"Why Slow Progress Is Often the Real Breakthrough."

One of the most important moments in a student’s journey doesn’t look impressive from the outside.

It looks slow.
It looks repetitive.
It looks like practicing the same simple thing over and over again.

Lawrence recently shared where he’s at in his practice — weeks into smooth scales, patiently working toward 120 bpm, two octaves, two hands, both directions. He spoke honestly about how long it’s taking, how many scales are still ahead of him, and how his hands still don’t fully work independently yet.

And yet… he’s enjoying the process.

That’s not a small thing.
That’s a breakthrough.

In a world that celebrates speed, shortcuts, and quick wins, choosing to move slowly — intentionally — is a quiet form of mastery. When a student decides to honor the foundations instead of rushing to the “fun stuff,” they’re building something that will actually last.

Scales aren’t glamorous.
But they teach your hands to cooperate.
They teach your ears to hear relationships.
They teach your mind to slow down and notice.

When Lawrence talks about going back to drills he once rushed, that tells me something powerful: he’s no longer trying to “get through” the material. He’s choosing to understand it.

That shift changes everything.

Many students can’t wait to get to chords, songs, and performance — and I understand that excitement. But when you take the time to master the basics first, those things become easier, more musical, and far more enjoyable later on.

Progress doesn’t always feel exciting.
Sometimes it feels slow.
Sometimes it feels repetitive.
Sometimes it feels humbling.

But slow progress, done with care, becomes real progress.

Lawrence’s story is a reminder that enjoying the process is part of the practice. When you can find satisfaction in small, steady steps — when you can sit with the work instead of rushing past it — you’re not just learning piano.

You’re learning patience.
You’re learning presence.
You’re learning how to build something meaningful over time.

And that’s the kind of foundation that supports music for a lifetime.

👉 You can read Lawrence’s full story here

With gratitude,
Stephen Ridley