I often read a post from somebody saying that they'd love to be able to play XYZ and that's why they want to progress. Or sometimes they want to progress because they want to play in an orchestra.

On clarinet, I've tried playing in a jazz band and a classical ensemble - I found the former quite stressful and the latter a bit dull. I don't currently have any desire to join another band/ensemble. I really enjoy playing "old-time" music at care homes, and I can play sufficient repertoire at my current level because the song music is quite simple. I'm not sure what's going to motivate me to progress beyond G4 on clarinet, although I'm not too concerned about it at the moment because I'm concentrating on piano.

On piano, I've got no desire to play XYZ pieces - I just generally love the sound the piano makes and the way the keys fall under my fingers, and I don't mind whether I'm practising pieces, scales or exercises. I think I'd like accompanying - I've tried it once, on a very very short piece that was a vocal duet (thank you Celeste and mwl1!!) - and I really enjoyed it, but I can't say that motivates me... it's too far into the future even to contemplate because I'm not sure how far I'll get with piano.

Are most people motivated to progress by some specific ambition, or are there many others like me who don't have a particular ambition... in which case, what motivates you to progress?

mmmmmmmmmhhhhhhh interesting......

I mean, I find what you say about yourself interesting...I keep thinking, 'something' is motivating you somewhere.....well....on clarinet something is motivating you to keep playing...you enjoy it, although like you said, you 'may be contempt' where you are with it and happy staying there, if so, nothing wrong really.

For me:
violin- wanting to be able to play anything (well, most things, not highly difficult technical pieces like paganini) that's put in front of me within minutes....(I don't ask much do I? ), I LOVE playing the violin, the actual physical feeling of playing it...I love more playing it than listening to it, although I love listening to it a lot! so my motivation is to become super duper good at it! and that will keep me going forever as in my opinion you can always improve....

double bass- I always loved the sound of double bass in a classical orchestra, so to be able to play in an amateur orchestra is what I would like and I am getting there... but double bass is just 'part time fun' so I don't practice it often and I am not in a 'hurry' to progress, violin on the other hand I am very hungry for it and the more practice I can squeeze in, the quicker I can get to grade 8+ the better!

I keep finding pieces that I love and want to play, and that's what keeps me going.

Some of them just seem impossible when I first look at them

that's right, and doesn't it FEEL GOOD when you actually end up learning them and playing them?

I remember when I picked up the violin for the very first time if I looked at grade 5 pieces, only looking at them was 'too complicated' and now I am actually playing them 'fairly ok'

Good question.


I've always had a strong drive to play things but never really had the motivation to work at it systematically- when I decided a few years ago to play violin it rather took over, mainly because it was so difficult. The motivation to progress is partly to get away from the unsatisfactory noises that I (and those around me!) have had to endure...... for me it is a long chase after the sound I would like. I don't know what I want to do with that if I ever manage it. I think it's more about the process than the end result.

N

What motivates me is the Feel Good factor as jojo describes it.
I love listening to music but when I play a piece myself the feelings and sensations are completely different and I just enjoy it so much! I always feel so content after playing. When learning a new piece I often come across passages that are so pleasing to my ears. I can play these notes over and over again. There's so much more music I'm going to be learning in the future and the thought of enjoying it even more than I am now is what motivates me!

It started with enjoying attention and admiration for playing and wanting more of it, moved on to exulting in my physical skills and co-ordination for their own sake - but eventually (not so very long ago) just became a love for the music and a wish to play it to share what it means to me with others. And that desire is gradually changing from wanting to play EVERYTHING (which is impossible) to wanting to play a few things ... but really, really well.

I've pondered this some more, and I think on piano I'm currently motivated by the learning process itself, which is very exciting.

When I get more proficient, I think I'll be motivated to continue improving by the prospect of more opportunities to perform, say at charity events which I would really enjoy doing. I played at a charity event before Christmas - me on clarinet, and ChrisH and my teacher on piano - and there's lots more choice of suitable repertoire available for piano.

