maybe at what speed you did your technical exercise of scales.
• If you are at the music school, try to take part in a concert or small group that plays together. This is a great motivator to get pieces ready for performance.
• Learn some basic chords and play around with them to develop your creativity on the piano. It’s lovely to be able to play also without reading but creating your own songs.
• Doing a graded course or doing exams like Trinity College or ABRSM can be very helpful, although some students would rather follow another route than the graded organised route of learning. Here it is important for your teacher to help you find the right route for your piano playing.
• Find the right teacher who you feel is helping you and leading you forward. Do give the teacher enough time though, to help you find your feet. It’s important to have a teacher who can really motivate you to go forward, even in dry patches!
• Please do not just give up after a few months, as piano playing, as with any other thing, takes effort, work, dedication and especially consistency, even if the consistency is only doing consistent lessons every week! You will still grow and move forward! It might take a bit longer than the person putting in hours of practise, but then again – ask yourself – ‘Why am I doing it?’

Let the joy of music and being able to play some beloved tunes or music that you always wanted to play, be the thing that pushes you to keep at it!

ENJOY!

Give it time! Please don’t be too hasty!