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Joined: Jan 2012
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If so, what benefit have you found from this?
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Joined: Dec 2011
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I log the amount of time that I practice within a spreadsheet. I don't log what I'm actually working on, as that will change as I progress.
My reason for logging time is to ensure that I meet or exceed 500 hours of playing time this year. I'd like to hit 750, but 500 is the minimum.
I DuckDuckGo, do you?
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Joined: Jun 2011
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No, that would take time away from practice.  Since starting last year I've adopted a standard "thou shalt practice 1 hour every day" rule. There are no exceptions other than not having a keyboard available. All I have to do is subtract the number of days I've traveled during the year to get a useful estimate of hours practiced.
Piano is hard work from beginning to forever.
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Joined: Feb 2011
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The one true benifit of a practice log is it never forgets. In other words it works as a nice memory device.
For instance, if I know I practiced passage X and got it to, let's say, 90bpm yesterday, then I have a good idea of what tempo I should start practicing passage X today.
Also, I tend to write down other things which I am liable to forget for the next practice session. Such as: "use 'such-and-such' method for this passage, 'incorporate more arm to generate momentum to gain speed.' Et cetera.
There is also something nostalgic about looking back over everything you practiced during the year.
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Joined: Sep 2008
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A long time ago I created a really great log sheet....used it once. LOL
I'm really good at organizing things like that but following it is a different story.
Now I just write down what my teacher tells me to do and do it.
“The doubters said, "Man cannot fly," The doers said, "Maybe, but we'll try,"
And finally soared in the morning glow while non-believers watched from below.â€
― Bruce Lee
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 147
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If so, what benefit have you found from this? Yes, I do into spreadsheet on my android tablet. I always take my tablet with me to piano as I do have some sheets on it too, it's also my metronome etc. So I usually mark practised amount of time just right after practising. The benefit of this is kind of motivation in not so enjoyable days. I "play" just second month so I'm not yet in the state where I'll be able to play my favourite music, so every little bit of motivation helps. I'm also doing it as my psychology personal research. I really like to see what I'm able to achieve on piano and exactly in what practised hours. The rule of 10k hours was discussed here in length, I'm not going probably to meet that in my life, but I'm curious how I'll be able to play @100, @500, @1000 hours. My rule is to try to practice 1h/day, but the advantage of the spreadsheet is that I know in avarage I'm just practising 38.7 minutes per day as of today. :-)
November 2011: piano entered into my life.
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Joined: Oct 2006
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Yep. I put together a Windows app to do this. You enter tasks and it guides you through your practice session (logging the details automatically as you go). The logged tasks can then be viewed, analysed, monitored etc. You can download it for free (see link in my sig). It run's fine under WinXP and also under Vista, could do with some feedback under Win7 though... ![[Linked Image]](http://elwynrees.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/pp1.jpg) ![[Linked Image]](http://elwynrees.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/logexample1.jpg)
Last edited by EJR; 01/05/12 04:09 PM.
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Joined: Aug 2009
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I write everything in a small diary (unfortunately I have just noticed that the space available for Saturdays and Sundays is very small... :(), and just the time (the minutes I practiced) in the PW Practice Log. The first year I used to write everything in my diary and then again in the PW Practice Log, but that really took away time from my practice. 
![[Linked Image]](https://forum.pianoworld.com//gallery/42/medium/10968.png)
Music is my best friend.
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Joined: Sep 2008
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Yep. I put together a Windows app to do this. You enter tasks and it guides you through your practice session (logging the details automatically as you go). The logged tasks can then be viewed, analysed, monitored etc. You can download it for free (see link in my sig). It run's fine under WinXP and also under Vista, could do with some feedback under Win7 though... Wow! That's impressive!
“The doubters said, "Man cannot fly," The doers said, "Maybe, but we'll try,"
And finally soared in the morning glow while non-believers watched from below.â€
― Bruce Lee
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 476
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I used to use the Pianoworld Practice Log and had forgotten all about it. I just checked it and my password still works! It appears that only 3 people are still using it.
We used to have the "Chicks" and "Dudes" competition to see who'd win in having the highest practice times.
Is somebody maintaining this site or does it just live on on its own? I think I'll start using it again-thanks for reminding me.
Last edited by Agilita; 01/05/12 04:32 PM.
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Joined: Aug 2009
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There is a small problem right now because the default year is 2011 and you can enter 2012, but every time (for every entry) it says "Please enter a number between 2010 and 2011", then you have to click OK, and actually 2012 appears to be fine then. I don't think they do that thing with the highest practice times any more, because I had the highest practice times last year and the year before but nobody notified me that I had won anything. But that's OK, I practice for the love of it, not to win a prize. 
Music is my best friend.
