1. Set long-term goals and work back to get there (eg practice 4 measures a day to get the full piece in three months). 2. Strive for the best possible sound and expressiveness you can in each passage. 3. Take frequent breaks, either at the piano (with easier pieces you have mastered) or away from it. 4. Use part of your practice session to listen to professional recordings of what you're learning. 5. Record yourself and critique. 6. Mentally practice at the piano (stare at a passage, visualize y ourself playing it, then actually play it) and away from it (ie, visualize yourself playing with just the score in hand). "The more you do these, the faster your progress will be."

@tagonminmyat2439

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for writing these, these helped me with my learning.

It's so sweet how you talk about you and your wife :). And you're both pianists, too!

I hope these tips can help you with maintaining better concentration, focus, and efficiency in your practicing, and also bring some extra creativity to your normal routine. I hope you're all having a great week of practice!

@bernhardm.3118

5 жыл бұрын

Hi Josh! Another great video! : ) Btw can you please do a video about Hanon exercises and should we go through the whole 60 exercises daily? The whole thing takes about and hour and a half and I was wondering if theres a way to break them up to practice some parts in the other days. Anyways, your videos have helped me alot in the past and I regret not subscribing earlier. Have a nice day!

@freddiempanga5513

5 жыл бұрын

Good video. Very useful information. Thanks a lot. You are a great player as well as teacher. 👊🏿👊🏿

@dylandecker_music

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the video Josh. I've always had a problem staying focused and not start playing past pieces. I am about to learn Liebstraume 3 so this will help alot.

@Bod_users

5 жыл бұрын

@@bernhardm.3118 personally I would learn techniques in the pieces itself plus it would save time on learning actual pieces. I would go through only for 10 minuets on Hanon just to warm up, preferably a new exercise/ key signature everyday or so.

@bernhardm.3118

5 жыл бұрын

@@Bod_users Thanks : )

I usually divide my practice time in three periods, one for morning, one for afternoon, and one for evening. I aim for at least two hours per period, although I tend to exceed three to four hours, but it's all worth the practice and hardwork. 😀 Sometimes when I feel exhausted already, I usually take breaks by sleeping or eating snacks to energize myself and avoid burnouts. In order to focus well during piano practice, I select one piece and I think of elements I need to work on, like phrasing, voicing, pedalling technique, or even hands alone. I do them one at a time. Distractions are unavoidable but find the time when you cannot be disturbed. 😀

Yes but how do I stop my mind running through pieces when I'm trying to sleep?!?!

@lucae6931

4 жыл бұрын

Dont obsess over it

@queersearch6015

4 жыл бұрын

turn on an audiobook with a sleep timer. works for me.

@MathieuPrevot

4 жыл бұрын

Regular time to go to bed and time to wake up, take melatonine before going to bed (1h before going to bed), and no work too late (it's up to you to find what is fine for you); eventually read or do yoga before going to bed (1h before).

@7HPDH

3 жыл бұрын

haha

@BansaiMont3l

3 жыл бұрын

its the life of a musician, I guess. Dont like it, either.

I'm working on the Schubert impromtus. I'd like to master all 8. I feel like I used to learn pieces faster when I was younger. Now with all the responsibilities of adult life and my day job I find it difficult to progress at the rate I would like. I feel like I have my museum pieces that I always play, but I really need to expand my repertoire. Thank you for motivating me to think outside of the box. Thank you for bringing Logos into the practice room for me. You are absolutely crushing life Josh. Living the dream and very blessed. Keep up the good work sir.

@brandonmacey964

5 жыл бұрын

Agree! they were eye opening for me as I was never much of a Schubert fan early on. Op 142 is equally as great, as are his Moment Musicaux Op 94. Gems

Hey Josh, I'm from Mexico and I discovered your channel some days ago. I want to congratulate you for all the effort you dedicate to each of your videos; and I hope you know that you are helping people all around the world. I've noticed considerable improvements since I started using the techniques that you talk about in other videos, and I want to thank you for such a great quality that you are offering for musicians. My best wishes.

@MrVatov

4 жыл бұрын

Agreed, my man. I am from Mexico too and find channels like these immensely valuable. Besides Josh's, my other favorite channel has been Prof. John Mortensen's, called cedarvillemusic. Saludos amigo!

