# Tips on keeping composure when practicing



## Igneous01

Hello fellow TCers,

I've been having periods where when I practice I end up getting so frustrated that I cant seem to remain my composure. There have been days where I just hate sitting at the piano and trying to practice.

I usually practice my pieces at various tempos and sometimes focus on passages by working on them slowly etc until I get the motions memorized. But there are times where its difficult to continue playing, because either:

a. I dont like the sound of my playing
b. A technique after months of practicing still hasn't improved

Now I know in the back of my head technique takes time to learn and master. But my impatience at the piano overwhelms me and ultimately I sometimes end up going on a rampage by cranking my hands as fast as I possibly can and hammer away at the piano - lots of pain and tension here, no surprise either. I just get the urge to slam my hands on the keys as a way to punish my hands for not working properly.

I know, that this is not healthy nor productive to do. But when your angry its difficult not to off some steam. Also I don't always rage with my hands either, but it does happen.

I always try to relax when I start to feel agitated, but sometimes it just doesn't work, or when it does, moments later it comes back.

I find it really difficult to just "let go" and "have fun" at the piano, those words dont correlate well with my lifestyle and the way I was raised.

What are some suggestions for keeping this under control? It's not like I hate playing piano, but there are those days that I do.


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## Ravndal

Fresh air and exercise. Seriously.


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## Vaneyes

Yes, step away, and when ready, come back to it with fresh mind and body. :tiphat:


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## Sonata

Agreed with the prior posters. Especially exercise. An excellent way to release aggression and bump up some endorphins. Seriously, be careful with your hands. If you give yourself an injury, then it's not going to help your technique anyway.


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## arpeggio

*Bassoon and the Window*

I try not to throw my bassoon through the dining room window.

​


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## PetrB

Allow me, if you will, to introduce you to 'mental work / mental practice.' There is probably a trendier or more accurate term for it these days, but, essentially....

WHILE AWAY FROM THE INSTRUMENT:

You have the score. You read it through as if you are playing, at tempo, and hearing as much of the work in as a most ideal way you think it should sound -- all the while actively visualizing your actually playing it, 'watching your hands' -- it is 'virtual' and complete, but not physical.

If you have the piece memorized, you could do this while taking a walk, out of doors, or while lying down with your eyes closed.

Remember even then to breathe with the phrasing and gestures of the music -- one thing that pianists, especially, can be completely unaware of, or ignore or forget. The breathing should be a conscious part of when you do actually practice. It of course helps the music, but also helps your brain, quite literally.

Now, the level of expectation -- you can't have been playing too long if you have not yet had several or more PLATEAUX, where nothing seems to improve even when putting in the daily requirement... that is where more than a little faith comes in. You must believe that, one day in future, this work will show a result. Funny thing about those 'plateaux' -- you don't notice the improvement until after you are beyond.... i.e. one day the results will be 'reliably' and constantly there, and you will notice "this is working, and it is a lot better than half a year ago." Just to tell you, while you are in the middle of a 'space' like that, the work does pay off, the frustration -- feeling 'static' or stuck, does end... to be realistic, until the next plateau, that is 

If you are at home, parents, family able to hear you practice, you have to consciously say, 
"To ____ with them! I am PRACTICING HERE, and there is no need to make a perfect performance."

If there is any more direct antagonism about your 'playing wrong' notes from those around you, you may have to actually make a gesture, inviting the antagonist to sit down at the piano, open the music on the rack for them, and stand back as if waiting to hear them perform. Usually shuts them up each time. (if they are a player, they also very much get the point.)

And sometimes, a little stroll out of doors and a really healthy, loud, and aggressive primal scream lets out what does not belong with you while practicing 


And take the break away from the piano, even a few minutes, rotate your head, left / right, bend over, stretch, raise your arms to the ceiling, swing them around, do radial swings so you are also twisting your upper torso and flexing your spine -- all the stuff anyone who sits for a long time, active as in piano playing or less, should do.


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## hreichgott

I'm not averse to throwing stuff, personally. Bunches of loose sheets of paper work well. They fly through the air nicely and don't break anything.


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## PetrB

hreichgott said:


> I'm not averse to throwing stuff, personally. Bunches of loose sheets of paper work well. They fly through the air nicely and don't break anything.


