Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum What is your BIGGEST annoying roadblock?

I'm curious, what's that one biggest single sticking point you have right now that's impeding your piano progress? I'm a teacher always looking to improve, and it'd be helpful to have some input on the biggest frustrations people have when learning at each level.

It could be a technical issue, for example:
I've been playing for 2 months and I just can't seem to get my darn hands to coordinate together.

Or it could be a motivational issue, for example:
I've been playing for 3 years, and when I go through the tedious process of learning a song measure by measure it's really hard to keep motivated.

Let me know! The more detail the better

There were and probably will be a lot more roadblocks, apart from those at the begining(hands coordination etc.) my biggest were probably polyrhytms, 2 against 3, 3 against 4 and so on. Currently I for example struggle with 3rd part of Paderewski piano sonata(jumps, awkward fingerings at fast tempo and so on). I think that is what makes i interesting as you strugle with those problems and in the end overcoming them. But I don't think I have one biggest problem holding me back overall. Maybe my memory

Trills with my 1-2 and 1-3, especially in the right hand. For some reason, the thumb in my left hand has much less trouble with the fine movement. I've postponed the recording of the famous Petzold Minuet in G Minor two times now because my 1-3 trills (Bb A) are just not there yet. Similarly, 2-3 doesn't really work, but since it makes more sense to use 1-3 or 1-2 there, anyway (because of the black key)...

Why it is that my left thumb is better at ornaments than my right thumb, I did notice as I typed this comment that I always use my left thumb to press the spacebar. I wouldn't be surprised if that's the cause for the difference.

But yeah, trills, in general, take a lot of time and consistent practice to get right for me.

My teacher has been working with me on piano technique for months, and I feel I am making progress, but I have to say piano technique is still my #1 issue. This ranges from wrist flexibility, using arm weight (great Miyagi video BTW, I've been sending that Youtube link to everyone!), utilizing gestures, raising wrists at the end of phrases, etc etc. You name it, I have it broken still.

I have been playing for over 7 years and I'd say the most annoying has been my physical limitation (not able to reach octaves with the RH).

outo, have you seen this book? I've read some good things about it online.

I guess mine is rather common: sudden attacks of unneven scale passages in pieces, especially in LH while using 4,5 fingers, but also for thumb unders (both hands) - at any speed. The inconsistency is that I can't seem to get away from. It's like my hand/fingers suddenly decide to speed up/catch up for few notes and even my brain is suprised what just happened.
I remember working on LH in Burgmueller's Arabesque for like forever last year. The issue only happened one very few playings in the end, but came back with another pieces. I practice it a lot and I hope that someday it will just stop occuring.

Having a job. The damn thing keeps getting in the way of practice.

Seriously, though. I feel like my progress is slower than it could be because I often have trouble focusing and concentrating on practice. Yes, my fingers are moving, but if it's not fully mindful practice, it's almost not worth doing. I'm always looking for tips on how to be in the moment, and make sure I'm getting the most out of every practice session.

As a humble beginner, my current stumbling block at the moment is trying to play with different dynamics in the left and right hands (ie melody louder than accompaniment). I just cannot seem to make my hands press the keys with different pressures .

For me, it has to rhythm and tempo. Slightly more complex rhythms with sixteenth notes in my last piece took a while to get right, and playing that same piece at a consistant tempo has been a challange. I don't usually use the metronome, but have had to start.

Then there was this waltz, and getting that rhythm was harder than it should have been.. Still my teacher tries different ways to help me get it, and I always do in the end!

At 10 months in I spend most of my time working the tension out of my hands/arms (much improved but more to go) and trying modified practice approaches to see what works best for me.

Too much to do with job and family issues so I never get enough time to practice. At the moment I get no time at all. Incredibly frustrating.

Approaching two years since rebooting my piano playing, my biggest issue has always been sightreading; I read notes very slowly.

The only true roadblock I have ever had was painless deterioration of motor control about ten years ago. I assume it was a focal dystonia as it took me four years to get rid of it by myself. Since my technique has recovered I have had no roadblocks at all, physical or musical. I think the piano is complaining though.

I wouldn’t say biggest but my most recent annoying block is coordinating the pedal. I didn’t expect it, I have had no trouble coordinating the pedal until a particular piece I have been playing the last few days. Something is just a little different about the requirements of this piece and I have not thought much about how I use the pedal until now and now I am thinking about it, my use of it falls apart.

Polyrhythms...searched high and low for someone to explain it in such a way that MY brain understands it. Even my teacher couldn’t get through to me. Someone posted a YouTube [piano lessons on the web]...I can’t wait to revisit some previously ‘attempted’ pieces aka Debussy’s arabesques no 1 ... this one makes sense..and will check in with my teacher to make sure he is on board!

There are just certain techniques that needs multiple ways to learn/enforce it..and I love that the internet offers that resource.

As my username suggests...my left hand and bass clef reading. There’s a difference in skill between my left and right hand of 3 - 4 years.

Have you tried 1-3-2-3 fingering? It's much easier for some people.

Watching too many videos about playing when I could actually be playing, taking too many online courses about playing when I could actually be playing and listening to too many podcasts when I could actually be playing is definitely my biggest annoying roadblock.

You missed one: spending too much time on PW forums discussing playing and pianos, when you could actually be playing.

Me too.