End of the year update! [...]
End of the year update, 2020 edition! (a little late, sue me)
Made a lot of good progress this year, mostly around habits and being more consistent about coming back to the piano day after day, week after week. According to my data, I went from
51 hours of practice and lessons in 2019 to
73 hours this past year.
(Let's get that over 100 hours in 2021!!
)
I've been working with the same teacher since April 2019 and it's been paying off. I'm almost through Faber's Adult Piano Adventures Book 1, with plans to move onto Book 2 after my ABRSM exams.
Speaking of, I'll be booking my remote exams sometime in the next week! Even though I didn't accomplish the goal of passing Grade 1 in 2020, I'm teed up perfectly to do so right at the start of 2021.
My official exam book with a whopping 9 pieces just arrived from the UK (slight water damage, 'nache), but I'm starting to really dig into my first official ABRSM piece. It's difficult but doable, I feel.
I have to give a shoutout to my new life partner and companion: my Yamaha P-515. This ivory-looking beauty is what I had dreams of some nights. And, she
sings for me.
I had to save up for an entire extra year, but it was completely worth it and I honestly love practicing sometimes just to feel her keys beneath my fingers.
I consider my singing/playing pop music covers "extra credit," and it's been fun learning parts of different songs. I've only got two of these down completely, though:
Don't Think Twice and
Coming Home, Pt. II. I performed the former for my parents on their anniversary and the latter privately for my mom. All I'll say is practice pays off and there's no shortcut.
I want to "finish" so many other songs but the patience/focus requirements get pretty steep for anything slightly non-repetitive. Shout-outs to
MusicNotes, which I've spent way too much money at -- even if they might be a scam I love the range of songs they have and their player helps me visual difficult parts (and is just fun to listen to, imo.
)
Still, I know where my weaknesses are and having my teacher point things out has been indispensable. I'm more driven and excited to play than ever because certain basic things are starting to become so much easier -- I can see the path forward to more advanced music, I don't have to "imagine" how that path looks anymore.
Even simple things like knowing the staff well has made practicing and just trying new pieces out 10x more fun. As long as I make sure to sit on the bench each day, learning piano has become a self-sustaining reaction. I'm still a little scared of hitting that first real big wall, but until then I'm having the time of my life. ✌🏻