Piano Practice: How long should I practice each day?

Many people love to play music, but they don’t necessarily like to practice it. Practicing can be tedious, frustrating, and exhausting. Just like athletes must exercise, musicians must practice.

That’s not to say that practice can’t be fun. If you like playing music, you should enjoy practicing and if you don’t, you’re probably doing it wrong.

In the dark age of music, the way to practice was to walk into a room with a single light bulb hanging from the ceiling. The room had nothing but a piano and a bench. (Maybe some water) You entered this chamber and came out only after hours of hard work. Then the next day you did it all over again. You repeat this process for a few years, and suddenly one day you emerge as an amazing pianist!

If that’s your idea of ​​practice, no wonder you don’t like it. Very few people do that! Practice doesn’t have to be like this. Sure, you have to be focused, detail-oriented, willing to face adversity, and yes, some days you won’t want to, but there are numerous ways to practice to make it enjoyable.

First, how much? It goes without saying that the more you practice, the better you will be. If your goal is to be a professional pianist, make no mistake, it’s going to take a long time. If your goal is to play in a more casual setting, you’ll need less time. If your son or daughter is in 5th grade and has the attention span of a 5th grader, even less time. Your teacher will be able to give you more exact amounts of time, but try to get at least 30 minutes each day.

Adult piano students should divide their practice sessions into two or more segments, using the principle of spaced repetition. If you practice an hour a day, try to divide it into 3 sessions of 20 minutes each. You will concentrate better without getting bored, and of course your butt will appreciate the rest.

Can you only practice on the piano? No. You could practice counting rhythms, using flashcards to learn your note names or musical terms. You could write with difficult fingerings. You can practice improvisation by tuning into your favorite song. There are many activities that make you a better musician that don’t require a piano.

Of course, most of your practice time will be in front of the piano, but find other ways to break up your practice time if in doubt.

A basic practice routine might look like this:

Warm-up – 10 minutes (Scales, arpeggios, chords)

Sight Reading – 5 Minutes – Find a piece of music you’ve never seen before and try to play it.

Pieces: 15 minutes: Practice pieces for an upcoming recital or any other study, exercise, or music your teacher has assigned you.

Adjust these times based on the total practice time for the day.

Remember this: all the great people in the world didn’t get there without hard work. Athletes with a lot of natural talent work hard. Inventors who process the ability to change the world often go through a series of failures, and musicians go through periods of frustration where things don’t seem to get better. That’s a normal part of the process and the people we see every day who are at the top of their field were the ones who endured the tough days. Practicing won’t be fun every day, but in the end you’ll be glad you put in the effort to rehearse your piano lesson. You may be the next great pianist in the world!