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Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 498
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Yep. I put together a Windows app to do this. You enter tasks and it guides you through your practice session (logging the details automatically as you go). The logged tasks can then be viewed, analysed, monitored etc. You can download it for free (see link in my sig). It run's fine under WinXP and also under Vista, could do with some feedback under Win7 though... Good gobbledygook and bless your heart! My work demands hours in spreadsheets and databases each day. I play piano to escape this stuff! I guess it helps for some, although just looking at these entries makes me want to run from my piano for fear it will start demanding "system & archival logs". 
Piano is hard work from beginning to forever.
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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 148
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I've just bought and downloaded an app for my iPad for this very purpose. It's called Music Journal, you create a subject title, e.g C major scale, then set a target BPM, press play button each time you practice that piece, then it logs all time spent on each piece.
I've not used it yet, only for testing how it works, as I intend to start using it seriously once my lessons start (next Monday, excited!)
Just search Music Journal in app store if interested (I have no association with the developer, just an end user)
Neil.
Venables & Son Custom 133 Upright Acoustic Piano Yamaha DGX-640 Digital Piano Started learning: October 2011 Started lessons: January 2012 YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/user/neildradford
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 56
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No, I don't log practice time. I'm glued to the piano unless I am working, cooking, doing housework or walking my dogs. The piano takes up at least 50% of my free time, so I know I'm practicing "enough".
Unrealistic expectations:
Beethoven rondo op 51 no 1
Mozart Sonata No. 7 in C major
Beethoven OP 27 No 1
Absolutely must do:
Learn to sight read
Learn music theory
Re-learn ONE piece to at least almost perfection. (Mary had a little lamb?)
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 2,753
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I have kept a practice log in a spreadsheet program for the past year, and I have found it very helpful and motivating. I track what pieces I play, my practice hours, and my comments about my practice each day. At the beginning of each week I list goals that I want to try to achieve and the scales and arps to be practiced that week. At the end of the week I summarize hours practiced, and where I am on the goals. When I refer back to previous months, I can read my notes and see how I have overcome difficulties or learned new things. That helps me feel like I am making progress. So, for me the log helps me keep focused.
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 861
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"just looking at these entries" I separate "practice" on the 'session' tab from managing/arranging tasks on the 'task' tab. During practice you click "Start" then it runs sequentially through the list of tasks, prompting you to move on to the next task. It evolved from trying to make practice sessions more task and goal focused. Then deciding that for me a set time per task was the way to go. The problem was then during the practice session deciding when to move on to the next task? So it's in essence a multi-task count down timer... (all the logs and stuff is merely a by product of this). So the aim was to automate moving through a list of practice tasks and not spend time manually following the list or watching a clock. 'it will start demanding "system & archival logs"'. It has a "backup" function and can copy the data files to another another PC on the network, I don't want to loose 3years worth of data.  "start demanding". It's a bit of a disciplinarian. It tells you what to do. (hence 'Practice Prompt'). What can I say, I'm a nerd! 
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Joined: Jun 2011
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I'm with Tararex: my piano playing lives outside of the analytical ways I operate in my job. Well, it's not entirely unanalytical because practicing is for me an intensely analytical activity. But I don't log it. I start playing, practice what I need to, might play some for pure fun (rather than practicing (which isn't to say that practicing isn't (mostly) fun)), and then stop. I have some flexible sense of "enough progress for the day" on each item I practice. This can range from 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours, depending on my mood. On weekends I often will have double practice sessions per day.
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Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 498
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Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 498 |
"just looking at these entries" I separate "practice" on the 'session' tab from managing/arranging tasks on the 'task' tab. During practice you click "Start" then it runs sequentially through the list of tasks, prompting you to move on to the next task. It evolved from trying to make practice sessions more task and goal focused. Then deciding that for me a set time per task was the way to go. The problem was then during the practice session deciding when to move on to the next task? So it's in essence a multi-task count down timer... (all the logs and stuff is merely a by product of this). So the aim was to automate moving through a list of practice tasks and not spend time manually following the list or watching a clock. 'it will start demanding "system & archival logs"'. It has a "backup" function and can copy the data files to another another PC on the network, I don't want to loose 3years worth of data. "start demanding". It's a bit of a disciplinarian. It tells you what to do. (hence 'Practice Prompt'). What can I say, I'm a nerd! Oh, no need to justify these for me, I'm all for using whatever works!  If someone found that eating a dozen muffins before practice hastened progress I'd be baking a batch right now.
Piano is hard work from beginning to forever.
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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 598
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I do log my practice hours as my weekly assignment sheet has a practice log on it. I usually enjoy practicing but I find that on the occasional day when I don't feel like practicing, the log keeps me motivated. Once I sit down and start, I get into it quickly. This log just has total time practiced each day. After reading on one of the teacher forums, I ordered a practice planner which sounds like some of the spreadsheets others are using. I think that may be more beneficial and maybe motivate me to spend more time on things I don't enjoy but need to work on for technique.
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Joined: Feb 2008
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I have a calendar. If I practice, I put a sticker on it. I can tell at a glance if I have let life interfere with practicing.
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