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Rebecca Bogart

Hate doing it? Keep going!

Published 5 months ago • 1 min read

Hello Reader,

Yesterday I saw several students that hadn't come in for a while. One had not made much progress since our last session. When I asked her how her practice had gone, she admitted she’d tried one of the methods we discussed—repeating a tricky section five times per practice session—but said, “I couldn’t stand doing it more than once....I wanted to play something that sounded nice!"

So, during the lesson, we set a timer and worked through those small chunks together. Every seven minutes, we reset and repeated. She grumbled: “I can’t believe I’m paying for this!” was my favorite line! Hopefully she'll stick with it. This type of practicing is not fun and it doesn't feel like you're making progress - but you are!

Sometimes, the biggest hurdle isn’t a lack of talent, but resistance to the process. Breaking things down into small, focused chunks is how real progress happens. And when you commit to the process—even when it feels tedious—you can actually feel the difference.

The same goes for sight reading. You don’t have to be perfect; you just need to practice doing it regularly at a level where you can get most of it right. By consistently staying just a little outside your comfort zone, you’ll build confidence and skill over time. Apps like SightReadingFactory.com, Piano Marvel or resources like Hannah Smith’s Progressive Sight Reading can be game-changers.

At the end of the day, the students who embrace these strategies improve. They learn faster, play better, and enjoy the piano more. And those who resist? Well, they stay stuck in the same frustrating place.

So, I’ll leave you with this: the next time you feel resistance—whether it’s tackling a tricky section, sight reading, or even just sitting down to practice—lean into it. It probably means whatever it is you don't want to do will be valuable. Set a timer. Take small steps. And watch what happens.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on these ideas.....hit reply and let me know.

Warmly,

​
Rebecca

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Mini-course and 15-page PDF will help reduce tension and increased ease and comfort. Learn the best bench height, sitting distance, foot and leg alignment, and how to position your arms and elbows.

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Rebecca Bogart

I performed in Carnegie Hall!

I help passionate adult classical pianists realize their musical dreams through artistic intuition, actionable, specific feedback and transformative practice strategies.

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