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I’m working full time now .. and the pieces I'm studying are,” two timing” and “croation rhap.”

Both are pretty long and I'm wondering how long this is going to take to for these to complete to a good level of palying..(4weeks)maybe at minimum.

I’m fatigued a little at the end of a day so I only practice
30 min every day;
I don't’ know how else to do this....but i guess I'll work something out as time moves on ...any experience with study time appreciated.

I hate during all that time not to move forward, anyone think it would be negative to “scantly” practice
forward lessons just for learning technique?

Are you able to get longer sessions in on weekends? Can you try practicing in the mornings?

This semester I practice before I leave the house in the mornings, and since I start earlier on Mon, Wed and Fri, those days I only tend to get about 30-45 minutes of practice. But on Tues and Thurs, I get between 90-120 minutes.. And on the weekends, usually I do a two hour practice one of the days and a shorter practice the other.


I find that having a few days where I have more practice time helps because I can do more progressive work (like focusing on a new section) in a longer practice session, and then work on cementing it during shorter practice sessions. I don't think I'd feel as positive about my practice if all my sessions were 30 minutes long.

Whatever you do, try to get to the piano as many times a week as possible. More frequent practice sessions about better than fewer, longer ones.

And don't feel bad if your pieces are taking a long time, that's how it goes. You might want to choose a piece that will be faster to work through, to balance out the more time-consuming pieces.

Good Luck!

P.S. I am not moving through Croatian Rhapsody very quickly, but I am not really in a hurry with that piece.

Thanks for the advice, I think will plan alternate times with some being longer periods of practice.
What I also was thinking about was this:
If it’d effective to “mentally practice” measure by measure when I can ( I’m on the road alot ....not a trucker; in business- sort of )by memorizing 1 measure by measure then imagining the fingering until I know that mentally... perhaps doing each measure verbally into a tape recorder. then pausing etc, etc. until I know it.
Because while driving I really don’t have to think about anyway..

Yes, you are right,longer periods of practice is good!

Yes, that's very good. And also try listen to recordings, both of the pieces you are learning and of other interesting music, while you drive. That is both ispiring and helpful for practice!

It's not only about practising longer. Try to practice just 20 minutes one evening... Then take a break and do something else and get back for 20 more minutes. That way you will have more energy when you do sit at the piano, and add 10 minutes without noticing it. Or try to practice 15 minutes before work, and then the 30 minutes in the evening.

For example, when you are tired in the evening session you could decide that: ok I need to sort this difficult section out, lets do that in the morning session tomorrow when I am more alert. And continue to play something that requires a little less focus.