How To Play Piano Songs: Abandon Your Embarrassment
"Mom, stop!" That's what my kids say when I am practicing the piano, learning how to play piano songs.
Learning piano as an adult requires many things. Determination to fit your practice times into your busy schedule. An understanding that you don't ever have to stop learning or growing, even as an adult. Oh, and a willingness to be humiliated, all in the service of learning how to play piano songs.
You can't learn anything without making mistakes. And you can never master any skill without going through a stage in which your lack of mastery is apparent. If you want to learn how to play piano songs, you have to be humble.
But it's worth it.
First of all, if you abandon your sense of embarrassment, even the practice is fun. Learning to play the right notes, then to play them at the right tempo, then to play them like you mean it, is a great experience. During your practice sessions, who has the right to judge? Your kids? Your spouse? Let them live through the wrong notes. And learn that by making mistakes, you can learn to make music.
Secondly, you aren't going to be making mistakes forever. Your playing will start to sound better with practice. If you practice a lot, it will sound better soon. So practice. Play.
Thirdly, don't forget that learning how to play piano songs can have a beneficial effect on other parts of your life. Continuing to challenge yourself to learn new things can help you maintain your mental agility as you grow older. Having passions and interests can increase happiness. Finding an outlet for your emotions can help you enhance the good emotions and relieve yourself of the burden of bad ones.
Are you sitting in judgment of yourself? Forgive yourself. How many people do you know, adults with responsibilities, busy schedules and commitments, are endeavoring to learn an instrument? Just you? I thought so. If you are learning how to play piano songs as an adult, you are already succeeding in a way that most folks don't even attempt. Congratulate yourself on that. Then keep practicing.
You may never be a concert pianist. Maybe all you want to do is play Beatles songs or Christmas carols. You are already closer to that than ever before. Now go practice. And tell the kids to live with it. You don't have time to listen to them complain. You are too busy learning how to play piano songs.
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