These tips were revelatory in that they distill an enormous amount of pedagogy into 14 points of reference. In my own case I can definitely use them to get back on track and stop wandering indefinitely around the same works. There’s also a Zen quality to some of them. And thanks for the microphone advice. Something I have NOT been doing is recording myself. I thought my ear was good enough to catch the errors. NOT. Lol. Also, one of the things that makes your videos so appealing is your courage to share your vulnerability. In my opinion that’s great strength and helps FAR more in teaching than the imperious, irascible, unapproachable ‘guru’. I’ll be signing up for your master classes. Many thanks!!

I really recommend getting the book "Art of piano playing" by Heinrich Neuhaus. It's really enlightening, and even if you're not Sviatoslav Richter, it's pretty valuable.

Josh what do you do when you’re unmotivated? Does that ever happen to you? I want to become insanely good so I know I need to be a bit obsessed yet sometimes I wonder where the line is with overworking/burning out and just under-practicing. Love the videos by the way, trying to apply a lot of what you say to jazz guitar

4 жыл бұрын

I think I heard this from Josh too: Consistency is better than spending several hours at a time studying. Start with, say, 30 minutes a day. Once you manage to make that a solid habit, then increase to an hour. Take a step at a time and build your progress "momentum" in a solid manner. I find that truly works for me and helps me stay motivated.

He is so inspirational. Such useful tips, truly considerable value added to my life. Thanks. I need to sign up for the masterclass.

Great tips, as always! Definitely what helps me to stay always focused is a fact that a concert or any kind of performance is coming up soon. I would have real problems to focus without that knowledge 😂

@tjatadaus6544

4 жыл бұрын

How many hard songs should you be able to play for a concert? Hard > Moonlight sonata 3rd movement

@viggos.n.5864

3 жыл бұрын

@@tjatadaus6544 none The only important thing is to be a good performer and musician

@tjatadaus6544

3 жыл бұрын

@@viggos.n.5864 stupid me 11 months before

@viggos.n.5864

3 жыл бұрын

@@tjatadaus6544 there's nothing wrong with being fascinated by technique but its just the truth

Awesome info thank you, Fran Leavens

Thank you for the tips I'll try them in my next practice

This video came at the exact right time for me. I'm working on Chopin's Heroic Polonaise and it's easily the toughest piece I've worked on. And I was finding myself not being able to progress much while spending 3+ hours a day at the piano.

This is golden advice! And you are absolutely right. I must find a recording device.

Thank you so much for this. This shifted my mindset towards some tweaks that might work for me. 🤘🏽

I think looking out into the distance also helps you prevent eye strain.

Thus was one of my favorite videos of yours, very helpful to hear a pro willing to open up as to what exactly works for them and why, thank you sir!

You are help us so much!! Thank you :)

I think this is the first video of your I've seen in a long time where at the end you're still smiling while saying "Good luck in your practice sessions." Normally, you seem to get super serious, even if you're laughing just before. I know it probably seems silly, but I think it makes a difference. Great insights as always, especially the lemon thing. :)

Great ideas. The goals aspect is so important to hear. This may be out Of left field. After switching from a carb burning diet, to a fat burning Keto diet , (butter and MCT oil in coffee, bacon eggs etc. no carbs.) I really noticed my mind focusing while at the Piano MuCH better. I could recall how much my mind wondered all over the place while on carbs before, and the up and down energy. I think high glucose in the blood over- activates the brain, thoughts and anxiety.

@AnnaKhomichkoPianist

5 жыл бұрын

Aydn of Astro-Action oh that's interesting!

@aydnofastro-action1788

5 жыл бұрын

Anna Khomichko Pianist Hi. Yes. Thousands of people report an end to “brain fog” on these more ancestral diets. (Don’t fall for vegan propaganda! Haha but seriously.) As a musician, I’m sure you know how the mind can wonder. Check out Dr. Paul Saladino, and Dr. Georgia Ede. Both psychiatrists who promote animal based diet. Look at my playlist. Thanks for the reply. I look forward to checking out your channel!

I need to bookmark this! I found that I was able to learn Chopin Op 25 no 11 in about 6 months just during 15 minute coffee breaks. So there's a lot to be said for taking breaks (in my case the breaks were longer than the practice).

This is overly helpful to me. I slack off, and typically lead onto other pieces I already know; I rarely play by improvisation on my own merit, but I find that growing bored of learning the same part can help with my improvisation skills, seeing I lead onto my own random sounds. Its the only positive I pull from boredom at the piano. Thank you very much; it was very helpful!