I'm not sure how advanced you need to be to accompany - whatever it is, it's light years away, but maybe if I get to an intermediate stage, the prospect of accompanying might act as the motivator to try and get more advanced.



I think that might be the same for me. In my case, I can see an analogy with when I was learning calligraphy - I was quite happy just to keep improving my technique for its own sake, whereas everyone else in the class wanted to do it as a means to an end, ie so that they could do greetings cards, family tree etc. I got satisfaction out of forming perfect lettering, just as I now get satisfaction out of playing a piece perfectly (or nearly!) And it's more satisfying to learn to play a (relatively) difficult piece "perfectly" than it is to play an easy piece that you can already play, so hence I keep progressing. I think I'm happy not to look too far ahead and have specific goals - it seems to suit my psyche but it's interesting to read what suits other people.

I am only starting the piano, but a couple of days ago, I recorded myself playing one of my grade 1 pieces, and I was actually quite chuffed about it. It was me playing it (probably not great, but eh!)! I remember looking at the piece for the first time just over a week ago thinking: no way I could play that! Well, I guess that's what currently motivates me, not to mention that I (currently at least!) love scales & co.!

Intriguing question. I think it's almost a 'because it's there' for me. It's kind of the same reason when people ask why I study with the OU. Because I find learning stuff inherently enjoyable - so for me the process of getting better on an instrument is the enjoyment. I'm not intending to turn any of my OU studies in to a career, neither am I intending to do the same with music; both are 'merely' something fun I do for myself in my spare time.

Having said that, I have a couple of times recently wondered what the 'point' is with doing musical stuff. But now I've realised I don't ask that same question about other things I do, or things other people do (e.g. why do my holidays involve lots of walking? And lots of photography? And my husband spending HOURS of time after holidays sorting out his photos?)

I think 'because I enjoy it' is enough of a reason, anyway. It can be a reason to stay in the same place ('I'm happy where I am') but it can also be a reason to progress. Also, if you have a sneaky teacher, you don't really realise you're progressing until you find out that horrendously difficult piece he first presented you with is actually now good fun and can be played with people listening to you

Like a lot of the other posters, I don't have any specific ambitions to "do" anything with my music, though I do enjoy ensemble playing (like choral singing - it's something about being part of a larger whole), and it's useful being able to do accompaniment etc.

I just really enjoy the feeling of making music (the 'second-hand' pleasure of just listening to it isn't nearly as good); and that "buzz" you get when it all comes together is enough of a drive for me to keep working through the difficult bits (so far, at least). Having a teacher who pushes me on to the more difficult stuff is also a way of ensuring that I don't just stagnate at a particular level: he has a habit of playing me something so gorgeous that I just have to learn it, even though it's beyond my current comfort zone !

Turning the OP on its head, what de-motivates (or at least demoralises) me is when I seem unable to progress with a piece despite giving it my best efforts - usually because it's actually just too hard for me. It's that tricky balance between stretching and out-facing oneself which has to be maintained.

A thirst for education.
Being able to do something I've wanted to do since the age of 7.
The feel of the keys under my fingers.

I can't really add anything new, only reinforce what others have said...

A passion for all things piano...playing, listening, watching

Being able to unwind at the piano, and all the worries of the day disappear, it's just me and the keys.

The sense of achievement when that difficult passage finally just 'clicks' into place...and what seemed to be impossible becomes possible.

To make the music 'my own' - no one else will play a piece like me (no matter how good or bad!)

The fact that the learning process is constant...you will never say...''right, I've mastered the piano...what's next?''

JoMook - you've hit the nail on the head. I too have wanted to learn an instrument since childhood and finally realised it was only going to happen if I made it happen. I made time for OU courses and other stuff, so I finally gave myself permission to start learning.

I wanted to learn the piano - even bought one a few years back, but it didn't happen. Now I have a husband who is an excellent pianist and that's a part of my motivation. I want to be able to play duets with him. He and my violin teacher play, after my lesson. Last week they made me cry it was so beautiful.

We can already play simple pieces together and when I'm struggling with a new piece or exercise I remember the joy I get from that experience and imagine all the things we could play and it keeps me going.

