I have been reading the the pianist lounge forum and I always hear people talking about practicing 2-6 hours a day! I have been practicing for 4 months a probably practice about 1 hour a day almost every day. My teacher says I am progressing well, but I don't know what her standards are. Please post what your accomplishments were a 4 months so I can get an idea.

P.S. I Love Emmy Rossum

A hour a day sounds excellent for someone in their first year of lessions. As you progress, you'll move on to more complex pieces and find you need and want to increase your practice time but that will come on gradually. I practice 3-5 hours a day but I certainly didn't start out that way.

Practice time depends on the time you can make available for your practice and on how fast you wish to progress.

I started out practicing 30 to 60 minutes each day for the first 1.5 years, and the teacher I had at that time was not very encouraging. I almost lost my joy in playing, and my progress was lousy.

I changed my teacher last summer (the new one is just superb!) and started out planning that I'd put in a minimum a 1 hours practice every day. Better teaching helped me progress much faster, and I just wanted to play the pieces better so that one hour soon developed into 1.5 to 3 hours during week-days and often more on days when I don't work.

As my first teacher considered playing scales, chords and arpeggios a waste of time, never corrected my hand position, never taught any keystroke techniques other than legato, staccato, forte, piano, and had me use the pedal frequently, learn the notes of more demanding pieces by heart so you can have your eyes on the keys, I basically knew nothing when I started with my new teacher.

I've been with my new teacher for 8 months now and we practically started all over again. We use the Russion piano school, of which I've have completed volume No. 1 and in addition I've been doing little extra pieces by Strawinsky (Les cinq doigts), Fischer, Burgmüller, and a few easy duetts, I regularly practice scales (know approx. half of them), started with chords.

Hello

I'm interested in one of the books/methods that you are being taught, the _Russion piano school_ . Could you post some more information on this book? Is it a Hal Leonard publication? any details would be appreciated.

Voyager

I suppose I have an unconventional approach to learning to play the piano and practicing. Please keep in mind that I play primarily by ear.

Since I am basically teaching myself (and I may be doing this all wrong) I will sit down at the piano every day for an hour or so (perhaps longer on the weekends). I will play a song/piece that I already know to warm up. I will usually work on scales and technique some. I then try to work on a new/different song/piece that I am not familiar with and want to learn. I usually finish up playing an upbeat tune that I enjoy playing. Also, many of the songs/pieces I play are not purely instrumentals and I sing along with my playing. I have found that it is particularly challenging to play the instrument (well) and sing at the same time.

This is my piano practice regiment.

Regards,

Rickster

I try to practice 2 hours a day. So far I've been relatively successful but I know that life will interfere with that. But right now I can squeeze it in so I'm making hay while the sun shines.

Ken

Voyager,

The Russian Piano school comes in two volumes, and it says in the back that each volume takes approx 1 - 1.5 years, plus a third book with pieces, sonatas etc. for 3rd to 6th year. Each volume approx 100 pages.

I have not found it with Amazon.com, so I am not sure if it is available in English.

You can get it from amazon.de

Die Russische Klavierschule
Sikorski Band 1
ISBN 3920880684

Die Russische Klavierschule
Sikorski Band 2
ISBN 3920880692

Die Russische Klavierschule
Sikorski Spielband
ISBN 3920880706

It's a school you definitely need a teacher for as it has barely any explanations, and I wouldn't use it for small children who may be happy with a few pictures here and there.

What I like is that it has got little pieces which sound pretty nice and are ok to practice for an adult starter. A lot of these pieces by Russian composers, but also some central European ones, and from different times. In the back it lists the scales, chords and arpeggios (first volume only lists about 2/3 of them).

My first teacher had used the children's piano school and other "easy set" stuff by John W. Schaum which is probably at the other end of the world of piano schools.

As the Russian piano school is basically without explanations/words, the language doesn't really matter.

I generally try to get an hour of concentrated practice in every day. (I've been taking lessons for just over a year.) But, as I am home all day long, I do tend to sit at the piano for a few minutes here and there, outside of that hour. So I would guess I probably get a couple hours in every day, sometimes more, if I feel good about my playing (or don't want to do much else!! lol). My hour is planned out, as far as what I practice: scales, chords, digging into a newer piece, and working on polishing stuff. The in-between is really just whatever I feel like playing when I sit down....

depending on days or my condition (whether i am tired or not), my practice would be about 15min - 2hour on weekdays and more on weekend. sometimes, i could be carried away playing through several different pieces and not realizing how late it is...

Typically 1 - 1.5 hours every day on piano/keyboard and I've recently added guitar lessons so that takes up another 1+ hours every day which used to go to piano.

BTW:

Playing guitar has really helped with my left hand finger independance at the keyboard and playing piano has made learning guitar relatively easy.

I highly recommend not limiting yourself to just one instrument.

Rodney

I practise anything from 15 minutes up to around 3 hours a day (although my average is probably 1 hour). It depends on what else needs done and what piece I'm learning.

Typically two to three hours a day broken up into short periods, some as little as 15 minutes. Lots of short sessions maximises my progress. I play sections of pieces taht I need to learn or speed up - I try not to waste time going through teh whole of a piece when I am working on say page 15 of 23. All of it serious work - hardly any time spent playing things I already know. I do a repertoire refresher about once a week.

Adrian

I'm at about 17 months - self-taught.

At 4 months, maybe I was getting comfortable with reading treble clef. I was struggling to play with both hands - hands together (HT).

At 4 months I was probably practicing 15 minutes to 1.5 hours per day 4-5 days per week. Now I'm at about .5 to 1.5 per day every day, more on weekends.

I think the more you practice, the easier it gets and the longer you'll spend at it.

