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  • PianoTell's 2nd Annual Practice Accountability Challenge - Team 2025 (PACT2025)

Nightowl WieWaldi I'm hoping the 40(ish) pieces challenge will have a similar effect on my sight reading.

Yes - I think so. Unfortunately, I am only at 2 at the moment. (The recital pieces). But I can play those 2 songs only with sheet music. Call it read playing.

Anyway, it is good you reminded me to my pledge, I told you "I am in!". (Did I really submit to the 40 pieces challenge? Seems so, but why? Sounds like hard work!)

I've found a wonderful source with free sheet music, ordered by difficulty. I guess I should start with the "Beginner level 2A"-book. (This is one step above the bloody beginner level 🤪 and needs to be played hands together. I reckon level 1 was only one hand at a time, but not both together.)

    Sophia and I was rubbing my hands, yay, another victim participant.

    I wouldn't be the victim, this would be you. Telling you every day I am off, and then on again, would make this thread a full-time job for you. This means, you would have no time for practicing any longer. Slowing your progress down drastically. And the worst scenario - this thread could become the #1 thread with the top most posts in this forum. No, ain't not happen. No way.

        OMG. You are sooo right. Thank you for sparing me that agony! Besides, we can't have anything overtake the top most thread of threads, right? Nono. You are banned for life from PACTicipating

          Sophia Nono. You are banned for life from PACTicipating

          Wait a moment...

          WieWaldi This means, you would have no time for practicing any longer. Slowing your progress down drastically.

          mmmmm.....

          Hey!

              Hey @pianoloverus I’m posting here in my role as a moderator. As @twocats very succinctly noted, this thread is not the place to debate the value of the accountability challenge. If you want to have that discussion, you’re welcome to start a separate thread about it.
              Thank you!

                ShiroKuro this thread is not the place to debate the value of the accountability challenge

                Haha true. It reminded me a little of someone walking up to a table in a coffee shop and tell the ones sitting there that you can just as easily make coffee at home, if you like it enough. While technically true, it might not be the best time and place to make your case. That said, I'm okay with random discussions and alternative opinions - as long as we can all have a hearty laugh about ourselves every now and then and as long as the one who suddenly barges in, is able to accept a mild tease in return 😂

                Ok, back to the topic: thanks to PACT I have been practicing every day again after my brief absence. Due to circumstances beyond my control I haven't always felt like it, and I'll be honest and say that I have been coasting along more than diligently practising these past few weeks, but... I haven't skipped more days.

                It's also true that once I sit down to play "for five minutes", this has invariably been longer. Forgot who posted about this inertia (or was it momentum?) thing, but I can confirm: it's true!

                    Sophia It's also true that once I sit down to play "for five minutes", this has invariably been longer. Forgot who posted about this inertia (or was it momentum?) thing, but I can confirm: it's true!

                    Yep, I think I posted about it, but someone else did as well. The momentum factor is real!!

                        ShiroKuro Yes, same here! Sometimes I don't feel like playing, but I tell myself that even a few minutes is better than nothing and I make a start. Next thing I know half an hour has passed! It's like my piano bench has a similar magnetic pull to the sofa and I am struck by different types of inertia when I sit on either one! So when I'm not being a couch potato I'm bench bound! (Maybe I've got a high iron content in my blood and it pools in my nether regions... research needed!)

                        "Don't let's ask for the moon, we have the stars." (Final line from Now,Voyager, 1942)

                          For my evening practice, it happens that I am too tired. Still, I sometimes try to practise anyway, sit down, hoping for this momentum to happen. It can go either way: I might manage half an hour of practice, or I might be truly too tired, with my playing all over the place, full of mistakes I wouldn’t normally make.

                          *
                          ... feeling like the pianist on the Titanic ...

                            Animisha with my playing all over the place, full of mistakes I wouldn’t normally make.

                            Yes, I have defiantly had that experience as well. When that happens, it’s best to just say thank you to the piano and get up and call it a day.

                              5 days later

                              • TLH21

                              • Post #57
                              • Edited

                              In spite of my absence from here, I have been keeping up my practice this year. However, I am checking in because there will now be a short pause of a couple of weeks while I am travelling away from home.

                              I have played piano every day so far this year. 🙂

                              I love writing a P on my calendar every evening after piano practice. ♥️🎶♥️

                              I thought I would miss piano practice yesterday. In the afternoon, I suddenly received free tickets to a concert, which meant I didn’t go home after work, we ate out, went to the concert and didn’t get home until quite late.

                              Mr. SK knows I’m on a streak and haven’t missed a day of piano practice yet this year.

                              As we were pulling into the driveway (both of us exhausted) I said something like, “wow it’s so late, I guess no piano today” and he said “really? We won’t be able to fall asleep right away anyway, so…”

                              So I played. I have two pieces close to recording stage, so I played through both of those. And actually, one of the things I’m most focused on right now, with both of these pieces, is tempo control, and somehow after the amazing concert we went to, my tempo focus was fully engaged and even though the practice session wasn’t long, I felt like it was really beneficial.

                              The power of the streak. 💗

                              (Also, the power of a supportive spouse! I only started piano after we got married, so how did I get so lucky to find someone who not only puts up with my piano dreams, but actively supports them?)

                              a month later

                              Dear friends, I sincerely apologise for going AWOL for such a long time.

                              I fell off the wagon, so so hard, and so unexpectedly!

                              It all started during those days in late January when I realised the world would never be the same again. It felt impossible to devote my time and energy to playing the piano. So futile, so meaningless. What good would it do? How would practising the piano make any difference, any difference at all?

                              I knew I needed to do something, but what? How? I’ve never really recovered from my latest burnout, and I can’t be counted on to show up anywhere. Such a crisis.

                              Then I came up with a way to make a difference: I edit Wikipedia to help ensure that factual information is available for everyone. Once I was settled there, I could start playing the piano again. At first, I practised hesitantly, some days I practised, some days I didn’t, but now I am stable and feel confident that I’m back.

                              So please forgive me for leaving you without a single message. Sophia — I don’t know how many days I need to be excused for, but please excuse me!

                              *
                              ... feeling like the pianist on the Titanic ...

                                @Animisha totally understandable. I’m glad you’re back!!

                                Also, that is an amazing image, did you do it with AI?

                                  I have an update as well. I was traveling for five days last week, so I didn’t practice the days I was away. Actually, I practiced on the day o got back, so I only missed four days.

                                  Since I lost my “played everyday this year” streak, now my goal is to play everyday I’m physically in town.

                                  And I’m on track for that so far. 🙂

                                  Thank you ShiroKuro, and yes, it is AI generated. The idea was that I had fallen off the wagon and this was the best picture out of three that I let it make.

                                  *
                                  ... feeling like the pianist on the Titanic ...

                                    Awwww sorry to hear that, @Animisha. A burnout is devastating (my dad had one when I was still living at home many decades ago) and today's world affairs are not exactly helping. And then most of us have to cope with our personal life as well... Shall I just jot down the month of February as a general absence?

                                    @ShiroKuro you didn't mention any specifics, so I'll note you down for March 10-14.

                                    If either of you would like it changed or removed, let me know 🙂 PACT is only meant to encourage, never to "punish" or even make you feel bad 😁

                                      Sophia you didn't mention any specifics, so I'll note you down for March 10-14.

                                      Oops, sorry! March 12-16 to be specific. Thanks!