- Published on
October Studio
- Authors
- Name
- David Hugh Davies
I listened to a couple of podcasts about how to blog earlier this evening. I heard 'niche' pronounced two ways. I have my niche. Developing My Piano Style. It's not about instructing others. It's a holistic approach my life and times. I love to play. For over 60 years I have mostly just played for the fun of it and have done little in the way of any kind of science toward getting better at it.
There has been a lot of talk about 10,000 hours. What it takes to be good at something.
Piano Proficiency Estimates
| Goal Level | Estimated Hours (Total) | Estimated Years (1 hr/day) | Common Definition / Repertoire |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic Proficiency / Decent | 1,000 to 2,500 hours | 3 to 7 years | Solid foundation, can read music, and play a variety of intermediate pieces. |
| Advanced | 5,000+ hours | 14+ years | Extensive repertoire; able to tackle complex classical, jazz, or concert pieces. |
| Mastery / Expert | 10,000+ hours | 27+ years | Professional, world-class skill level (the "10,000 Hour Rule" concept). |
Starting a blog about it is like calling my own bluff. I want to play better. If my playing improves, great! If it doesn't, then keep playing and practicing. I love my piano and I know that there is so much more to playing it well.
A year ago I had trouble sitting on my piano bench. I felt like my back was a cooked spaghetti strand. It came on suddenly. I was on a contract and sitting in a lazyboy chair for a greater part of my work day. Work got busy and my back went out. I went to a physiotherapist. A good one. At first he recommended getting x-rays. He was concerned that my back muscules had atrophied. He commented that I was not a spring chicken as he watched me attempting side planks. He gave me homework. Simple exercises on a mat. I did the work and my back came back. I continue to do these exercises almost every day. It has made a world of difference. For the first time in years, I can sit and play for over an hour.
It's not just putting in the time. You could play for years without getting anywhere near mastery. Is it about mastery or finding my voice. It's about playing my best every time I sit down at
Here it is Sunday afternoon. I allocated 10 minutes to donate to my studies of the Royal Conservatory. I did it! I got about 12 bars into it with the fingering pattern. Slow but steady progress. I know that my fingering is somewhat limited and stylized and am predicting that following this sheet music is an excellent longer term way of breaking 50 years of habit in my hands. I'm glad I time boxed it. Maybe it's my IT experience but I like to time my activities. Besides music is totally a time experience. I meditate using my phone's timer. I'm up to 20 minutes per day. I'm ready to put in more time on this. I actually enjoy using other parts of my brain while playing piano. It keeps me from drifting off in my thinking as tend to do when playing by ear.