These tools can help you learn to play
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Timer: Time management without distractions
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Recorders: Recording device to reinforce your own progress
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Music journal: Goals and structure of the learning content, optimization through daily reflection, shedding unnecessary baggage
Timer
At best, you stop your daily handpan practice with a timer, e.g., 25 minutes on a specific technique, followed by a 5-minute break, then move on to the next exercise. This whole thing is also called Pomodoro time management. This strengthens your ability to concentrate and allows you to focus on the exercise free from distractions with the timer, without having to look at the clock at all. Depending on how much time you have, you can do several rounds. Then it is important to extend the break after 4 x 25 minutes to give your system enough opportunity to properly integrate what you have learned.
If you don't have much time, you can of course shorten the sessions, for example to 4 x 10 or 4 x 15 minutes. The breaks help you avoid fatigue and create more intense periods of concentration.
Recorder
If you have regular listeners or you record yourself, your focus usually increases, as long as it doesn't make you too nervous and you are already somewhat experienced. You can easily compare the recording you make at the beginning of your recordings with the one after 3 months of regular practice, ideally also again and again in between. When you can play the new technique, rhythm, etcetera and also effortlessly integrate it into your music, you can learn something new again, and repeat what you have already learned again and again. If you wait until perfection, you can sometimes wait a long time, because you only discover better nuances over longer periods of time; even long-time players always find something to improve their already refined technique. Hearing and coordination get better over time; repetition and constantly questioning yourself without frustration are an important key to music. Always stay optimistic, you will get a little bit better every day.
Training journal - Setting goals on the way to your goal
What do you practice, how quickly and how long, and at what pace? You can write down techniques such as Floating Hand, Paradiddles, rhythms, and notes for optimization here. For example, you can set a 3-month goal here in a calendar overview, for example the above-mentioned or other relevant techniques.
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A journal makes new habits easier through structure, as it is immediately clear what needs to be done.
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Comparing current playing skills with your playing from "the past" becomes very clear through the focus on various techniques. You can also enter special recordings of yours if necessary.
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With your daily entry in your music journal, you automatically reflect on what you can optimize. Depending on your current level and your improvements in the various techniques, you adjust what you want to continue practicing, for how long, and at what pace. Initial successes make self-assessment easier and quickly establish themselves due to your concentration on a few things.
