It
can be daunting to sit at the piano for the first time. If you want to improve
your playing skills, though, practice is key. Here are top practice tips to
turn you from beginner to pro. By building good practice habits, you’ll find
yourself improving in no time.
Set
Goals
What
song do you want to learn? Go from there if you want to learn
how to play the organ. Practice a piece. Keep at it until you
reach your goal. That’s one way to help you improve. Make sure the goal is
achievable, too.
Ensure
They’re Achievable
When
you set up goals, though, make sure they’re achievable. If you only have an
hour or two to practice, then you’ll need to divide the song or put off
learning the entire song. You can always continue working on the same piece for
your next practice session until you master it.
Warm
Up
It’s
tedious and boring, we know. But if you don’t warm up, you risk getting carpal
tunnel as well as tendinitis. It only takes ten minutes to warm up, so that’s
short enough instead of spending six months in pain because you have carpal
tunnel.
Cover
the Basics
Be
sure to give some time practicing the fundamentals, working on the scales,
timing, and accuracy. With repetition, your technical skills improve.
Don’t
Rush
Learn
the hard songs at half speed. Don’t be in too much of a hurry to play them
perfectly. Slow down. Play them at whatever speed you can. When you improve,
you can work on the speed next.
Use
a Metronome
A
metronome can help you play the song slowly. Use that until you’ve memorized
the song and then you can start speeding up.
Listen
What
are your favorite pieces? Who are your favorite pianists? Listen to them. Learn
what a great pianist is. Use your ear. Explore online. There are plenty of
awesome pianists out there. Listening to them will help you improve your tonal
register, too.
Imitate
and Innovate
Copy
the piano solos you love. Once you memorize them, though, work on improving the
pieces. How do you make them even better? How do you make the pieces your own?
Take
Breaks
Some
spend 20 minutes practicing. If that works for you, good. You can keep going.
However, try taking a break. Notice the difference in your performance. Are you
more alert? Do you have more energy? Are you less distracted and much more able
to concentrate on the piece? Breaks help you put your head back into the game.
Playing straight for half an hour or longer isn’t ideal, not for everyone. Find
out what system works for you and go with that.
Have
Fun
Play
something you love during practice. Remind yourself why you’re doing this.
Having fun will make the practice sessions easier. You’re also in a better
frame of mind and mood and those improve your playing skills. This notches up
your confidence levels too, so you get to improve your performance even more.
