Setting your piano goals? Want to play more songs in 2024? This is the blog post for you. We’ll share some tips on how to actually achieve your music goals, including how to play more of the songs you love.
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Every January, people all over the world sign up for gym memberships, learn new recipes, or buy a stack of books to read only to completely forget about it by February. Studies show that 80% of people fail their New Year resolutions by February and only 19% of people maintain their goals for two years.
Piano players can relate. Learning how to play a musical instrument is challenging, so it’s very common to feel discouraged. Perhaps you’re not progressing as fast as you want, or you’re stuck on a particular song or technique. And sometimes, seeing more advanced players on social media can be discouraging too.
But each of our musical journeys is unique 🙂 So please don’t compare yourself to others! Keep reading to get some tips on how to stick with your New Year’s goals.
If you struggle to stay on track of your New Year’s goals, you’re not alone. Try to avoid these pitfalls:
No one said learning to play a musical instrument would be easy. Learn to expect challenges, because no matter how musically gifted you are, there will be hard days. Expecting difficulty preps you mentally and you’ll feel less disappointment when there’s a roadblock.
Practice in a cozy space. Make it convenient. Make it comfortable. Not only will a good practice space encourage you to spend time in it, but the space can also help get you out of your comfort zone. Privacy also helps; headphones are great for practicing improvisation because no one can hear your mistakes!
S.M.A.R.T. goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Here’s an example:
While you can learn piano with just your brain, hands, and a piano, resources like these will help in times of challenge:
This is perhaps my favorite trick of Lisa’s. After a practice session is the perfect time to check in because we often feel the best about ourselves at this time. So, remind yourself why you play — to feel this good!
Also, remember to end your practice session on a positive note. This can mean playing a song that you know well, improvising, and just having fun.
Finally, it all comes down to remembering why you want to play piano in the first place. Perhaps you want to continue a childhood activity, perform for someone you love, or to simply play that favorite song of yours that features piano.
If it helps, write down your why and paste it on the wall in front of your piano.
It’s natural to think of practice in a negative light: it’s homework, it’s a chore, it’s something unpleasant that you unfortunately have to do to get good. But framing practice like this can demotivate you.
Instead, reframe practice. According to Victoria Theodore, our classical piano coach, practice is not a rote, boring activity but an opportunity to connect with music.
Learning new songs can be intimidating. Here are some quick tips to make the task less daunting:
In need of inspiration? Here are some of our favorite lessons about motivation and practice:
Start Practicing Piano Again
When You Don’t Feel Like Practicing
How to Love Practicing
(With Victoria Theodore)
Play Outside the Box
(With Sangah Noona)
Beginner Practice Routine
(Not Boring!)
Complete Practice Routine
(In D Minor)
Your musical journey starts today: try Pianote and get access to drum, vocal, and guitar lessons too!
Charmaine Li is a Vancouver writer who has played piano for over 20 years. She holds an Associate diploma (ARCT) from the Royal Conservatory of Music and loves writing about the ways in which music—and music learning—affects the human experience. Charmaine manages The Note. Learn more about Charmaine here.
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