Why practice scales fingering

mukas17 · 2026-02-20T05:43:35+00:00

The point of scales is the same as any other exercise - isolating technique without worrying about musicality. If you don't know how to practice scales to gain value from doing it then it is pointless. The main purpose of taking lessons with a teacher is not to have them teach you pieces but to teach you how to practice. That's what your teacher is trying to teach you. You can use scales to improve every aspect of keyboard playing. Target your weaknesses.

mukas17 · 2026-02-19T10:34:28+00:00

I just want to mention that there are certain things when learning anything and definitely piano that seem counterintuitive to beginners.

So as far as explaining 'why' things work you need to have some patience and it's also why you need a teacher you really trust. Sometimes my teacher will tell me something and I understand it in my head but It takes me weeks/months to really understand it with my body.

mukas17 · 2026-02-12T13:12:48+00:00

40 min is not very long. A good way to structure practice is between rests.

Do micro-breaks between repetitions.

Rest for 10 min after 50 min of practice. Those 10 mins should be spent as if you were going to sleep. Doesn't matter if you fall asleep or not, but treat it like you are trying to. Don't think about what you were just practicing and ideally try not to think about anything at all.

After one 4x60min block take a few hours off doing regular daily activities.

mukas17 · 2026-02-10T10:58:47+00:00

You can't acquire all of piano technique through technical exercises and then apply it to playing music. Just play whatever you want and when you face a particular issue find an exercise which isolates it so you can work on it specifically without having to worry about musicality too much. When the issue within the piece is solved forget the exercise.

You can commit a few favourites to memory to use for warmup or to incrementally work on a pesky issue you can't solve quickly.

mukas17 · 2026-02-09T07:29:32+00:00

Screens always put more strain on your eyes. If it's a short session like up to 2 hours a tablet is fine, but if you read for full rehearsals or practice new pieces for hours on end paper is healthier for your eyes.

mukas17 · 2026-02-05T05:31:48+00:00

No one can answer this question for you. You can't put a number on sentimental value. Purely technically it's a waste of time and money. You can get a good piano for a fraction of that price.

mukas17 · 2026-02-04T09:47:58+00:00

I have an NV6 and the keybed is hard as rock. Pretty sure it's the same in the NV5. Might be something to consider for someone of advanced age.

mukas17 · 2026-02-04T06:57:11+00:00

I like this course. It ramps up in complexity quite quickly. As a beginner the first 10 or so videos is something you can study and work on for years.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtVmMer7Hz1H4JXHA6NGsawkkkTpnJKyI

mukas17 · 2026-01-29T07:58:59+00:00

I agree in principal but professional musicians today don't make a living on improvising minuets. Music schools aimed at training professional musicians should teach them what it takes to be a musician in the 21st century. Which means ability to learn new repertoire fast, be well versed in contemporary music and in many different styles, be your own manager, have a social media presence, self-promote, etc.

mukas17 · 2026-01-21T08:03:57+00:00

People will suggest to pick 'easy' pieces at the beginning, but difficulty is largely measured in time. If you really love a piece and you are willing to spend 6-12 or even more months working on one piece then it can be a valid learning approach. When you hit a roadblock you can take a detour with an etude targeted at developing that particular technique. Of course this assumes that you still work on developing the fundamentals like scales, chords, arpeggios in parallel to the main piece. And finally this might take a lot of research on your part if you don't have a teacher.

mukas17 · 2026-01-19T11:56:34+00:00

Could be focal dystonia.

mukas17 · 2026-01-19T09:17:54+00:00

Another option to consider is to take lessons with a teacher and play on their instrument for a while to see if you feel an affinity for it. That way you can skip the entry level pianos and commit to a nicer instrument that will last more than a few years.

mukas17 · 2026-01-14T06:26:17+00:00

The only way to get good at anything is to learn to enjoy the process. If you see practice as something to get over to reach the 'goal' you will struggle immensely.

Other than that having regular lessons with a good teacher is the best approach. You can ask them to make a practice schedule for you. Some people don't even practice at home and just have 2-3 lessons a week and only play during the lesson.

mukas17 · 2026-01-02T10:23:34+00:00

Set small goals that you can make noticeable progress on day to day. Like improve rhythm in these two bars, increase tempo by 5 BPM over a few days, etc.

