Mastery of the piano is a long and difficult journey. There are some secrets though that can ease the frustration. It has been said that the sport of golf is frustrating even with the best golf instruction book in the world. The seemingly simple act of hitting a white ball should not present very many problems. You would think pressing down the black and white keys of the piano would be simple with all the many method books on the market. However, practicing exercises and boring pieces will hinder your journey towards mastering the piano.
Music from the piano is not made from hitting the keys with your fingers. Music is made from a series of smooth complex movements whose energy comes from the torso and through the arms and into the fingers. These movements have a rhythm and a drive that are necessary for beautiful music.
Once you have understood the physical technique of rhythmic body energy, you will produce a sound so large that the listeners will want to wear a black helmet to protect their ears. You do not develop this technique by practicing scales and arpeggios. Playing dry and boring exercises will not give you the tools you need to really play the piano. The best practice of all is actually playing the music of the piano repertoire.
Spending endless hours practicing scales, arpeggios, and dull exercises will not give your this sound. Exercises which claim to build finger strength are particularly ineffective. The strength of your playing does not come from your fingers. It comes from the physical coordination and energy flow of your entire body. Once you have mastered this technique you will be able to get that quickness that needs a digital sport watch to time. It is a smoothness and power that the human ear perceives as beautiful music.
The old fashioned teaching methods of practicing at slow tempo and playing left and right hands apart must be abandoned. These teaching methods are counter productive. The eye hand coordination and motions required to play at the proper tempo are completely different and lacking when played at an artificially slow tempo. It is a complete waste of your practice time. The same is true with practicing hands apart. It is the coordination of the two hands that must be practiced and mastered.
Instead of practicing scales, exercises and arpeggios, you should play actual music from the classical piano repertoire. Many great composers have written beautiful music that can be played by the beginning student. Actual piano music contains all the scale and arpeggios you would ever need to practice. Playing actual music will hold the students interest and motivate them.
Fine piano playing is produced by the rhythmic movements of the whole body. It does not come from wiggling your fingers. You do not become a good piano player by practicing scales and exercise. You become a piano player by playing real music.