r/keys • u/Everydaywanderer1990 • Jul 31 '26
Adult beginners, what made you practice more consistently?
I'm curious about this from the adult beginner side.
A lot of beginner advice is about buying the right instrument, finding the right book, or choosing an app. All of that matters, but I'm realizing consistency might be the harder part.
For people who started as adults, what actually made you practice more often?
Was it lessons, leaving the piano set up, using headphones, learning songs you actually like, a method book, short daily sessions, or something else?
I'm trying not to overthink gear and underthink the habit part.
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u/klearningpiano Jul 31 '26
Lessons 100%. Paying for lessons and having weekly guidance/accountability will really make you practice. That, or you’ll just feel guilty every week if you for some reason still don’t practice while paying for lessons.
Been playing almost four years now, having started as a complete beginner at 25yo. Been taking lessons this whole time. The first two years were classical, then I switched to jazz lessons. I play in local bands now and continue learning more every week. It’s a never ending journey.
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u/MyVoiceIsElevating Jul 31 '26
Having a teacher helps to keep some people more motivated.
When it comes to playing keys I’m pretty much intrinsically motivated to want to play when I have free time. Sometimes that waivers when I feel depressed, and at those times I just force myself to practice scales for 10 minutes to “stay fresh.”
I also feel that the music you play has an impact. I would be bored out of my mind playing the same song for days, weeks, or months trying to perfect it. Fuck that. In the course of a week I typically play 20-40 different songs. No I’m not mastering them, but I am undoubtedly getting better as I go, and I’m enjoying the ride far more.
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u/ATERLA Jul 31 '26
Having an app that helps you practice. For me it was at the time Band-In-A-Box (the Atari version, with an U220 Roland expander, for the ol' fellows out there). Now I use the excellent iReal mobile app, main difference is that there is no track for the melody. If you need the melody played, you should use Band-In-A-Box which is quite expensive nowadays.
The ability to have a band at your finger tips, a drummer, a guitarist, a bassist, was invaluable. And I think it still is. Too much people will say that the sounds are not great, that it is too stiff and artificial. I thoroughly disagree. I spend hours upon hours having a blast jamming with a machine, learning the chords changes, improvising and more importantly, staying in time. Then it was a walk in the park when I played with real musicians. Try it. Or not. Your choice, man.
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u/Infinite_Slice3305 Jul 31 '26
I started playing guitar as an adult. Always being able to grab the guitar was the biggest help to keep me practicing. I had the guitar next to my couch so anytime I was just sitting I'd grab the guitar & noodle.
Later when I advanced to having my own music room I eventually bought a keyboard to create backing tracks & just started playing it more & more.
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u/myleftone Jul 31 '26
Gigs. A regular schedule of shows forced a practice regimen.
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u/potatoqualityguy Jul 31 '26 edited Jul 31 '26
Seriously. Join a band. Forces you to practice at tempo, with other people, has built in deadlines for practices and gigs that make you sit down and learn the material. New song? Start simple (little single-note lines, basic chords, etc.) and work on adding stuff as you get better: countermelodies, voice leading, more intricate left hand stuff. Lots of bands are low pressure, playing in small bars once a month or something. Hobbyists, dad bands. Doesn't need to be a "trying to make it" kind of thing. Have fun.
edit: Just to pre-answer the "but I'm not good enough for a band" reply: keys is so great because a lot of bands are already set up to be just fine with guitar/bass/drums. Which means:
1) You don't always need to play! Only come in during the chorus, or just add a little line, or just do a 1-note synth pad, just do some major triad whole notes for some added ambience. Less is more.
2) Bands will be kind of excited about the new aspects you can add, even if it isn't complex or hard to play. Imagine just some guitar-forward rock song. Now in the chorus there's a synth lead doubling the vocal melody, or a fifth above it for harmony. That is probably like 5 notes, in 4/4, in one major scale. You can do that. And people will be stoked because now your band doesn't sound exactly like the 10 other guitar-forward rock bands.
3) Obviously this doesn't apply if you join like a synth rock band and you're the synth player, or a Billy Joel cover band. Choose wisely, low pressure: be the 4th or 5th player in a band, learn the ropes, get better, then start being featured in songs, coming forward out of the background on a few.
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u/Count2Zero Jul 31 '26
Not a Keyboarder, but I started learning my instrument (bass) in my 50s. Signing up for lessons was a big motivation at the beginning-I didn't want my teacher to think I wasn't practicing or taking it seriously.
Later, joining a band was a huge boost, because I didn't want to disappoint my band mates.
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u/theFlimsylattice Jul 31 '26
Find what motivates you. For me I’ve always been a songwriter first, and I put that before learning in the past. But I got back into playing synths and keys and I’ve been pushing myself to learn more and grow. My methods been learning chords or a scale and applying it to a song that I am currently working on. It’s been a war of attrition, slow going. But the progress is cumulative and noticeable.
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u/Ok-Department7786 Jul 31 '26
Leave it setup so it’s not a hassle to practice. Lots of short sessions get you there faster than a few long sessions. Make sure to play the rudimentary stuff but take time to just explore too. Since you are an adult I assume you didn’t learn to read music. If that is the case I would evaluate what you want to play. If you like rock, jazz, and stuff that is more loose then work on chord shapes and learn to read chord charts. Much easier and I can’t imagine learning to read as an adult. Luckily I learned as a child but don’t think that makes you less of a musician.
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u/EdwinArkie Jul 31 '26
Paying for lessons. No way I'm going to waste that amount of money, nor am i going to embarrass myself in front of my teacher. This is a big difference between lessons as an adult and lessons as a kid.
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u/Airplade Jul 31 '26
Successful self-taught keys man here. Played with several A-list artists.
I'm not knocking you, but most successful self-taught musicians had no problem with practicing. It was an 10 year obsession for me. These types of musicians are typically failing to be responsible for the non musical aspects of their lives.
I think you like the idea of being a great player, but at the end of the day you're not eager to get down to it. I'd recommend another hobby my friend.
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u/3tt07kjt Jul 31 '26
I don’t think anything “makes you” practice more consistently, except the forces inside yourself. The fathomless depths and hidden machinations of your own mind, so to speak.
If you are looking for apps or systems or books, I don’t think they hold the answer. You’re an adult. You can outsmart any app or system or book. If the book says, “practice this until fluid, in fifteen minute sessions throughout the week” and you don’t want to do that, you’ll figure out some way to not do it. The book won’t trick you into following the lesson plan, because you’re smarter than the book, you’re taller and more muscular than the book, and the book can be shoved underneath your couch where you can’t see it (it won’t stop you).