Beginner piano students often ask, how much should I be practicing? In their weekly lessons, they are learning piano theory, technique and easy beginner pieces, so they have plenty to work on. These beginners are building finger strength, learning how to hold their hands at the piano, and grasping the language of music.
I explain to students that just as important to learning new lesson material is to develop the habit of practicing, and to aim for 15 minutes each day.
Neuroscience shows that it’s better to practice a new skill for a short amount of time often, rather than for a large chunk of time inconsistently, or only once or twice.
Reason being that if I practice something for a short while, say 15 minutes, over an extended period of time it signals to my brain that it is an action worth paying attention to and my brain begins to build the needed neural pathways.
Otherwise, if I sit down for only a day or two, even for many hours in one sitting, my brain registers that this is not something I’m likely to stick with so it doesn’t bother to make those connections.
If you’ve read James Clear’s bestselling book, Atomic Habits, then you’re familiar with the concept – that it’s the small, consistent habits that produce results overtime.
By practicing just 15 minutes a day, beginner piano students will be amazed at the amount of progress made in just one week. Then over a month, six months, then a year and beyond.
The value isn’t just in practicing piano. Students are building the habit of practicing, and strengthening the skill of dedication and focus.
Those 15 minutes can be filled with a variety of activities, including practicing repertoire, or improvising, picking out a melody by ear, actively listening to a recording, or thoughtfully running through scales or arpeggios. Here’s an idea for a great beginner piano piece to learn:
If you are a beginner who would like to learn how to play piano, I’ve created an online course called Introduction to Playing Piano, covering important first steps towards building confidence in piano proficiency. Learn more here:
https://learn.marisamusicstudio.com/products/courses/introduction-to-playing-piano