Watch the video version here!
Practice practice practice. This is should not be an annoying mantra, but something you can't live without. When we learn how to play the piano we are engaging in an amazing process.
Our brains must process loads of information when we learn something new. For piano, it's making sure we have the right posture, our hands are comfortable on the keyboard, how hard or soft to press the keys, which fingers go where, making sure we have the right notes, that what we are playing is in time etc.
Getting to the point where all these things comes effortlessly only happens with practice and persistence. Practice reinforces what we are learning. The fingers, arms, and brain are connected by muscles and the more we use muscles a certain way the easier it becomes to perform. The same is true for most activities, skills, and knowledge, it all comes down to practice in order to achieve fluidity. We cannot truly learn how to ride a bike by studying how the tires are made or understanding the physics of motion but by doing it. Getting up after you have fallen and trying again. Until eventually riding a bike becomes easy or fluid.
Lesson time is both a demonstration of what you practiced and a time to learn new things by heeding the teachers example and instruction. Once you overcome the initial resistance to practice it becomes an enjoyable experience even though it is work. Practice has its own rhythm and flow to it.
When you sit down to practice remind yourself of this process and the purpose of practice.
Hey if you liked this post and want the latest you can enter your email at the bottom of the page. Keep calm and play on!