And of course when it goes well it feels wonderful.

I'm ambitious by nature (not in a competitive sense - couldn't care less if I progress faster/slower than others), so I enjoy seeing how far I can go with my playing. On top of that I'm easily bored and have quite a good ear so not-getting-better will make me unhappy which then totally defeats the purpose of playing for fun

Being part of the "music community" seems to motivate me-we have very few "bad sheep" in the music department at school, and we all help and motivate one another. As I'm getting into the last few years of school, I'm remembering how I really looked up to those who could play an instrument brilliantly and now I'm hoping that maybe one day I'll be one of those people to some other little year seven or eight-rather shallow, I know, but it gets me practicing like mad! But aside from that:

Violin-the hope of being able to join the school orchestra soon-ish, and my long term goal is get to be grade eight standard one day
Piano-The beautiful sound the piano makes, the way I can watch myself progress over pieces, and learning pieces I'd never dreamed it was possible to be played (reasonably) well by somebody who's never had a real piano lesson

This is a brilliant thread! Really enjoyed reading it!

I totally agree about the feel-good factor! And the idea of wanting to do it since you were little.

Fran, I don't think it's shallow! I remember feeling like that about singers/actors in older years than me and I see it now at school with the little ones looking up to the 6th formers who do a lot of performing. I think it's great to have role models who aren't famous, who are just really good at something!

For me it's just something I've always wanted to do. I remember as a child being desperate to sing and me and my friend at about 9 years old learned the two parts to 'I Know Him So Well' and sang it all the time. Our poor parents!

It's also because I've been learning a new method and, although I still want to improve *a lot*, I feel that a new door has been opened and suddenly I can do things I couldn't do before. Every now and again I revisit a song and find I can do something I couldn't do a few weeks ago and I find that hugely motivating.

I don't know what I'm doing it *for*. I don't know what my goal is. I just love it!

I play the piano but no longer practise it.
I practise the oboe rather more than I play it.

Like Skylark (and others) have said, I think the learning process has something to do with it. The oboe is still new and I'm discovering how to learn at the same time as I'm learning. Part of the motivation to practise is, I think, curiosity, discovering new things, finding out how far I can go... With the piano I feel frustrated by the fact that I can no longer play what I could play twenty-five years ago and, although I have a fairly good idea of somethings I could do to improve my playing, I don't feel motivated to do so because they are not "new."

My motivation to progress has changed over the last year.

I played the piano as a child/teenager and got to grade8/A-level, but then various things happened/ were said and somehow I 'lost' music. My daughter took up the violin about 18 months ago, and I sat in her lesson. Her teacher was really encouraging and suddenly i seemed to 'find' music again, started listening to it, and decided to play the viola so i could play duets with her.

I also, having been at home with the children for 11 years, really needed a new challenge, but didn't want to go back to work, so playing has given me the challenge.

Over last year my motivation changed and I wanted to be good enough to play in an orchestra, and then, as I listened to more music discovered I loved string quartets and wanted to play those.

Then i think the excitement of finding i was getting better took over a bit, and that motivates me now.

I also keep discovering music i would love to play and that also keeps me going.

Over Christmas I had a bit of a crisis and was questioning why i was spending so much time on this - was it the best use of my time? Why was I doing it?

I think ideas about what I could do because i play are beginning to be important. For example, our church has lots of people playing who would welcome chances to perform - and we have links with care homes full of people who would love to meet others - I'm thinking through ways of linking these two things together, so the viola playing is becoming more outward looking.

I think my perfectionist nature has something to do with it too - if I'm going to play this thing I'm not willing to accept 'ok' - it has to be the best I can make itl

That's rather a list of unrelated bit and bobs really - it's something I've been thinking over recently, so this is really just a list of randon thoughts I've been having.

Deadlines (ie: imminent concerts) motivate me to get pieces up to a decent standard, otherwise they tend to get a superficial busk through at home.

