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I think you need to be more efficient with your practice time. Split it up in 15-min segments. You could do 15 min in the morning and 15 in the evening, and if you feel like it, continue for another 15 min the evening.

The way this works is that you have very discrete tasks predetermined - i.e., work on m. 12-15 in the Mendelssohn. Make a list for each piece you're working on. You may even get more than one task done in a session, but if you get only that task done, then you've made progress. Every few days play straight through your pieces to maintain the easier parts as well and see how your progress is.

Also, be sure to work on shorter pieces - nothing more than a few pages, I think, or it will take up too much of your time (unless it's an easy piece for you).

We all have seasons where we don't have the time we want for piano. I'd love to spend 3-4 hours per day, but other performances means "my" music gets put to the wayside. So then I just do what I can to tread water, and come back to it when things calm down. Hopefully your schedule will calm down a bit, but in the meantime, all any of us can do is the best they can with the time they have.

This sounds like you have started with learning to play pieces that might be a bit too difficult for you.

It does not sound like a normal teacher-student relationship for a complete beginner.

Normallly, you would begin with some sort of method book and go to lessons periodically as you work through the method book page by page.

That way … you experience success as you are able to master the material on each page as you progress.

Are you doing that but just didn't mention it ?

If not … I would consider a different teacher or starting over with a method book with the same teacher.

You will be able to do this …. just not as fast as you thought.

Take your time and enjoy a half-hour each day of practice while forget about how fast you are progressing.

Just keep going …. little by little …. inch by inch.

It takes years of practice but if you keep going …. you will learn ….as we all do …. very slowly.

(a) That depends on the band. If it's a group of amateurs, playing their own music, not masters of their instruments, you might be able to fit in. If it's a group of professionals, playing standard jazz / pop songs from lead sheets (or without lead sheets), in all keys, probably not.

I might ask the question differently:

. . . Is your playing good enough, so that I'd be happy to pay to listen to you?

That's the line between "amateur" and "professional"-quality playing.

You might try asking that question in the "Piano - Non-classical" forum.

(b) What I've learned from experience:

. . . How well I play, depends on how much I practice.

So you must see if your life, and your goals, are consistent:

. . . Is there some amount of practice time, that you can realistically do,
. . . . that will give you enough skill to play well enough to satisfy _you_ ?

If the answer is "No", you'll be frustrated until you change your goals, or change your life to increase your practice time.



What "music theory" are you finishing learning? Do you know enough to follow a jazz lead sheet? Do you know enough to write down the harmonic structure of a song, as you listen to it? Studying "music theory" changes, as you learn more, but IMHO it is never finished.

Pau Gasol,

Thanks for your thoughts. I just read Quora and some music school forums about how much people practicing. And found that they practice that much. And those numbers drived me crazy, huh.
However the idea of adjusting time to the limits i can offer myself is promising. Thanks for your input.

Wayne2467,

I tried practicing when I'm fine. Soon I found soon that I'm fine with short practice sessions, like 15 minutes before work, and can do 2 hours on Sundays. But when I'm thinking that some guyz spend 4 hour per day and i'm doing like this time within week, im asking myself such questions))) Can it be that short practice sessions are enough.

BigIslandGuy,

Thanks, seems like community is important to keep those workouts going, huh. Thanks.

One Ohm,

Thanks for your thoughts about short practice sessions in the mornings and in the evenings. I read much about staff like motivations and discipline, however i understand that its like almost impossible to move on pure motivation. Consistent practice isn't that sugar thing. Sometimes i had to repeat for myself why im doing it.).
Thanks for cheering me up and usefull tips about what to put attention on. Actually teacher gives me pieces of classic music and I'm doing the best to get it done! Thanks for your so great and inspiring post.

Stubbie

Thanks for your valuable input regarding practice schedule. Actually i'm fine playing short session in the morning. But i was punching myself for it shortness.) I'm just thinking to continue going to teacher.
Its a shame to admit but feeling guilty of not doing homework inspires to do best!

NobleHouse

I tried to do it for fun - to start from pieces i know and then switch to practicing new staff. It works for me, however i practice less time hard staff upon session. Thanks for your thoughts!

Tyrone Slothrop,

Isn't discipline works like this - to do some routines each day in a hope that sometime in future it'll bring valuable likable result). Thanks for your input.
You're really devoted to practice. As for me it will be hard to not sleep at this time 2-4am.

cmb13,

Thanks. I exploited that trick even if it doesn't constantly work! Hey let's sit for 2 minutes. But i need to hurry to work! Oh nothing bad happens if to spend 2 minutes on yourself! And then it converts to short session!

Emery Wang,

Thanks. Seems like short term practice before work is some sort of golden bullet. I can do such staff indeed.

Animisha,

Thanks. Actually i'm walking for 30 mins after work with turned off brain to make it relax. When i don't do it, at home im for hour or two like an eating before tablet zombie.).
I started implementing short 5-10 minutes rest intervals at work, so my brain is less burned out.

dogperson,

I don't think its possible to practice without brain on piano. It takes soooo much attention. Yea, long working hours is something like a bad joke on a freedom of a person. I imaging if full time job took just 6 hours!

TomInCinci,

I'm the developer as well. What I'm trying to do to rest more - it to add 5-minutes intervals at work when i just switch to non-work staff (jokes with collegaus, etc), so the brain can rest more.

ShyPianist,

Working at home is one of your greatest advantages. You can do 3 super short sessions - like for 7 minutes through the day and don't have to spend time on transport!

David B,

Thank you for so large and systematic post. I will think over it. Indeed, i have issues with results - they come at a huge amount of time and effort. My first piece took me 4 monthes to get done. Also thanks for the advice to look around to see if there're courses that can inspire me in different way. It's very itneresting.

KevinM,

Yes being an adult means like finding the true harmony between different sphears. Of couse it means that each sphear can't get ideal (=100%) of my time.
Good luck with your efforts to do your best!

Morodiene,

Thanks for your input about taking short practice sessions in the morning and in the evening. Seems like its the most ballanced solution. Also splitting piece in a short pieces that can be practiced separately within short session is like a staff i will give a try for sure.

dmd,

Actually i was practicing just trying to play pieces. She gave an introduction how to read sheet and we started with Bethhoven.
Thanks for thought about some method book. I will investigate that. Actually now suspended working with it and i'm finishing learning music theory by online courses.

Charles Cohen,

Well. Your thoughts are very true. I might need some more time to think it over.

Can you (or someone) please explain this phrase?

"I understood that when pianist plays for pieces in a row – he shares with public his year of life of constant practice in those pieces."

???????

I think that is a _very_ strange teaching method. Most Beethoven is too difficult for most beginners.

There is some very easy Beethoven, and some very talented beginners, that might make it work.

. . . Which Beethoven are you learning?

Thanks --

I think that the OP meant: plays four pieces in a row - and in order to be able to do that, the pianist has to practise these four pieces for a year.

Charles, haven't you played Ode to Joy as part of your beginners' lessons?



PS. The website that published this score says that this is free sheet music, so I think it is okay to copy the score in this message.

Ahhh -- I forgot about "adapted Beethoven" - you're right.

Thanks for the link (and the other advice too)! Lots to read there.