Best way to learn piano pieces??

[smithmiller6]

I've been attempting some pretty long, difficult pieces lately, and I wanted to know the best way to learn them. Like memories them.

I read somewhere that learning away from the piano, helps you memories music allot.... better/quirkier? This idea seems very strange to me, because.. I've always done all my piano practice at the piano. Anyway.
Going slow and learning the pieces bit-by-bit, well that seems to be the way to go, and what allot of people recommend.

Anyone have any idea, which is the best, most efficient way to learn pieces?

[Lusaka_Guitarist]

Yes, going slow and reading the music off the instrument are a good combination.

You can also memorise the pieces in bits. You can for example start with the first four measures. When you are done, you do the next four then try to play the eight measures. Keep adding a few more measures at a time until you done with piece then play it from your memory as often as possible.

Remember, the memory works like a muscle. I grows stronger with usage. So keep giving your memory challenges and never give up.

I hope that helps.

Lovemore Nanjaya

[wljmrbill]

Good Advive.,. the away methods helps in overall performance.. follow the score along with a good performance of the piece or just reading the score and hearing it in your head..helps to co-ordinate the playing of the piece.. I do this alot with organ music.. I fellow the score while listening to a good performance of it.......... otherwise the old right hand, then left hand, then together.. slow to tempo process while working in sections is only way to go. Good Luck !

[Montefalco]

Very good advice. Also, try playing either the whole thing or larger parts of it through to get an overall sense of where the piece needs to go. I hope they all go well.

[Gillis]

If you can get a hold of a musical recording of the piece it would be very beneficial because I find that if I listen to it a lot when I'm not playing, I really have a better time memorizing it =)

[Contratrombone64]

I would avoid listening to a recording of the work, frankly, you are prone to "take on" the interpretation of the performer. This is not a bad thing, but it means your voice isn't developed.

[Soubasse]

I tend to agree with the above. A recording can be useful perhaps once in order to familiarise yourself with the piece, but afterwards, it's down to you - making it your interpretation is far better than simply copying someone else. The other suggestions proffered here - in regard to technique - are also good.

Also, I've found very useful in the past (and still do), the technique of practicing a piece from the outside ends inwards. By that I mean practice maybe the first page or first half a page to figure out how you want to interpret that part, then go to the very end and practice the last 4 or 8 or 16 bars to figure out how you'd like to end it. Learning sections of a piece "out of order" can have many benefits when it comes to putting it all together later - it's a bit like doing a jigsaw in that sense, many people tend to start them from the outside edges to form a frame, then work on any obvious bits in the middle or wherever.

Other times I've often practiced a whole piece "backwards" - not literally obviously (!) but learning the last page, then going to the 2nd last page and joining it to the last page to put it into context, and keep working my way back like that (that was a Dame Gillian Wier technique brought to my attention in a masterclass with her - I learned a hell of a lot from her in an hour!!). In some ways, this can often be a more rewarding way of practicing, particularly if you've been sitting at the instrument for a few hours. In starting a piece from the beginning and "trudging" through it, there can be a sense of "oh no, here we go again" whereas, practicing from the end and working your way back, each time you do a run through and you get to the parts you went through earlier, there's a sense of "ah good, I know this bit now!"

As for memorising, well ... practice, practice, practice, practice.

After that, you should do some more more practice.





Then I recommend some practice