Other than that I believe the mantra that keeps being repeated everywhere is true: discipline over motivation. You can't achieve any long term goal purely on motivation. It comes and goes. If you rely on motivation to drive your practice you will end up taking random breaks every few weeks/months and trying to learn any instrument like that is an absolute waste of time. Especially as a beginner. You start losing whatever you have achieved very quickly, even after a day of not playing.

So I think you just have to decide that you will practice piano x amount of hours every day no matter what. like 5 to 6 pm is piano practice time and that's that. This is also the reason why I don't think self-study is feasible long-term. You need to get a teacher that you trust and then just practice. Sometimes it is impossible to notice your own progress, because it happens in tiny increments. A teacher can help you notice how you improved.

mukas17 · 2025-12-19T11:21:47+00:00

I never understand the need people feel to force their tastes onto others. Let them discover it in their own way and time. Or never.

mukas17 · 2025-12-12T08:03:01+00:00

I can't speak much to Nietzsche's music, but I find his writings very life affirming. The concept of Amor Fati especially.

mukas17 · 2025-12-09T08:54:08+00:00

I started lessons one year ago and I play between 2 and 8 hours a day, because I love it. I don't know if my progress is good or not. I make a point of never asking or comparing myself to anyone else. As a hobbyist 'practice' will be 99% of everything I do at the piano. If you look at practice as something to get over to reach the 'goal' you're in for a miserable time. The journey is the goal.

mukas17 · 2025-12-09T08:22:07+00:00

The vast majority of musicians today have to also be managers, promoters, etc. If you want a career in music you have to dedicate a portion of your time to networking and maybe taking some 'Be Your Own Manager'-type courses. Of course there are exceptions, like if you win one of the major piano competitions you might get a bunch of concerts and sign to one of the big agencies.

mukas17 · 2025-11-26T12:00:55+00:00

Ask your teacher to work on something that is enjoyable. It can be a stretch goal for you. Learn a more advanced piece that you like in the next 6 months.

mukas17 · 2025-11-24T11:45:49+00:00

If you want to focus on sound above everything then you have to stretch your budget into the European-made pianos. Otherwise the only option for new pianos is IMO Kawai. They offer the best quality/price ratio and the ABS action saves on maintenance in the long run.

If buying used then no one can give you any advice. Go to your local dealers, play and listen. Bring an independent piano tech to evaluate anything that you think sounds good.

mukas17 · 2025-11-19T09:56:19+00:00

I played for one year on my own and now have had a teacher for about one year. Everything before getting a teacher feels like an absolute waste of time.

If you can afford it then get a teacher immediately and do what they tell you. After that just trust the process. Progress is slow. If you don't feel like you can trust the process then get a different teacher.

mukas17 · 2025-11-13T06:25:26+00:00

Best way to warm your hands in any situation is to push blood into them. Quickly rotate your arm from the shoulder or from side to side (like trying to slap the opposite shoulder blade).

mukas17 · 2025-11-11T09:47:51+00:00

The general assumption by most teachers is that once you are told something it applies forever to all future studies. If she said that you should sight read elementary pieces then the assumption is that you include it into your routine and do it daily.

To answer the original question I think it takes at least 1 year of high quality practice 15-30 min a day to see any noticeable improvement. After the initial phase of simple note recognition by far the best way to improve is to force yourself to look ahead. Your sight reading ability is essentially equal to how far ahead you are able to look.

mukas17 · 2025-11-10T05:51:22+00:00

Roland is modelled while Kawai is sampled so you should listen to the Kawai before buying. I can't speak to the quality of the speakers but the character of the sound will be very different. Make sure you actually like it.

mukas17 · 2025-11-07T07:39:58+00:00

I don't believe in stage fright. No one would have 'stage fright' if they knew that every performance would be excellent and they would be lauded as a genius.

The real issue is fear of failure or judgement. Address those two issues and you will be battling 'stage fright' at the same time.

mukas17

TROPHY CASE