It would be difficult to make rookie mistakes for 4-6 hours per day. Although I guess if you spent that much time the mistakes would go away more quickly.

M-F: I play between 15 minutes and an hour. Weekends I try to make up for lost time and play 2-3 hours, spread out in shorter intervals throughout the day.

I'd play 4-6 hours if I could, and I fantasize daily about quitting my job to do so.

i need to start a thread titled, "where do you all get all that time to practice?"

i'm jealous!

I average about 30 minutes a day, although lately I have been getting more and more days where I practice for an hour. I work a pretty draining job so I'm sometimes exhausted when I come home. I have been finding though that putting the hour in makes a big difference and I'm striving to maintain that. I do get to the piano every day though for at least 15 minutes.

I also find it helpful to break up my practice sessions. I seem to do better with short spurts. Even if you do 30 minutes and then 15 and another 15...it adds up. I have an egg timer on the piano which I set. I like to keep track of my time.

On the digital about 15-20 minutes. Doing the same songs. then about 10 minutes working out a new song. On the acoustic, 10 minutes, playing the same songs (have to bring my list of songs with me or print another list)...hardly ever work out new songs on acoustic. In total I play (practice) about 30 minutes a day. Every single day - even if I go to bed at 12:30, I sit at the bench and play a bit. I want to focus more on going over new material and leave some old stuff behind. But whatever you can do it good. I find myself doodling a lot... but 8 months into PMMO, I am actually pleased with my progress.

Frycek - how do you practice so many hours a day? Where, in deed, do you find the time? Wow!

I get up at 3:00 am and practice before I go to work.

i have no set time to practice. i practice when i want to:) i usually tend to practice right when i get up in the morning mid day and late at night. i notice those are the times i practice most. as far as the length i dont have any set times, i practice till i am comfortable with what i am working on however long that could be????

I usually get in about 1 to 3 hours total a day and more on the weekends. I usually do this by taking breaks and when I have any time besides playing with my 2 year old or my wife then I sit at the piano.
Many times I will also just have the sheet music with me and read it while I hang around with the family.
I've been playing since last march and I can say that I am addicted to playing piano. Or maybe its more like obsessed....
Anways....besides already knowing how to read music my repertoire consists of Mozart's Sonata in C, Chopin's Waltz Op. 69 no. 2, Beethoven's Für Elise, and Bach's Prelude in C.
Have more but these are the ones I am concentrating on after 14 months. I don't bother with scales or any finger exercises because I feel that there are enough scales and exercises within the pieces I'm learning. I'm also self-taught. However..for the beginner with no musical background whatsoever....I would encourage the scales and teacher.

Peter

Ahhhh so do I ....so do I....
Luckily those sick days come in handy

Peter

Nowadays I practice around 1-1 1/2 hour a day. I usually break it up into 20-30 minute increments. I'm prone to carpal tunnel so I try to avoid abusing my hands. They do tire pretty quick, but maybe in time they'll build up more stamina

Thanks for sharing your practice times. I was getting worried that maybe I wasn't practicing enough. I also practice in intervals throughout the day. I totally agree with Monica Kern. I always dream about leaving work to practice piano. I always try to leave early. I have a terrific piano instructer and I am stating on scales hands together on C major. She also gave me sight reading exercises and a new song to learn every week. They are about four grand staffs in lenght with some repeat bars.

Piano Rocks!! Mozart Rocks!! Emmy Rossum Rocks!!

Regards

Michael loogman

On a good day, practice goes for at least an hour, hopefully two. Some days are hit and miss with 1/2 hour sessions each focusing on something different. It also depends on how much theory work I have. I've tried logging my time and I guess it averages about 12-15 hrs. a week.

I wonder if the 4-6 hour practices aren't being done by the professional players...how cool would that be for piano practice to be part of your job!

Lynn

I practice 45 min to 1 hour on an acoustic before I start work, 1 hour lunchtime on an acoustic and most days, 1+ hours in the evening on my digital (except for Friday - reserved for spouse ). On the weekends, if I don't have social commitments I take frequent "piano" breaks between household chores....But I'm totally addicted and would practice even more if I could..... The more I learn, the more addicted I become.

I know the feeling.

I like to get 2 hours a day in. I work full time and go to school so in the fall and spring it gets tough. I like looking at my time over a week. I go for 10 hours a week at the minumum which is doable while I am in school if I stay focused.

I also like this time to be spread out; not 6 or 8 hours all on the weekend. I progress faster if it is spread out during the week.

I will start doing what Frycek is doing. Make some time before work to work on the technical stuff like chords, scales, and progressions and hanon. This takes 45 min. befor I even get to the music. Good idea!

I have a very eratic practice schedule. Sometimes I'm completely consumed by what I'm doing (school, work, etc) and I literally don't play for a couple of months. Other times I'll give it a good 2+ hours a day. I've only been playing for about 15 months though.

I've learned some basic theory and have picked up a lot of technique. Sightreading, scales, arpeggios, etc. have all taken the back seat. I've only worked on pieces of music up till now. I plan to change that this summer though, as I need some more theory if I want to start improvising.

I can decently play the following pieces (though I would say none are really polished, and many are still actually unfinished.... I have a small attention span):

Satie: Gymnopedies and Gnossiennes

Debussy: Clair de Lune (arpeggio section is not upto speed yet).
Beethoven: Moonlight Sonata (easy part)

Beethoven: Fur elise (didn't really work on the interuptions)

Schubert Op 90 Impromptu No. 2 (only the first three pages are upto speed( well, decently upto speed, I've heard others play this very, very fast)

Joplin: Maple Leaf Rag (This one is quite fun to play)

hey, i didn't know Mozart composed 'Fur Elise' ?

Yeah, Beethoven must've swiped the manuscript when he was a kid that one time he visited Mozart.