Sometimes I wonder why practice than lesson time comes and I might as well trade in my ten fingers.

I think that if I've learned the assigned pieces and play them at home without too much trouble it should be the same when lesson time comes. Some lessons go better than others, Friday was for the birds. My guess this is a common problem.

Can you imagine going to a recital and the pianist says I'm going to play what works, bet some audience members would head for the exit.

Thanks for letting me get rid of my frustrations - it gets too me at times.

I have also had that experience. I practice hours a day and then sometimes at my lesson, I can't seem to play anything right. It's getting less frequent as I become used to lessons again but it still happens. I remember one lesson where I could not play the Chopin that I have been working on for months for anything. I have his first lesson of the day so I was there practicing before my lesson. He evidently was listening outside the door before he came in. When I had all kinds of problems playing it in my lesson, he said, it sounded good when I was in the hall. He joked that maybe he should do my lesson outside the door. Of course then I would know he was there. It's not anything he does. He's calm and patient. It is my problem and yes I get frustrated too.

Thanks Zillybug - I've been at this for quite a while and guess it comes with the territory.

My dream is to to have at least one lesson where I play without screwing up.

Hope it isn't a pipe dream.

It's nerves. Think about it this way: you actually WANT to play the worst for your teacher/at lessons. How else will he/she be able to give you feedback ?

It's like when your car makes a strange noise. Now, don't you hate it when you take it to the garage and it DOESN'T make that noise anymore?! They can't fix it!
"We don't hear anything, Mrs. PIano joy" ! sooooooooooo frustrating. But, if they hear the noise- voila! fixed, albeit $500 later...

so, think of your teacher as the mechanic. If you played your best and/or perfectly at lessons- what would be the point? Personally, I think it's great when you play your worst for your teacher (again, usually, nerves) and better everywhere else!

On to my piano recital............

How long have you been back at taking lessons? Sometimes, it's a matter of just developing the relationship with your teacher over time, and then you feel more comfortable, and then it gets easier to play like you "really play at home."

Another thought that might help - try thinking of your teacher as your coach and support, not as someone you have to perform for, or who is just waiting to judge your playing and whether you've done enough in the last week. Your teacher is there to help and guide you to be a better player! Think of your playing as a continuing conversation with a friend - the goal is not perfection, just sharing what you can play.

I know these are just different ways of thinking, not anything groundbreaking... but I've worked with lots of adult beginners over the years and had many, many conversations trying to ease people through "lesson stage fright" so that they could truly enjoy coming to lessons and playing while in front of me!

You could also invite a close friend to sit in your practice with you a couple times per week, to get the jitters out. I recently had a visitor to my website tell me that she lines up her kids' stuffed animals as an audience, LOL. Whatever works to give you more experience playing in front of others!

Hope you have a great lesson next week!

A student of mine had been with me several years and then I moved out of town. Since she had no computer or internet, Skype was not an option. But recently she purchased a computer and webcam and got help setting everything up, so we started again. She would sometimes get nervous at lessons, especially in the beginning. Now that we've had a little break (she took lessons elsewhere in the interim), the nerves are back again.

She played for me and I asked her if everything was OK? She seemed very distracted and making mistakes the tI know she normally didn't make. She admitted she was nervous, and so I reminded her that I'm there to help her. Lessons aren't a performance, but a way of showing me where she's at on a piece so I can offer advice on ways of making it work better for her. This was after the lesson was mostly finished, but she was able to play me her Hanon which she did wonderfully, so we ended the day with a success.

Sometimes it's not nerves, per se, but just being distracted by the fact that you know someone is listening. But think about it more like you're sharing this piece with someone...why you love it, what's your favorite part, etc., and not "hey, look at me do this!" Getting your mind just back on the task at hand is difficult, but being aware of it when your mind drifts and reigning it back in gets better over time.

I usually try to practise for a bit before my lessons. I work on what I plan to play at the lesson. As well, I also try to slow it down a bit for the lesson. The other thing is, as relative piano newbies, the occasions where we really nail something are rare (or rarer than we would like to admit). Recognizing and working on the weakness is what productive practise is all about...

Piano Joy thanks, maybe it is nerves - I'd be happy to play reasonably well - at my lesson on Friday it seemed that nothing went right.

You make a good point, you can't fix what aint broke, something to think about.

To always be consistent seems like a nice idea but we aren't robot or machines. There are days when most things went right and then there are days that everything doesn't seem to work. If you practice, the teacher can see it in your playing despite making many mistakes. Practice hard but take it easy and enjoy your lessons. Give yourself some credit :-)

Tubbie I guess you are right, sometimes, not often, she will say she knows I practice - maybe this is where "I shouda done when I was six" makes an entrance.

I should follow the PW motto "enjoy the journey".



PS: Thanks everyone, I really appreciate all your support.