Yes I'm sure it comes down to what you want to play. On the oboe, which I'm only a couple of years into, I'm captivated by wonderful music which is massively more difficult than I can get close to at the moment, so I have to keep plugging away. Plus having joined an orchestra and spending quite a lot of time sinking rather than swimming I'm keen to improve my stroke.

That too. I seem to have found an instrument I really get along with and enjoy playing even if it's only scales and studies.

Oh and the more I play, the better the sound gets, the more slick the changes get - things which are their own reward for the effort expended.

The thing I enjoy most about my music is playing with other people.

The more I progress the more rewarding that becomes and the more opportunities become available. As my technical skills progress the amount of repertoire that becomes accessible increases, and the more I can make of the apparently simple stuff. If I can stop concentrating on the technicalities I can start concentrating on my fellow musicians and responding to them - and in giving them something worthwhile to reply to me on.

Over the last 6 months I've also been doing more performing with fairly regular gigs in the local pub (and purveyor of Doom Bar, next gig 14th Feb plug, plug!). The buzz I get from these gigs is ubnbelievable, and makes me want to go back and play better next time!

I'm currently going through a period of intensity at work, the hours have increased and I'm not able to put in enough practice. My biggest worry is what this does to my stamina and the knock on effect on sound. I'm not too worried that I'm not progressing with new pieces or techniques, I'm just trying to stop myself going backwards. So it's back to the scales and long-notes at least until the next gig is out of the way.

I wanted to study music since I was 14 years old. It didn't work out this way. And I also have lost music (like 2childmum).
Then I restarted two years ago. It was a bit of work to get it all managed (teacher, new flute and time) but I found a wonderful and inspiring teacher. I never had such a good teacher before.
I am very critical with myself. So on one hand I sometimes hate that (criticism) but on the other hand this gives me the chance to also realise very small advancements. And realising this small advancements is pushing me to go on to practice.
Also the option of the ABRSM-Exams is motivating me too.

The prospect of a (metaphorical) kick up the behind from my teacher if I don't

At first my motivation was to go through the grades, aiming to be good enough one day to play in an orchestra. I'd still love to find opportunities to play but recently my motivation is changing, mainly because for the last year or so, music has been my escape and the one big release valve I have left.

At the moment, my motivation is to get more of those odd times when brain, arm and fingers connect with my violin and it will suddenly just sing out. I think that's my motivation, to be able to do justice to what my violin is capable of doing, plus more times of going home grinning like a Chesire cat after a lesson

It motivates me when I listen to others who are very good. When I am struggling with piano, I just listen to Phamie Gow and have to keep going so I can one day play her music.
Same with flute.
Bev.

I just want to play better than I do at present.

I think self-satisfaction is the biggest motivation for me - and not just in music! Yes I'm sure there are other underlying factors, but I wouldn't classify myself egotistical as a person so just the sense of achievement is usually enough to make me want to do something.

When I was a child I loved to play piano for my own amusement (indeed I still do). However, in those days I didn't practice very much or at all effectively so progress happened slowly and then not at all so I became demoralised and eventually gave up. Nonetheless, a rather simplistic childhood ambition to upgrade from the upright to own a grand piano was planted and never really died. I always promised myself that "one day" I would go back and learn to play it properly, or at least well enough to justify owning a grand piano. "One day . . . "

Such a day often never comes but for me it did. When I restarted the piano 3 years ago it was the result of several evenings with Mad Tom that started with chess and ended at the piano rediscovering my (and I believe his) love of classical music in general and playing the piano in particular. However, for me at least it was rapidly apparent that 34 years of rust on a grade 5 starting point made my ability considerably less than I knew it could be, knew it should be and wanted it to be. At the same time the state of the old upright made some sort of upgrade essential and coincidentally the financial position of my wife and I was finally at the point where upgrading to a grand piano was financially possible.

So what did I want to achieve on the piano? This question was asked by my teacher within a minute or two of our first meeting. I had no doubt about my answer and more or less verbatim this is it: I want to be able to play the Chopin Etudes, all 24 of them, from memory, before breakfast every day. I want to be able to play the Chopin Ballades, La Campanella by Liszt and the Etudes Symphoniques by Schumann. I know that starting from my level of ability and at the age of 47 (as I was then) I may never achieve these aims, but I also know that if I don't try I certainly won't and I'm willing to try. I expected it to take a minimum of 10 years.

