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Just had my weekly piano lesson and I think I might be experiencing post-lesson blues. Anyone else have this? I always come prepared before each lesson but during lesson I always stuff things up! For example, last week my teacher assigned me a new piece, so I practiced the piece to almost perfection (at least in my mind) thinking that I will impress her, but during lesson she asked me to play the piece without pedal which threw everything off! Anyway, I will be spending the rest of the day away from the piano a bit and chill.

Did you learn something from your lesson today? If so then you should be happy because that's what you pay your teacher to do. You didn't pay your teacher just to impress that her did you?

Yes, I have on many occasions experienced the same thing you have. I'd practice my heart out until the piece was "perfect", and then everything would fall apart at the lesson. I'd come away feeling embarrassed and depressed. What's worse is I'd go home and play the piece with satisfaction.

At first I would have no idea what happened. Determined not to get discouraged, I then began to use those flubbed opportunities to evaluate what was going on. I discovered a couple of major issues:

1st, after practicing so much, I would start to subconsciously, yet half-heartily commit the piece to memory. This caused me to not read the music properly, and yet it wasn't ingrained in my head either. So, one missed note and everything would collapse like dominos.

2nd, I was developing the bad habit of correcting mistakes while practicing, and thus, wasn't really performing the piece as well as I had originally thought.

Later, I realized that if I recorded myself, then I would hear the mistakes (tempo, rhythm, notes, pauses, backing up, etc.). I now video record myself to also look for whether I'm tensing up and/or have posture problems. I could then work on corrective actions.

Anyway, I believe what you and I experienced is normal during the course of learning to play the piano or any other instrument. Your problems may be different than mine; however, the solution is identifying the causes and adjusting accordingly.

Tubbie0075: I always learn something after each lesson but on some occassions I feel like I could have done better. Probably "impress" was the wrong word i used but it's more about the "capacity" as a learner. For example I learned the first 4 pages of a Beethoven piece but during lesson we only gone over the first two because I flubbed too much even though I practiced so much for that last two pages. So I felt it was kind of wasted. Haha but you are right I should be happy because at least I'm learning something.

Piano Fingers: I will try to find the cause and solution, maybe as I get better it will improve itself. Glad to know I'm not the only one feeling embarrassed at the end of the lesson. Today my teacher must have thought I hadn't practiced and was making up excuses as I fumbled through my piece lol.!

That happens to me all the time. Sometimes I'm lucky to get to the end of page one! Very rarely I get to play the entire piece during lesson. When my teacher let me get to the end, it usually means I'm good enough to move on to a new piece (there's no significant technical or musical issues to fix). So you go home and fix what's needed to be fixed, continue to play the entire piece hoping that the next lesson you get to play page two, and be ready to play page two when your teacher decides you are ready.

No blues, that's just normal.

I often experience this as well. I believe I am playing just fine at home, and then I go into the lesson and flub up royally. Like you, sometimes we don't get through the whole piece of music. Then I worry that my teacher will think that I am not practicing and wasting her time. Over time I am beginning to understand what is going on.

First, I have viewed my lessons like a performance, and if I flub up, then I have failed. Wrong! I am there to learn. My teacher is one who only gives praise when it is warranted and believes her job is to observe what you are doing wrong and help you fix it. So, she likes to see where the problems are and how she can help. When she does praise my work it really means something.

Secondly, I am far less critical of my playing at home than in a lesson. I may have learned the piece and can play through it relatively accurately, but under pressure, ie. a lesson, the weak areas are revealed. It lets me know what needs more work.

Lastly, you mentioned that the teacher had you play without pedal. That is a big change! You cannot sluff through without the help of the pedal to "cover up". Everything sounds different, and it reveals weak areas. So, although it was disappointing, it sounds like you learned something.

When I really get down it in a lesson, I sometimes make a comment like "I am just not getting this!" and my teacher invarably says that I am making great progress. I believe even when things go badly, a good teacher can tell that you have been working hard. It gives them more to work with!

Well, I just had my lesson this morning and finally get to play page 3 of the 1st movement of Mozart sonata K330, even though I can play the notes of the entire 1st and 3rd movement. The lesson was intense though, drilling down to motive, phrases, trills, arm rotation, walking arm, dynamic...what I Learned in today's lesson can be applied to the entire movement. Next week perhaps I'll get to playthe entire 1st movement, no guarantee though :-)

And no blues!

SwissMS: thanks for the advice. It's true as a returning adult I have higher expectation of myself and i am more self conscious than ever, so sometimes I inadvertently tense up during lessons. I don't remember having these problems as a kid even during week when I hardly practice lol!

Tubbie0075: Congrats! That sounded like a great lesson. Is this sonata for your AMEB exam? Gosh, I get tingles down my spine whenever I mention "exam"!!!

Yeah, for my AMUS exam next year. This is the last of the list to learn. Then I get a year to practice them until I can play them backwards! Kidding. I was hoping for the exam this year but I dont think I will be ready technically, musically or mentally. Plus, it's always good to walk into an exam room when you can play better than the exam grade... gives me the confidence :-)

This Mozart business is difficult! More difficult than Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu I have to say.

I have found that when I think I am best prepared for a lesson and expect to show that I've made considerable progress or that I'm at the point where I am close to finishing a piece, I tend to put a lot more pressure on myself and things fall apart easily. It can be disappointing but it really shows where the weaknesses are. I've been taking lessons for almost four years and I am still working out how to not put too much pressure on myself during a lesson.

Sometimes I manage to put no or very little pressure on myself during a lesson. Those lessons are usually amazing because we can dig deeper into the music and my playing without my anxiety getting in the way.

Maybe it can help to change your perspective a little. First, everyone is more nervous with an audience, even if it's one person. Especially is this person is a teacher. So it's natural to feel the extra pressure, which studies have shown, causes you to make more mistakes. Everyone is at their best when nobody's watching (imagine if you could practice piano in the shower too!).

But maybe think of it this way. I know we all want to impress people with how much we've grown. That never stops. But think, no matter how much you master something, you teacher will always be looking for something they can improve on. And if you're struggling, it's their job to help you through what is difficult. So all you are really trying to do is show your teacher where your comfort level is, in front of others, which is the final goal anyway.

I have quite a few students that get overly frustrated. I constantly tell them, "It's ok. I'm supposed to be the one to help you get over this. Let me worry about what you can't do smoothly." Sometimes it works, sometimes you just can't take the pressure off of them.

"You have 100% of your ability to play piano when you're at home, 60% when you're playing for your teacher, and 30% when you perform."

This is definitely accurate as it puts everything into perspective. It's just that you're in a new environment and you're slightly out of it. Practice practice-- you'll get used to it.

I call it "high-resolution" teaching - expecting more and critiquing every however small aspect of the music. As one progresses the "lens" gets stronger and the teacher and the music demand more. When I first started at the age of 53(what was I thinking?) my teacher ignored some things in order to get me going. As I progress, so does the standard of excellence. This is difficult for a perfectionist, but in the end it will get one closer to perfection.

I read in "Piano Roles", a history of the piano, that in the beginning days of the piano, students were not allowed to practice without the teacher, for fear of ingraining mistakes. They had lessons often. Had I the time and money, I would love to have several lessons a week. I always get better during my lesson, even though I am nervous often and it seems like I played better at home.