A slump in piano practice is akin to a state of boredom and lack of motivation. The days when you were full of passion for the piano have passed, and now you find yourself thinking, ”It’s no use even if I try,” leading to a loss of motivation to practice. Interestingly, slumps often occur among those who have been practicing diligently. In contrast, people who squeeze in practice time amidst their busy schedules tend to experience slumps less frequently. It’s similar to how Romeo and Juliet’s love felt more intense because they had to meet in secret due to their families’ opposition. Had they married, they might have faced the same communication issues and conflicts as any ordinary couple.
In this article, we will explore eight different ways to fall in love with the piano again and overcome a slump.
1. Trying Beautiful and Easy Pieces
If you find yourself in a slump, it can be helpful to put aside the piece you are currently practicing and try something new. When you feel overwhelmed by a challenging piece, switching to an easier one can help restore your confidence. For example, choosing a piece you can complete in a week or two can lead to positive thoughts like, “Playing piano isn’t so bad after all!” Remember, there was a time when you couldn’t finish a piece of this level so quickly. Your practice has brought you this far.
Additionally, learning a new piece can rekindle your interest in the piano. You don’t need to feel obligated to finish every piece you start. Just as you don’t have to finish every book you start reading, you can switch to a different piece and come back to it later—or not at all.
Here’s a beautiful piece that can help you rediscover your love for the piano: William Gillock’s “Autumn Sketch.” While it varies for each person, those who have been learning piano for about two years should find it relatively easy to learn.
2. Trying a New Genre
Exploring genres outside of your usual repertoire can be refreshing. If you’ve been primarily focused on classical music, consider trying something like New Age, jazz, tango, OSTs, or pop songs. Don’t worry if you’re unfamiliar with jazz chords; many sheet music arrangements include a written-out left-hand part that you can follow. Simply search for “desired song title + piano pdf” to find sheet music. For example, searching for “Fly Me to the Moon” on www.musescore.com and filtering for piano reveals over 300 sheet music options. You can choose a piece that matches your skill level and preference, as sheet music is often categorized into Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced levels.
If you’re disappointed that you can only preview a portion of the sheet music before purchasing, try www.mymusicsheet.com. While they also offer only partial previews, many arrangers upload performance videos of themselves playing their sheet music. This way, you can hear the entire piece before deciding to purchase. For instance, here’s a Bossa Nova version of “Fly Me to the Moon”: https://youtu.be/yHGQ-6jzSlE.
Recently, one of my students brought me sheet music for a piece from the game Final Fantasy X, expressing a desire to learn it. The piece “To Zanarkand” is sure to appeal to those who have played the game: https://youtu.be/z3eQuEm4R10?si=M425jYJyK5ltzZDk.
3. Practicing for a Minimal Time
In the book “Atomic Habits,” it is suggested that to achieve a goal, you should make it (1) clear, (2) attractive, (3) easy, and (4) satisfying. To practice piano “easily,” you can set a “minimal time” for your practice sessions. If you aim to practice too much, you may find yourself reluctant to start. How about practicing for 15 minutes? Or 10 minutes? Even five minutes is fine. Playing the piano is similar to exercise, so it’s beneficial to use your muscles regularly. This is especially important for adults.
Don’t worry about whether practicing for just five minutes will improve your piano skills. Overcoming the slump is the priority right now. In reality, it’s not that people lack time; if you add up all the time spent aimlessly scrolling on smartphones in a day, it would be significant. It’s more about being reluctant to set aside time. Often, once you start practicing for even five minutes, you may find that you want to continue beyond that time, as people tend to keep doing what they’ve started. The hardest part is getting up and opening the piano lid, not extending the practice time by five more minutes. What makes it easier to get up and open the piano lid is the mindset of “I’ll just practice for a minimal amount of time!”
There is a clock called the Time Timer, which can usually be set for up to 60 minutes, and it visually shows the remaining time with a red indicator (other colors are also available). This visual countdown can help increase focus. There’s also a free Time Timer app, and if you like it, you might consider buying a physical clock. The app may tempt you to look at your phone, which can be distracting.
4. Taking Lessons
Are you self-studying? If so, I recommend taking some lessons. You can gain new insights from unexpected areas. A teacher might point out hidden melodies that aren’t immediately apparent. Experiencing the transformation from a flat, two-dimensional performance to a more dynamic, three-dimensional one can rekindle your enthusiasm for practice. Hearing a professional play just for you can also be a refreshing and inspiring experience.
Having a piano teacher means not only gaining help with understanding pieces and improving technique but also receiving valuable insights into your progress. The teacher is the person who knows best how your skills are developing and what areas need improvement. Even if you don’t notice the small changes in your playing, your teacher will. With such a teacher, you won’t feel frustrated by a lack of apparent progress, as they can guide you through each step of your learning journey.
Even taking lessons for a month or two can be beneficial. Teachers or professors who learn piano as a hobby often take lessons during vacations rather than during the busy semester. There are also teachers who offer one-time piano lessons. If you ever feel like you’re not making progress on your own, why not consider taking a lesson now and then?
