Totally and utterly lost the love of piano

[frankie82]

My poor Clavinova is sat here gathering dust. I used to practice every day without fail, scales, practice pieces, exam pieces, everything. Now I go to it once a week (if that), and have no motivation at all! Help!What can I do to rekindle my enthusiasm??

[Dulciana]

It's just one of those things - I can think of others - where the more you do it, the more you want to do it, but the reverse is also the case! So just set yourself a target, give yourself a kick in the ar*e, and you'll be back in gear in a week or two.

[Steve Hopwood]

We all get these periods. I have endured them throughout my career.

There have been times when they have coincided with really busy performing schedules. They were real b-u-g-g-e-r-s.

I am in one now. I am overcoming it in the same way I have overcome all the rest. I am following the best of my kids' practise regimes - little and often.

Early in my career, I noticed that the best of my pupils did not do long periods of steady practise; they described themselves as playing the piano every time they walked past it. They walked past it many times, so they did a lot of playing.

Whenever I am in a rut, this is what I do. The slump passes eventually.

[possom]

I'm in one too!!!

Funnily enough I pm'd Steve about it a couple of days ago. I did actually play something today but it was from Brian Chapple's Lazy Days book ;D Can't be bothered with all the demanding classical stuff that I usually play. Maybe look at other areas in your life. Mine is very cluttered at the moment with plumbing work and replastering a bedroom and i'm sure that's affecting the music. If not, just accept it's natural to feel this way and maybe dig out some easy stuff that you wouldn't normally look at and try and have fun

[anacrusis]

I've long been of the opinion that humans need to hibernate in winter too....

what does everyone else think?

*goes to look for pile of leaves, preferably with duvet and pillows in it*

[possom]

anacrusis said:

I've long been of the opinion that humans need to hibernate in winter too....

what does everyone else think?

*goes to look for pile of leaves, preferably with duvet and pillows in it*

Excellent idea, this time last year I was in the Caribbean, certainly helped get over the Seasonal Affective Disorder, darn the central heating boiler or i'd be there again in a shot

[frankie82]

Hibernation sounds like a wonderful idea! If only!

I've recently returned to university to do a second degree, my life just seems swamped by that at the moment. I have a piano lesson about once a month (maybe that's why I'm falling behind in practice) and my teacher has suggested exams in June/July (to maybe give some motivation to play) but it seems like the last thing I want to do at the moment.

I just don't understand it, because at one point people had a hard time getting me off the piano, now I don't want do anything!

My teacher also used to introduce a lot of new material (pieces to play for pleasure) but now I'm having lessons so infrequently we're just focusing on exam pieces, which I think is killing my enthusiasm for it somehow.

[possom]

Maybe have a look on ebay, buy some cheap music and try it out on your own. Doesn't have to be classical, maybe have a go at something completely different. Probably 90% of the stuff I have learned has been on my own and without a teacher.

Good luck with the second degree, if that's what you're really focused on doing then let your piano playing be for fun for a while.

[digby]

stevehopwood said:

We all get these periods. I have endured them throughout my career.

There have been times when they have coincided with really busy performing schedules. They were real b-u-g-g-e-r-s.

I think this is because you had to do it, I did my degree with the Open University and whenever an assignment was due, the standard of my piano playing improved dramatically because it was far more interesting than whatever the topic was that I was supposed to be writing about.

So frankie, I think you're right with the monthly lessons and just focusing on exam work, maybe up them to fortnightly, if that is possible and as possom says, play some fun stuff.

[Steve Hopwood]

frankie82 said:

Hibernation sounds like a wonderful idea! If only!

I've recently returned to university to do a second degree, my life just seems swamped by that at the moment. I have a piano lesson about once a month (maybe that's why I'm falling behind in practice) and my teacher has suggested exams in June/July (to maybe give some motivation to play) but it seems like the last thing I want to do at the moment.

My teacher also used to introduce a lot of new material (pieces to play for pleasure) but now I'm having lessons so infrequently we're just focusing on exam pieces, which I think is killing my enthusiasm for it somehow.

You do understand the nature of your problem - you have described it clearly here. Instead of playing for the love of it, your piano study is aiming at exams instead. This just at a time when academic pressure must be quite high.

I agree with possom and digby. Jump off the piano exam train and do something different. Exams can motivate people to practise but they can also have the opposite effect.

[petite joueuse]

Nail on head, Steve!
As some of you know, I stopped having lessons with my teacher (who had me on a non-stop track to diploma and nothing else).
I'm now on a breathing space, but having great fun exploring Billy Mayerl, on my own, no exams, no lessons, no pressure.

We all need time to sit back and reflect, at times.

[frankie82]

It sounds like a good plan, the need to be competent at music seems like an added pressure at the moment! Maybe I need to have a few months away from lessons rather than force myself to study piano as well as a BSc!!