Only did 2.5 hours today, I debated on doing more but my practising wasn't going as well as it should and since it is now midnight and I don't really foresee it getting any better in the next hour and a half I figured I may as well stop before I do more harm than good. I really shouldn't have put off my daily practice to so late an hour today. I also missed my Sunday practice, definitely not happy about that either.

Did you miss Sunday due to being away or sick? if so you go on the excused list - otherwise on the "Back on the Wagon".

I just didn't practice on Sunday. I knew I was going to have a pretty terrible day at work (which started in the afternoon) and I just wasn't motivated to do much of anything prior to leaving for work, which included practising.

I am pretty sure this doesn't warrant putting me on the "excused" list for Sunday, nor would I want it too. Does that mean I 'fell off the wagon' on Sunday and then on when I did my Monday practising I was 'back on the wagon' (I am kind of unfamiliar with the MOYD terminology)?

I think I am going to start a blog which just lists everything I practice each day and for how long. I find it far too easy to cheat MOYD (if you don't mind me saying so). A blog might help circumvent this.

That's right, you can't be "excused". You fell off the wagon.
I will put you back on

As far as it being easy to "cheat"--- we work on the honour system. If someone doesn't report, ...well, we won't know -but they will. I figure anyone who "cheats" at MOYD is to be pitied rather than chastised.

There are a number of people who don't bother reporting in on missed days - but then they don't put the MOYD badge in their signatures either - so they aren't cheating, they are just not reporting.

We're a support group, not a policing entity

And for those of you just tuning in, while our friend PPP sets his (her? sorry, I have no idea) bar high at 4 hours per day, that is by no means the standard.

Our goal is to get to the piano every day.
Most find that if you sit down thinking -ok, I'll get in at least 10 minutes of scales.... you inevitably manage to do a bit more and as the year progresses, it pays off.

One month down, 11 more to go! Yesterday was a rough piano day for me. Instead of practicing I just played through the songs I knew and tried to play through those that I'm working on.Taking the day off of practice and just playing around instead of accomplishing something seems to help me with my frustration levels.

its

As you wish it, so it shall be!

Well here is that practice blog I said I would create, documenting everything I practice and for how long. There is only one entry so far, but I've got to start somewhere. Feel free to leave comments on it.

http://polyphasicpianist-practiceblog.webs.com/apps/blog/

I am so happy to find Piano World. What better way to start my posting than signing up for MOYD 2012? I don't know how much time I will be able to play every day, but would love to at least play every day! I already have an out-of-town trip planned sometime in early April, but I will do my best to make the "excused list".

Welcome - and good luck!

I only managed 3 hours today. I think perhaps because I tend to split my practicing into two hour blocks, and the second block tends to get put off until late at night. I will have to try and avoid such a scenario in the future. Procrastination can be quite persuasive.

Becca - we have to enjoy days of just playing, not "practicing"---after all, that's the end goal isn't it?

PPP your practice log is a great idea. I know a lot of people like to keep a log. Personally I just use my lesson list to be able to look back and see what I've been able to get through over any given period. I can't be bothered to keep a daily log - but that's me.

For those just starting to look at the thread - please note that polyphasicpianist's 4 hour goal is self-imposed - that's a personal objective and no one should think it is "standard MOYD" requirements! There is no set daily time for MOYD at all. NONE. Nor do you have to keep a log - though many do!

Sign me up. I try to get some practice in everyday. Not always as much as I would like to.

LOL good point Cas! I think I forget that sometimes!

I'm still plugging away. My arm is sore so my practice has gone down from 2 hours to one with lots of breaks. *sigh* I started yoga and have aches everywhere now! LOL

Welcome Mike!

Heya all. Hows everyone doing?

Tues and Wed were tough days for me this week! I managed to squeak in scales only because I broke my piano! It's now fixed and I'm back to my 1-2 hour practice a day but boy did that suck! I did scales just so I wouldn't have to go on the excused list! LOL I had to play them in the lower registar to avoid my broken hammer spot.

Ah well it's over with now.

Well, I'm impressed with polyphasicpianist, but I ain't nowhere near 4 hours--and am not likely to be.
However, instead of keeping a log this year (which got to be a pain last year), I'm simply using my chess clock to keep track of the total time spent.
I set a minimum goal of 30 minutes for the days when I can get to the piano, and currently I'm averaging well above that. The great thing about the clock, though, is that I can play in 15, 20, 30 minute "chunks" and it adds up. I don't have to sit there and plug away forever. If I have 15 minutes before dinner, I have a nice little chunk where I can polish things up.
It's working well.

I have found the MOYD has sometimes gotten me to the piano when I would rather have just blown it off. For a while I was thinking maybe I would withdraw, because I wasn't sure I like having that external pressure on my playing. I think I'm getting more used to it now and internalizing the mantra of playing every day, so it feels more like me telling me to get some practice in, even if only a few minutes of half-hearted runthroughs, and not some outside force.

Sounds like everyone is doing really well.

Michael Steen: I think working in "chunks" of time works well for a lot of us. I tend to do that too. 15 minutes can be a great amount of time to focus on a wee problem area.