To be honest, 3 years on this is still my ambition on the piano and my expectations are still that it will take at least 10 years (3 down, 7 to go). However, I have started to believe that actually my goals may be achievable! Intermediate goals have arisen - Grade 8, the Diploma, maybe the LRSM and perhaps even an FRSM, some of the named Beethoven Sonatas and so on - but these are no more than way-marks and mileposts along the journey, although they make the journey interesting and enjoyable. Even so, for me, the journey is far more enjoyable because I think I know where it's heading. I also find it much easier to cope with setting short and medium targets when I remember what the long term target is.

One day I may have to ask myself what I want to do now I have achieved the things I wanted (so far not one of the boxes has been ticked, but then I wasn't expecting any yet). By then I imagine that other goals will have become apparent!

In summary, what motivates me to progress? Desire to achieve the target.

Wow Robodoc - I wish you well in your commitment to obtaining your goals.f

This is a bit of a convoluted reply.

For me, a goal has always been to get to grade 8 piano. Lots of ups and downs along the road, bearing in mind I started lessons at 8 yrs. My first piano came on the back of the co-op coal lorry, which was borrowed by my dad (the co-op coalman and milkman). The piano came from someone on his round.

I really didn't progress much but got to grade 4 by the time I left school and failed 'O' level music twice. I then re started lessons in my early thirties and got to grade 7 in 1991.

I gave up doing a PhD three years ago and decided to have singing lessons! My singing teacher also taught piano and I dabbled for a while with piano with this teacher too. Whilst this teacher was taking a sabbatical I found another piano teacher and she has been so firm with me that last week I actually had a total revelation about what I need to do to achieve my aim. It is called practice! It has taken all this time for me to realise that actually I can achieve grade 8 and I am now on the road.

Now I am motivated - absolutely. I do not know how this has happened but it has.

Good luck Robodoc.

I forgot to mention what any of those pieces are. Here are a few of those superlative works that I have not mastered yet!

Haydn's Sonata in Bmin Hob XVI/47
Mozart's Sonata in D K284
Field's Nocturne No 4
Beethoven's Sonatas Op 22, Op 27/1, Op 53 (Waldstein), Op 90, Op 101, Op 110
Liszt's Annees de Pelerinage. Deuxieme Annee. Italie and a couple of the Transcendental Etudes
Grieg's Sonata
Mendelssohns's Variations Serieuse
A couple of Scriabine's Sonatas and a selection of Etudes and Preludes
Medtner's Skakzi Op 20
Busoni's Etude en Forme de Variations
Prokofiev's Sonatas Nos 3 and 8
...
not forgetting Schubert's Sonata D960

What motivates me:

*There is so much music to play and being able to play it is amazin
*I would like to do the diploma and then start to teach..if i feel confident enough
*MY TEACHER! - she is more enthusiastic than me sometimes which always helps move me forward..
and i must had spent thousands on lessons by now so why would i just stop :/ im so close to the finale!

The love and joy of playing the piano and the further on I get the better pieces that I can play. Scores that I am playing now were only ever in my dreams before now, so just think how I will feel when I get really good..............and that is where I intend to be!

some one else said on here i forget who that they are motivated by the actual "learning aspect" and i have to tally agree with them. i love to learn new things. and like robodoc i have been aching to play the clarinet again since i was at school, and now 16 years later i have finally got round to doing it, its hard work and its driving me crazy but i am loveing everysecond of it. everytime i learn a new note/scale/ piece/ in itself is just the greatest feeling. tonight while practiceing i realised that i had memorised a vivaldi peice and i was chuffed as it gets at something so simple.

