I help passionate adult classical pianists realize their musical dreams through artistic intuition, actionable, specific feedback and transformative practice strategies.
What if rest works?
|
Hey there, Also, in case you missed it last week, I posted a new YouTube video on why “random” mistakes usually aren’t random — and what to do instead so your playing feels steadier and more reliable. 👉 Watch here: https://youtu.be/jbW7Tee4Q_E I haven’t written according to my usual schedule—partly because of the holidays, and also because I needed real rest. The kind you don’t squeeze in between practice sessions. The kind that feels suspicious at first because you’re so used to measuring progress by effort. Here is the thing I keep having to relearn as a pianist (and a person): Rest is not falling behind. Rest is part of learning. A lot of pianists think progress only happens at the piano. But some of the biggest gains happen in the “in betweens”… It happens with 10-second pauses inside a practice session—just long enough for your brain to process what you just did. It happens with a real break (like 5 minutes every 30) so you can come back focused instead of pushing through fog. If you don’t build those pauses in yet, try it this week and see what changes. That’s exactly what’s been going on for me recently. I rested because I had to—and now the fog is clearing. More clarity. Better decisions. 🎉 Which brings me to what I’m building right now… I’m putting together a 28-day Practice Challenge. It’s not about what to practice. And yes—rest and spacing are built into it on purpose. Not as a reward. Not as a cheat day. As part of the plan. I’ll share more details soon. Quick heads-up: when this new structure and challenge goes live (likely in the next 1–2 weeks, depending on my health and build time), my prices will be going up. If you’ve been meaning to join Piano with Rebecca B, now is the time to lock in the current price for as long as you remain a member. Join Piano with Rebecca B (7-day free trial open now): https://www.skool.com/pianowithrebeccab/about Members’ note: if you’re already inside, you don’t need to do anything. You’ll get the Challenge details there first. If you’re learning new repertoire, trying to fix things that won’t stick, or tired of grinding, keep an eye on your inbox. This is for you. Talk soon, and Happy New Year! All my best, Rebecca |
Rebecca Bogart
I help passionate adult classical pianists realize their musical dreams through artistic intuition, actionable, specific feedback and transformative practice strategies.
Hey there,In the last year or so, I took some Timani lessons, and they helped me a lot. Not in a vague, woo way. In a practical way. Things felt more coordinated. Playing took less effort. Octaves got easier, and runs got faster. Here’s the tiny takeaway that stuck with me most: if your body is doing extra work, the music will feel harder than it needs to. So when you hit a sticky spot, don’t immediately “try harder.” First, look for what can be more efficient. I just got an email that...
Hey there, I posted a new YouTube video because I keep hearing the same thing (and it came up in a lesson this week, too): “My mistakes are random.” They feel random… but most of the time they aren’t. In the video, I break down 5 common ways pianists accidentally train mistakes — and what to do instead so your playing feels steadier and more reliable. 👉 Watch here: Here’s the part most people miss: a lot of “random” wrong notes actually come from what your body did right before the mistake —...
Hello there, Last Christmas was a little different for me.🎁 I wasn’t able to be with my family because I was sick, so instead I sat down at the piano and shared about 20 minutes of simple Christmas music — quiet, reflective, and heartfelt. One of the reasons this recording means so much to me is that my stepdad was able to tune in live. He’s quite elderly and not in the best health, and even though we couldn’t be together, the music gave us a small way to share the day. I wanted to offer that...