lilypad I always expected that pieces would take longer at higher levels, but this video was a bit of an eye opener for me.
I'm around grade 4 now, so this is what I have to look forward to. I need to get used to enjoying the journey.
I am currently learning pieces assigned by my teacher that takes months instead of weeks to learn and perfect. It is quite a journey for sure. What sustains me is with daily practice there is always progress, even small at times. Sometimes it is the fingers or muscles figuring out new moves. Sometimes it's the brain recognizing new patterns. Weekly lesson really helps because if I get stuck, my teacher will show me new methods and tricks to get moving again.
I do practice average 2 hours a day. However, that does not mean 2 hours on that piece. My practice is broken into several segments: sight reading, ear training, technical exercise, and music pieces. I also find I do need some quick wins, too, so I am still going through pages in my method book (those pieces usually takes only a couple of weeks). So, actual time spent on the long/stretch piece is probably 30 minutes a day. However, I also found even if I do invest additional time on the stretch piece, it does not necessarily mean I will learn it faster. Something just takes time, and sleep, to gradually sink in.
Watching that video, I am glad to know that this pace is normal.
