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#1984981 - 11/10/12 09:52 AM Searching for motivation after bad lesson...
Jophiel Offline
Full Member

Registered: 07/07/10
Posts: 49
Hi! So, I practised really hard and my teacher was in bad mood ( I think he is going through divorce). I didnt play very well that day and he criticized every detail and at the end of lesson he told me I played awfully today.
Well, Beethoven went really bad, but other pieces were quiet good, he didnt say a word about what I played well, just talking how awfull Beethoven was... It really wasnt constructive criticism.
He wasnt like this before, just last 2 lessons.

And result? I am totally demotivated, didnt practised much last week (I did about 4-6 hours a day), it really touched me, because he knows how I love piano and practise a lot.

Does anybody have similar experience?? How to get motivated again?

I really hope he wil be like before soon...

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#1984995 - 11/10/12 10:38 AM Re: Searching for motivation after bad lesson... [Re: Jophiel]
DanS Offline
Full Member

Registered: 10/28/12
Posts: 236
Loc: NJ
Sorry to hear this. I think we've all had bad lessons from time to time. I've always found the "I'll show him next week!" attitude to be very motivational, but it sounds like your teacher is picking on you. I certainly don't see the value in cutting down a student at the very end of a lesson. I think you should stand up for yourself. If you think you're being treated unfairly, then say so....just do it near the end of the lesson, and do it very nicely. You could always switch teachers if things don't get better.

Hang in there. Don't let someone's foul attitude distract you from what you love.

dan
_________________________
'Nothing in music is hard, just unfamiliar' -Kenny Werner

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#1985075 - 11/10/12 03:25 PM Re: Searching for motivation after bad lesson... [Re: Jophiel]
Peter K. Mose Offline
500 Post Club Member

Registered: 01/06/12
Posts: 871
Loc: Toronto, Ontario
You could mention his divorce, and express sympathy for his difficult circumstances. You could also ask him if he needs a break for a few weeks. This might wake him up to what you are suddenly enduring from him.

Or you could just say, "Mr. Sousatzka, what I need from you is the constructive criticism I used to receive."

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#1985131 - 11/10/12 06:57 PM Re: Searching for motivation after bad lesson... [Re: Peter K. Mose]
Tim Adrianson Offline
500 Post Club Member

Registered: 08/07/10
Posts: 735
To me, Peter's advice is spot-on: if you know, or strongly suspect, what prompted the mood change, and you've worked with him long enough to notice an abrupt change in attitude, just simply ask: "What's wrong?", or even "What's REALLY wrong?"
I realize that this is risky; but, the way you put it, I think it's worthwhile to take that risk.

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#1985228 - 11/11/12 03:23 AM Re: Searching for motivation after bad lesson... [Re: Jophiel]
btb Offline
4000 Post Club Member

Registered: 01/21/04
Posts: 4027
Loc: Pretoria South Africa
Scrub round the divorce twitter ... take a good look in your mirror ... you're suffering from a practice-high (like drug induced) ... anybody who practises 4-6 hours a day needs medication to "ease up on the oars".

Get out and smell the roses ... some of us never so-called practice ... WE PLAY ... in exiting meaningful short bursts.

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#1985283 - 11/11/12 09:15 AM Re: Searching for motivation after bad lesson... [Re: Tim Adrianson]
Jophiel Offline
Full Member

Registered: 07/07/10
Posts: 49
Thank you for all your opinions. If next lesson will like the last 2 I will ask, whats wrong. Thank you!!! He was really nice before and already had similar mood change last year, but it was gone soon.

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#1985285 - 11/11/12 09:20 AM Re: Searching for motivation after bad lesson... [Re: btb]
Jophiel Offline
Full Member

Registered: 07/07/10
Posts: 49
I dont think 4 hours are that much :-) I have a lot of pieces to work on...

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#1985369 - 11/11/12 01:44 PM Re: Searching for motivation after bad lesson... [Re: Peter K. Mose]
keystring Online   content
9000 Post Club Member

Registered: 12/11/07
Posts: 9370
Loc: Canada
Originally Posted By: Peter K. Mose

Or you could just say, "Mr. Sousatzka, what I need from you is the constructive criticism I used to receive."

I like this, because it frames your view of the teacher in a positive way of what you liked about his teaching before, while mentioning something specific and practical.

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#1985381 - 11/11/12 02:13 PM Re: Searching for motivation after bad lesson... [Re: Jophiel]
kayvee Offline
Full Member

Registered: 09/29/12
Posts: 135
Loc: Santa Barbara
Originally Posted By: Jophiel
I dont think 4 hours are that much :-) I have a lot of pieces to work on...


Originally Posted By: Jophiel
And result? I am totally demotivated, didnt practised much last week (I did about 4-6 hours a day), it really touched me, because he knows how I love piano and practise a lot.


Wait, I'm confused about one thing. You went from practicing X number of hours a day to 4-6 hours a day because you are demotivated?

Or did you mean you used to do 4-6 hours a day and now you do less?

Either way, follow what Peter said above.
_________________________
A linguistics major who loves piano and knows too much theory/history without knowing how to play it as well as he wants to be able to.

Let's hope that changes. Taught piano for almost two years and currently working on:
"Going back to the basics..."

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#1986215 - 11/13/12 02:43 PM Re: Searching for motivation after bad lesson... [Re: kayvee]
Jophiel Offline
Full Member

Registered: 07/07/10
Posts: 49
I do 4-6 hours normally, when I was demotivated I did maybe 3 hours a week! :-D Sorry for my english.

BTW my lesson was good today, teacher was tired and sad, but gave me constructive critic like before!! :-)

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