5. Meeting People with the Same Hobby
Connect with others who share your passion for piano, whether online or offline. Playing the piano can be a solitary activity, so having conversations with others who share your interest is important. Sometimes, even professionals join these gatherings. Do you remember we mentioned that slumps often occur among those who practice diligently? Professionals who often feel like they’re never good enough despite their hard work are no strangers to slumps. Ask professionals or hobbyists who play piano better than you if they have ever experienced a slump, and if so, how they overcame it. Knowing that you are not the only one going through a slump can be very comforting.
6. Performing
Yes, performing is the key. It might seem extreme, but using the “eye for an eye” mentality, you can combat a piano slump by facing it head-on with piano performances. The most crucial step here is to commit to a performance. Once a concert date is set, there’s little room to linger in a slump because you need to prepare. You might wonder, “A recital for hobbyists?” But there are groups where hobbyists regularly gather for recitals. If a formal recital feels too daunting, consider visiting a café or restaurant with a piano. Check in advance if there are any conditions for using the piano, and if you can play a song or two, take the opportunity to perform in front of friends and loved ones. You’ll likely find the energy to practice, motivated by the desire to play for those you care about.
7. Holding onto Memories of Praise
Slumps often occur when thoughts like “I’m not good enough” or “Why can’t I play better?” creep in. But let’s think back—haven’t you made progress over time? Hasn’t anyone ever complimented your playing?
Try to gather even the smallest pieces of praise you’ve received. Sometimes, or often, we set our expectations too high. We might think, “I have to play at that level to be considered good,” and be overly harsh on ourselves. It’s easy to dismiss a teacher’s compliment as just polite encouragement.
I used to do the same, constantly comparing my playing to the world’s greatest artists on CD. During my first year studying in Germany, I felt utterly discouraged watching a student five years younger than me perform Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in the university concert hall, accompanied by her professor. Because of my short fingers, I thought I might never be able to play that piece in my life. However, the Russian student and her professor performed it brilliantly. I seriously wondered, ‘Maybe someone like me should quit playing the piano altogether.’
A few years later, after finishing my second graduation exam at École Normale de Musique de Paris, I walked off stage and opened the door to the backstage area. There, an Iranian student who had been listening to my performance from the waiting room behind the door was standing. As soon as she saw me, she exclaimed, “How can you play so wonderfully!” like a mother praising her child, and gave me a kiss on the cheek, which surprised me. She was a fellow student under the same professor, but I had only seen her once before and had never spoken to her. She had failed the first exam and was unable to take the second one, yet she generously praised others. If I had been in her position, I don’t think I could have done that, as I would have been too upset.
Even 20 years later, I remember that moment vividly. I hope you all have similar memories and hold on to them, drawing strength from them whenever you face challenges with the piano.
8. Taking a Break from Piano Practice
If nothing else seems to work, take a break. Close the piano lid and don’t even look at your sheet music. I once heard a piano professor tell a student to take a month off from practicing. The student was preparing for a doctoral program after completing a master’s degree. She was struggling to overcome a certain barrier in her playing. The professor advised her to go out, have coffee at outdoor cafes, and watch movies. A few years later, I heard a double bass professor give the same advice to another student in a different city, adding one more thing: to try dating.
Both students were not lacking in practice; if anything, they had been practicing excessively, leaving little room for other life experiences. Their performances were technically flawless but lacked a certain something that could move the audience. That’s why their professors recommended taking a break from practice.
For adults who pursue playing the piano as a hobby, slumps can sometimes occur due to an overly busy schedule that leaves little energy for practice. It’s important to check whether you are getting enough sleep and eating well. Excessive stress might also be a factor; if the stress you’re experiencing isn’t alleviated by practicing your favorite pieces, it could be contributing to a lack of motivation. Reflect on whether your daily routine is too packed. Allow yourself some downtime, take a break, and when you feel re-energized, you can return to the piano. It’s okay to take breaks. For a piano hobby, it’s better to maintain a “long and steady” approach rather than a “short and intense” one.
Conclusion
As much as you love playing the piano, it’s natural to want to see quick results from your efforts. However, mastering an instrument at an expert level demands exceptional neuromuscular skills that come from the development of intricate neurological patterns, and each pattern must be learned step by step (Fry, 1989). For this reason, piano skills tend to improve in stages. Initially, it may feel like you’re making rapid progress, but after some time, it’s normal to feel like you’ve hit a plateau. Don’t be discouraged, though, when this happens. Your efforts are not in vain. You may not see or feel the progress, but as your efforts and little signs of progress accumulate, they will eventually manifest as huge improvements in your skills.
So, never give up!
References
Clear J, Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones (Avery, An Imprint Of Penguin Random House 2018)
Fry H, ‘Overuse Syndromes in Instrumental Musicians’ (1989) 9 Seminars in Neurology 136