i admiti have a long term goal to be able to join a wind band or orchestra of some kind. but i think this is a very long way off (year or two away). for me it does motivate me to have an end goal in sight...but at the same time it can be so very daunting to see that goal so far down a long and windy road it can make some people doubt their ability to get there. soooo i like to set mysefl smaller more achievable short term goals....(that in turn lead to the longer term one) these shortr term goals can be anything thing from learn a particular piece of music, work through a particular book, practice a particular technique. advance to a particualr exam grade. all smaller achievable goals that lead me to the end goal. i like seeing my books with their little pencil marks to say i have learned them and seeing my little red labels that say i need to practice this piece more. or working throgh the books towards the green labels i have set as targets for the week. i am as much motivated by the little things as the big things

i get inspired to achieve more every time i listen to the proffesionals play Everytime i hear those pieces of music i long to be able to play myself. everytime i come on this forum i am inspired to reach the level of so many of the members so that one day i can attend the playdays and hold me own and meet all the great people that have helped me with fantastic advice and support. everytime i put on a cd of particular tracks i feel am motivated because i want to be able to play like that. the songs that make me cry and give me goose bumps head to toe motivate me, i want to be able to play my clarinet and invoke such emotion in other people that they cry just because they are listening to the sound i am makeing with my instrument. my sheer love of the clarinet and makeing music and learning and just doing something constructive with my brain and time motivates me to keep on going. at this point in time i dont think that i will ever want to slow down or stop, there is always something else to learn for me. for me i feel music is something you can never finish, you can never say ok i have learnt all there is to learn i am just gonna sit back now and enjoy, there is always more, its always evolving, changeing, there is always more and that why i love it

I agree isn't music a beautiful thing, there's always something left to learn, no matter how good you get

Great thread.

I think, my motivation is caused from various aspects. First, when I start practicing, I seem to focus only at the task at hand. And it is the many little tasks. There is always one, I manage to achieve that day, or come close to achieving, so that I know, tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, I will finally get it right.

As I play the flute, I guess there is only one thing that really matters in the long run: Breathing!!! It all comes to that. So, that is one of the final goals, that I am able to play and nobody will be able to hear me breathing at all, and to make all the right moves in the right moment that it actually looks like one is to dance with the instrument and the music.

Somewhere in between, I hope I will able to participate or found a small band or two. One Classic or Klezmer, the other maybe a more progressive approach with unusual instrumentation and own compositions. Or maybe even better three bands?

I don't have a certain piece I want to be able to play. I want to be able to play ANY piece in front of me nearly by sight. No matter what. One of the most satisfying moments at the end of last year was when I realized that I would not have thought the sheet music on my stand being playable for me in the beginning of that year. And that I have (by now) eaten myself through to the last piece in the book of 15 pieces and starting already the next which is even more difficult looking.

And the next ministep I want to achieve is to play all scales up to Grade 8 from memory and my complete fingering range without thinking about the fingering I have to make before playing the note which still happens frequently in the higher part of the 3rd 8va and C''''.

And I think, there are actually still a couple of reasons for motivating me which I missed writing.

However, I don't know if it still comes to all that reasons. The main reason I pick up the flute is that I feel incomplete, when I have not played it all day.

I have actually put a brief post on here about this thread but I thought I would elaborate as I was thinking about this the other day.

The main driving is force is a love of music. For me to be able to play something that I love and enjoy is a huge reward. I am quite impatient by nature but learning the piano has taught me to be patient and persevere with each piece in order to play the piece as well as I feel I can.

I always remember when I played the easy part of Fur Elise and for a while I felt a real Euphoria whilst playing a particular section, that's the feeling I aspire to get with each piece I play. It's an amazing motivator.

I love the feeling that I get when a particular piece starts to feel effortless and technically 'right' under my fingers, as in I know the technique for that piece is probably as good as I will get (for my level). When I get this feeling I can pretend I am a concert pianist! This gives me an amazing buzz. When I start something really difficult and think "I am never going to get this' but I do, it gives me an overwhelming sense of achievement too.

I really love my scales and technical work because I know it will make me a better player in the long term and make the polishing of pieces easier.

And last of all... my long term goal is to able to play Shubert's Impromptu No.3.

What a great way of expressing it! I share this completely. I get well grumpy when I miss my music practice even for a day....