And then there is the added benefit of exercise and stretching in the picking up of said flung papers


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## TwoFourPianist

Here's how I practice:

Play through the entire piece as many times as you like (or sections of the piece)
Don't focus on certain passages until you have a good idea of what the piece is about (and can play it to a decent standard)
Let your mind wander!
Take breaks if you are getting fustrated - play some easy pieces that you know, do some scales, do some jazz improvisation (this one particularly works for me)
And whatever you do: DON'T HIT SMASH HANDS AGAINT THE KEYS! IT REALLY HURTS! And does nothing to make you a better player 

These work for me, hope they help


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## Bone

Brass practice is pretty easy in comparison: a large amount of my time is routine-based and involves metronome & tuning. By the time I 'm beginning any musical work, I've usually reached a calm mental state and genuinely enjoy the transition to music-making. Maybe that's something that would help you, too: start your practice with activities that can be strictly compartmentalized and rigidly rehearsed; when you move into more personal music-making activities, let go of the rigid, compartmentalized mentality and just accept what happens. Sort of a Zen approach, but otherwise I can't imagine enjoying practice sessions.


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## evagreen

Great tips thanks a lot!


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## Blue

These are fantastic tips! The only thing I would add is to spend a little time messing around with your favorite pop song. I know it sounds silly, but somehow changing gears mentally from working hard on technical things and studying pages of sheet music to playing chords and rhythm by ear and having some fun often refreshes me when I get burned out.


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## Stephanie Martin

One thing that might help is to find some pieces that are genuinely fun for you to play and are a level or two below your level. They should be easy to learn, with simple, enjoyable melodies that capture your interest. When I've been plugging away at learning my current Classical pieces, and I get frustrated or tired of them, I take a few minutes to "play for fun." I take out some much easier pieces (a good example would be any songs by Martha Mier, or similar composers), and just enjoy myself. This might give you the chance to learn to loosen up at the piano, and play for fun sometimes. Discipline is incredibly important, of course...but let's face it, sometimes you need to take a break and relax.

Others have recommended exercise above--I definitely agree! Specifically what helps me is to stand up from the piano, walk away, and stretch. Stretching relaxes you, gets the oxygen flowing, and has a rejuvenating effect on your mood. Also, it can prevent tension from building up in your neck, back, and hands--which often happens when you play piano for long periods of time. Good luck!


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## Krummhorn

I always begin and end my practice sessions with something that I am quite familiar with and play well. It makes for a very positive session and I can close the lid on the keyboard without the tension of playing poorly, missed notes, timing errors and the like. 

I will also read the score before sitting down at the piano or organ ... I have the ability to hear the notes in my mind as I pour over the music, so that helps me when learning a new piece for either instrument. 

If I get to frustrated with something new, I will table it until the next session ... there are certain days when things just don't work out right, and instead of getting upset, play the most familiar piece I know and then end the session.


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## PetrB

Blue said:


> These are fantastic tips! The only thing I would add is to spend a little time messing around with your favorite pop song. I know it sounds silly, but somehow changing gears mentally from working hard on technical things and studying pages of sheet music to playing chords and rhythm by ear and having some fun often refreshes me when I get burned out.


Excellent suggestion, principle, whatever the 'non-practice don't play as written' if written at all material is... and if pop isn't your thing, just 'noodle about' and see what pops up.


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## Animato

I have nothing to add you all your tips - especially those by PetrB !!! they are excellent !!!

Just one remark on my own experience as an amateur-pianist:
I have to 'modi' when I sit down to practice or to play the piano:
one is the 'practice-modus': I play with utmost disciplin, try to reflect every key I press, repeat difficult parts in a slow tempo.
the other is the 'enjoy-modus': then I just play in order to enjoy the music: I just 'ignore' that there are difficult parts and somehow get through them. I learn (and of course enjoy) to view a piece in its dramatic progression. I start to play a piece of music thinking: 'let's take off' (like in a plane) and then I fly on the wings of music, and after the last chords of the piece I touch down on earth again. 

Next piano-session I start with the 'practice-modus' again ... and over and over. That's my piano-life


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## Kije

Eating properly and sleeping enough will certainly affect one's mood. I've noticed that when dehydrated it's extremly difficult to stay focused. Also, improvising on the piano is pretty helpful. Or playing the second or the third instrument for a while? Or visiting a café? Or meeting some friends at the local? The main point: when angry with any hard part or passage, I do something else and try to make use of my anger by jogging instead.


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## Krummhorn

Igneous01 said:


> . . . been having periods where when I practice I end up getting so frustrated that I cant seem to remain my composure. There have been days where I just hate sitting at the piano and trying to practice.
> 
> What are some suggestions for keeping this under control? It's not like I hate playing piano, but there are those days that I do.


I begin and finish any practice session with something I know rather well. If a practice session ends on a _wrong note_ rolleyes it can feel like nothing positive was accomplished and sets one up for failure for the beginning of the next session.

There are days when I can't play anything worth a tinkers damn ... has something to do with the the planets not being properly aligned to a pineapple in the fields of Hawaii ... so I immediately stop right then and there, and leave it alone until the next day. I am not going to punish myself for doing badly, especially when the end result is no better than the beginning of that practice session.

This is what works for me anyway ... and I remain a successful professional musician to this day, now some 50+ years later.


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