How to improve my technique?

[puppetmaster]

I know I've made a mistake in how I built my technique. Jumping back and forth from thigns that are too difficult for me, without thinking about how it was harming me. I went through Alfred's piano library and finised when I was 12.(then playing for 3 years). And jumped right tinto Joplins Maple Leaf Rag. It went well. Then learned a Hadyn sonata, which also went well. And then in order, Bach's English Suite A minor, The Magnetic Rag, Revolutionary Etude, The Cascades(Joplin again), and then Chopins 2nd sherzo, then Rach's Prelude op. 3 no. 2. I've now been playing for 6 years, and I realize I can no longer hide bad technique with good musicality(which is how I've been getting along even with competitions). I know I went wrong somewhere, but I was never instructed to do otherwise, I just kept going. I've now been advised to learn Mozarts Sonata K 545 and Beethovens sonata Op. 2 no. 1. It's, it's like I'm missing random bits of technique all over the place. Am I going on the right track with these new pieces?

[keys]

Those two pieces may be too long to improve your technique. You’ve probably created most of your technical problems by not paying attention to your technique (it’s quite a boring thing to pay attention to!) So maybe start with a shorter piece to guarantee absolute concentration. Then learn it hands separately so you can watch each movement and make sure they are efficient. Whichever piece you learn, the key to improving technique is diligence. You are not the kind of student Rosen was thinking of when he advised to read a book while practicing. Which random bits are you missing? If you’re weak in octaves, then your wrist is probably the problem. If you’re weak in runs, you could be playing too flat on your finger. The more information you give the more useful the answer will be.

[ludwig]

I agree with Keys totally. You need to target your weaknesses, to find out what they are, think back to the pieces you've been playing and identify what was difficult about them? Which sections did you have trouble with... Is it a lack of finger work? posture and hand shape/position? What do you find difficult? What are the things you are hidding like you mentioned? Maybe you have progressed too fast with difficulty of pieces and did not firmly establish a good technique and fundamental skills? In this case, you'll probably need to do some studies and exercises to specifically target weaknesses, and maybe even scales and arps instead of "pieces" which are etudes....and yeah, like Keys said already, more info on these would be more helpful

[puppetmaster]

One thing I noticed i had a lot of trouble with was the seciton in the scherzo starting on the 2nd page. With the left hand playing the eight notes through while the right hand does easy melody. Also I noticed on one section to the end there was no way I could chnage chords so quickly so accurately. So I guess the speed of my jumps as well. Also runs arent comign perfect they are just sloppy runs soetimes with correcting accenting but still sloppy nontheless. My teach calls it a "mouthful of marbles". One other thing I noticed was in the Bach Enlgish Suite I gte tire dfast, and don't seem to have the flexibiliteis inm sompe parts, although I admit, could also be due to wrong fingering because I was 12 when I learned it and not really paying attention.