Neurodivergence

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ADHD and Piano? (beehaw.org)

submitted 1 month ago by rozwud@beehaw.org to c/neurodivergence@beehaw.org

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Hey all, I'm trying really hard to get better at playing the piano, but it has always been difficult for me. I end up relying way too much on my ear and muscle memory, which gets me fairly far, but then I get lost in my own thoughts and have no idea where I am / how to recover if I make a mistake. It feels like the better I get at playing something, the more susceptible I am to completely biffing it because I got there by relying on my crutches instead of actually processing it the way (I think?) it's supposed to be learned, if that makes sense. I can read music and all that, but between the attention span and the hand eye coordination issues, I start to glaze over the actual notes on the page. Any good pianists with ADHD? Any tips? I know slow and steady is the main thing, but the glazing over makes that so hard to manage. Maybe I just need to accept that this will always be difficult for me, but I would love to hear others' perspectives. (Also this community seems pretty dead, so if there are any more active non-meme ADHD communities that Beehaw federates with, please point me in the right direction!)

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[–] Kolanaki@pawb.social 1 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

Just keep in mind that most of the time, the only one who will even notice you made a mistake when playing an instrument is you.

[–] quickenparalysespunk@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 1 month ago

i have no advice about learning music but as far as reading things on paper/white backgrounds, it night be worth trying to change the colors of the sheet music or somehow add visual stimulation, maybe using some kind of app.

[–] GooseGang@beehaw.org 2 points 1 month ago

My Dad is undiagnosed, but we’re pretty sure. Once he got out of the initial beginners rut piano became easier for him. He also had a piano teacher twice a week then too. He has his favorite composers and his sheet music has to match his level. Also, like gardening, he says being stubborn (aka sticking with it) is the key. Sounds like you’re doing your best and are on the right track!

[–] wicked_samurai@beehaw.org 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

How is it going lately? I am in the same boat RE relying on muscle memory. I want to get a teacher - do you have one? I wonder what a piano teacher would say...

[–] rozwud@beehaw.org 1 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I don't have one; I don't feel able to make that kind of weekly commitment right now, but I'm sure that would make a big difference. It's been going okay; I practice a few hours each week, but it's usually in one go, which I'm sure is not the best way to go about it. I've definitely been improving, not as fast as I would like, but I'm trying to be gentle with myself about that.

[–] wicked_samurai@beehaw.org 2 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Yeah, the commitment can be tough! I will say that muscle memory is a big part of learning any instrument, so if you naturally rely on it, I don't think that's bad. I am not a teacher, but I got really good at guitar and saxophone when I was younger; so I feel comfortable sharing my thoughts on reading, muscle memory, etc.

If you keep playing and build up your memorization skills, that is a very good thing IMO. Reading is important too, but maybe you don't have to get really good at everything all at once?

Also, remember to have fun! 😊

On a general note, I as a fellow ADHD-haver, I have found that a consistent mindfulness pracrice has been a game changer for my focus. Have you tried mindfulness meditation or had a mindfulness practice? Playing music and reading music are both very mindful activities, so building your "mindfulness muscle" could be a good way to help you stay in the moment and not get lost!

[–] rozwud@beehaw.org 2 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Yeah, I'm mainly a vocalist, but I played clarinet for years, so I'm not new to the whole practicing an instrument thing. Piano just has that extra layer of difficulty because my hand eye coordination sucks, so playing two different parts in separate hands while also keeping track of where I am in the music is super challenging for me.

Mindfulness meditation has come in very handy for me at various points in my life. I used to struggle badly with rejection dysphoria before I knew what it was, and mindfulness meditation helped with that. I like the idea of applying mindfulness to this situation. Thanks for pointing that out; I think that could be very helpful!

[–] wicked_samurai@beehaw.org 1 points 5 days ago

Sure! And I agree piano is a different beast!