Hey Josh. I have so much to say on this video, but I'd like to ask you: old pianos. I have a 107 year old 6'2" grand. The action and hammers need some work. Many old pianos suffer from this types of things. Have you had to play on one for awhile at some point? How did it affect your playing and how did you compensate or work around that.

Fingertips dexterity touching technique without strength of arms and body's movement should be correct method. Fingertips dexterity touching skills for each notes with every fingers must be quickly release piano keyboard and quickly down piano keyboard.

7:00 Me during practice that didnt go to well

Hey Josh! Just found your page and I am loving your videos! Only tip might be to reference the pieces you mention on the video so the less cultured ones like me can keep up with your examples! Thank youu!

Josh thank you so much for this video gezz loved it. Going to do all of this! Hope i get my fantaisie impromptu polish in the next 2 weeks :)

Josh, my problem is, I know the piece really well. I can play it from beginning to the end without mistakes, then the next time I make 2 or 3 mistakes. I warm up with Hanon and practice at least 3 times a day, but I think it is a mental focus issue. Can you help me if you read this? Thank you.

4:29 ... Can you talk more about the "this" that you are talking about? I am extremely interested in this exact topic.

@colinm9423

4 жыл бұрын

He's referring to expression and articulation - really feeling the passage as you're trying to learn. Scroll up to towards the top of the comments (hope it's still at the top) and you will see one commenter (Mr Vatov) has summarized the points Josh makes in this video - look at point 2 specifically because this relates to your question. Hope this helps. It's also interesting that Tiffany Poon (you'll find her channel on YT) says that she learns a piece quicker and easier if she has an emotional connection to it - if she really feels it. Check her out too.

I just realized that his hair looks like Chopin's

Chopin hair do?

What kind of tablet are you using? Mine is too small.

Hey Josh I’d like to know your opinion on taking a break from playing the piano. I’m about to ship off to military training and will be without a piano to practice for 8 weeks. How will this affect my piano playing and progress? Will I be able to pick up from where I left off? Thanks

@mcrettable

5 жыл бұрын

Yea you will retain muscle memory for a LONG time.

@mattjblyth8807

5 жыл бұрын

Good question! I am also getting sent out of town for a couple months and won't have access to a piano.. I am very anxious about it and would appreciate any tips!

@brandonmacey964

5 жыл бұрын

I did the same thing. Don’t worry you will be able to pick it back up. I play better now than before the Army

how do i stop concentrating on piano when i’m trying to do other activities outside of the piano? it’s really annoying lol. it stresses me out

@KeepingOnTheWatch

3 жыл бұрын

I know exactly what you mean. Still thinking of piano when you’re doing other things prevents you from really focusing and engaging 100% in the present activity. I tell myself that it’s okay to let go of piano for now and that if I’m fully immersed with the activity at hand then this will give my mind the required rest to go further. I see it this way: you go to the gym to break down your muscles, but your muscles repair and grow only while resting. The art of piano playing is the same. Taking a mental break will enhance - not take away - from your music progression.

where did you get the volodos transcription score? (gorgeous btw)

Hey Dr. Josh, I was wondering if you have ever played the mephisto waltz no.1. If so how long were you playing piano before? And how long did it take you to learn it. Thank you for all your amazing content!

@AnnaKhomichkoPianist

5 жыл бұрын

V1 Bhat for a professional pianist like Dr. Josh it will take around 2-3 months (depending on how much time you actually have per day) to learn it. It's a really challenging piece so one suppose to have a really good technical skills to play it.

I just have to ask this very important question. What about the person who uses a bottle of lemon juice instead of a fresh lemon, is there any hope that he or she will become a good piano player?

@AnnaKhomichkoPianist

5 жыл бұрын

TeaTime 😂😂😂

Hi, I didn’t get the name associated with the Op 27 no 2 at 4’. Did anyone recognize it ? Thanks ! Btw, Great video Josh, thanks 🙂

@chipetto21

5 жыл бұрын

Hi Lucy, the piece is Chopin - Nocturne Op. 27 No. 2

@lucyjazz1

5 жыл бұрын

Peter Badzgon thank you Peter 😀

@gracieg5849

5 жыл бұрын

Yes, that’s it. I’ve played this Chopin in recital. Couldn’t understand what he said either, but recognized the piece.

I love your videos but is there any way you could just cut and style your hair differently? Its like watching that Bieber singer ....

@kurisari1937

4 жыл бұрын

I love his hair the way it is

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