Becca - good for you - we all have days where we don't have a lot of time to spend at the piano, but just making a point of doing something can help us stay in the groove!

PianoStudent88 - I agree with you - "me" telling me to play - that's what it is all about. I am feeling pretty pleased about being at the start of my third year of playing every day (with only 1 sick day, and some travel days as legitimate non-playing days).
Yesterday I almost didn't make it... I've got a cold and REALLY wasn't in the mood. But I did a bit and was glad to have made the effort.

Yes, those 15-minute practice chunks can be really useful. One of the benefits of MOYD has been that on days when time is short (usually every Wednesday, bcz of my schedule) I've learned to sit down for 15 minutes & FOCUS on one small problem, & often fix it.

I am new to the piano and the forums, and I just now found this thread. Please sign me up. I have missed two days in 2012 so far, but my goal is to keep it at just those two days. Thanks much.

Welcome Jaojr, I'll put you on the "excused" list --- remember that you can be excused if you are sick or away from home - but if you forget, or run out of time, or skip a day you "fall off the wagon" and have to get back on

Hope you enjoy being in the MOYD 2012 group!

CAS: I need to go on either the excused list or the back-on-the-wagon list, whichever is appropriate. Missed yesterday because I was out of town and didn't get back until after midnight. Thanks.

LB, out of town qualifies as excused.

Please add me as a late signer upper for MOYD2012.

I have not missed a day this year, so far. Between MOYD and my spiral bound notebook log tapping its little accusing, guilt-inducing toes, I think I'm set.

I've been dreading coming here to 'fess up, but I have an unexcused absence from last week. I blame the 日本酒. I didn't even have that much, but I couldn't practice with the room twirling :-( I'm really mad at myself for not even getting through two months. March is full of travel, so there will definitely be missed days then. I've been practicing really hard since. I am making progress, which is the important thing...

Ok, MaryAnn, you are back on the wagon Your travel for March will be "excused" just give me the dates when you get back.

Welcome Stubbie - generally if folks tell me they've been playing every day I put them on the "pure" list - if they don't specify, I put them on late start.

Please sign me up, Thanks!! And I have been playing every day

I have been shirking my MOYD duties, averaging only about two hours a day for the past couple of weeks. I have excuses, but I shall spare them since nothing short of a zombie apocalypse technically should suffice. Anyway, both as a sort of a punishment and extra incentive to work harder, I shall fasten to my PW signature a badge of shame (seen below). I intend to wear this badge for each day I fail to live up to my own set standards of practice.

Dear dear Polyphasicpianist,

Will you permit me to say a few words?

First of all - MOYD has no place for shame. It is a place of encouragement and support to keep up with a realistic objective - to get to the piano once a day.

I fear that your self-imposed 4-hour schedule is one that is self-defeating unless you are a full time music student or training for a musical profession.

Please don't beat yourself up - by all means have goals - but make sure your goals are realistic. If you set goals you can't consistently meet you are setting yourself up for "failure". I put it in quotes because I personally can't consider 2 hours a day a failure.

If you've been playing every day - you are MOYD, pure and simple.

In MOYD there is no set time frame.

My reason for writing to you like this is two-fold.

In the first place, I really do think you are beating yourself up. Of course I don't know your circumstances, but nonetheless, for the average player in this thread 4 hours is pretty much unthinkable. As you are discovering, it is challenging for you too.

In the second place, I really feel responsible for following up on all your posts with a disclaimer that MOYD is NOT about 4 or 3 or 2 or even 1 hour a day - it is about getting to the piano every day and playing or practicing.

I don't think you have any need to wear a badge of shame, and honestly, I think you're generating a bit of a negative spin on the fundamental concept of MOYD.

I don't mean to be unkind, not at all - I admire your drive and determination. I just don't like to see you putting yourself down with a badge of shame, and I really want to avoid any confusion that gives newcomers the idea that they have to try to reach specific amounts of time at the piano.

I wish you success in meeting your goals - I just think that maybe you have to assess what is truly realistic for you.

Good luck - and don't wear that badge of shame, please - you have nothing to be ashamed of. Not even in jest.

Well, much to my chagrin, I took down my badge of shame out of respect for your thoughtful post Casinitaly. But I really can not be content with my two hours. Is four hours realistic? I don't fully know at this point. Sometimes it is and sometimes it isn't. But what I do know is that it is too early to conclude such a question with any real certainty, and that it would be unwise to stop trying in light of a few failed failed attempts. If playing the piano teaches us anything, it is that effort, more often than not, only releases it reward after a person has refused to quit, and I simply refuse to quit.

With that being said, I do understand that MOYD is about just getting to the piano, as opposed to being at the piano for X amount of time. I realise I may be inadvertently creating a rather stressful atmosphere here. Four hours a day is not an easy goal to reach, and I can't pretend that it is. However, I am not entirely sure what I can do about this insofar as MOYD is concerned. I suggested other alternatives on a previous thread, but that met with disapproval for the most part. If anyone has any suggestions I am more than willing to hear them out.