How Long it Takes Me to Learn a New Trick

I’m still in shock! It has been a few months since I’ve tried to learn a new piano trick that was really challenging. I thought for sure 2-3 weeks max and I’d be playing it in every key and every song I knew. Thing is, I probably would’ve been right but I failed to consider…. , helping my son with school projects, deciding what I’d be making for dinner so I could go grocery shopping, cleaning up after our dog when he got sick on the carpet, paying a few upcoming bills, running to Costco for toilet paper because we’re completely out,  a dishwasher full of dishes that never got turned on or the day I didn’t feel like getting out of bed.  

Recently, I decided to challenge myself to learn a new trick on the piano. It was something I had always wanted to do, but I had never taken the time to really focus on it. I was excited to see what I could accomplish with some dedicated practice time.

But as I started working on the trick, I quickly realized that it wasn't going to be as easy as I thought. With my current brain bandwidth - a good 15 minute practice session made me tired. My brain couldn’t take it any more than that. So instead of my 3 week goal (which I thought was plenty generous) it took me a month and a half of consistent practice to finally get it right. That made my jaw drop!

As a busy work-from-home wife and mom, I know how challenging it can be to find time to pursue our passions and hobbies. And when it comes to learning a new trick on the piano, it can be even more overwhelming.

I had always assumed that because I’ve played for 30 years, I would be able to learn new piano tricks fairly quickly, but this experience taught me that it's not always the case. As someone who has been playing the piano for years, it was humbling to realize that there is still so much I have to learn.

Instead of getting discouraged, I decided to use this experience as an opportunity to reflect on my practice habits and give myself a lot more grace. Because what happens if we don’t, trying to play piano better becomes too much and we just quit!! As a busy woman, I know how important it is to make the most of the time we have, and that includes seeing 5 or 15 minutes of practice time as a good investment in our gifts.

So, I started setting aside specific times each day for practice. I decided that it didn’t have to be mistake-free to be a successful practice session. I also started breaking down the trick into smaller, more manageable steps, so that I could make progress without feeling overwhelmed. Maybe I’d just play it through 5 times in 1 key and then get up and go on about my day. I was able to stay consistent by practicing the new trick for 15 minutes 4 days a week. 

For weeks, I didn’t feel like I was playing it any better. I still made mistakes. I still got up from my practice time a little frustrated that I couldn’t play it perfectly.

And worse, I was starting to convince myself that I would never be able to learn this new trick. I should just go on to something else.

About a month and half after starting to learn this new trick, I walked into my office, sat down at the piano and started to play the same trick I had practiced so many times before. Except for this time: it was easy. It came natural. It didn’t even feel like practice. 

To be honest, I don’t know when it clicked.

I don’t understand why it felt hard for so long and then one day it was easy.

What I do know is that I DIDN’T QUIT!!

I know that getting unstuck in your playing can be discouraging when progress feels slow. But I want to encourage you to keep pushing forward, even when it feels difficult. With consistent practice, you can achieve your goals and become the gospel piano player you've always wanted to be. Don't give up after trying 2-3 times, keep at it, and you'll see progress! DON’T QUIT!!!

Your Friend,

Melody