How do you maintain focus?

Everyone,

I would like to get your advice or tips for maintaining focus while playing. I'm beginning a journey in my life, my marriage is breaking up and I thought that I could perhaps stop some of the "NOISE" in my head by practicing more, attempting to use my piano as a refuge from reality. How do others shut out the distractions whatever they may be, and keep their concentration. Any tips?

K.

kkbbccgg wrote:Everyone,

I would like to get your advice or tips for maintaining focus while playing. I'm beginning a journey in my life, my marriage is breaking up and I thought that I could perhaps stop some of the "NOISE" in my head by practicing more, attempting to use my piano as a refuge from reality. How do others shut out the distractions whatever they may be, and keep their concentration. Any tips?

K.

Hello there,

I have tried both playing with sheet music, and plainly improvising, and well theres two differences between these:

When I improvise I feel my head is empty, I'm basically thinking of absolutely nothing and music just comes out.

When I play by sheet I have to stay 100% focus to get all of the notes where they are and on beat and dynamics has to be perfect etc.

So I think you should try improvising because it totally clears your mind! its like yoga! When I come home from a busy day in school I play some improvs and my mind clears up completely! Try it =)!

To answer your question: It's not easy to be able to shut out things in your head, especially considering your situation, it's normal to have alot of things floating around in your head while trying to focus. But just try to let your mind relax alittle, I dont really think this question has to do much with piano, rather its more like meditation, to keep your mind clear while you play.

Good luck! I wish you the best!

My suggestion is if you need to focus, take deep breaths, then listen to every note you play as if it has meaning. Put your soul into every note and forget anything else (this is easier said than done of course)

I'm sorry to hear about your situation. I hope you find peace ^_^ Hopefully what I said can help.

I don't worry about staying focused, but I have to play something that I really like. I pay attention to the dynamics most of the time, and only stay really focused if I know that the hard part is coming then every note must be perfect... so as pianohama said I don't tend to focus a lot, just relax and enjoy

Not so to do with piano, but more with self, out of personnal experience, the challenge would be to loose fear of looking at what is wrong, rather then trying to ignore/run away from it. Myself, I find it bleeds into everything like a paralysing shadow, preventing anything to be fully enjoyable. In the end noone knows better then oneself that shuting our eyes won't make things go away. Best wishes.