How to practice -- "cemented" blocks of periodic practicing?

[Bob]

There must be a way to break apart the preparation of a piece along these lines...
I want to work on a piece, a larger piece probably -- one that I won't be sitting working at every day for months and months though. 
A way of working on a piece where I split the process of practicing it up into sections.  I work on each part of the project, solidfy it, and then drop it so I can work on the next part. 
Essentially, similar to "regular" practicing, but I might drop it for six months, a year, who knows?
I want each part of the project to be solid, like a block, so it will be in place. 
I know something like this must already go in everyone's practicing.  Pieces started but never finished, or finished years later.
It involves breaking down the process of learning a piece.

(Bob ponders) Some of these pieces... at least for me...
Initial notes and rhythms -- the crude movements
Higher elements -- articulation, dynamics
Studying the piece -- form and phrase, chords, expression...
.. knowing the piece.... memorizing all the parts of a piece...

I suppose this is a type of practicing where you hit the piece every once in awhile.  If I can break the process up into smaller chunks, I can work on it a little each day, even in the car....


Bob thinks more...
There must be a way to do this.  I might work on a piece during the summer, get raw notes and rhythms under my fingers and then come back in the winter to hit it again.  I might spend a month just studying the piece without ever playing anything from it on the piano.... There's something to this idea.


Any thoughts?  Advice?

[henrah]

Go for it my son!!!


*Henrah realises that he has subconciously done this with quite a few pieces, but the break was only between the learning/memorising and the final development of interpretation*
Henrah

[m1469]

Bob, overall I am not sure that I understand at all what you are looking for... because as far as I can tell, all of the answers you are looking for are already within the content of the forum.  But, just in case I truly don't get it, I want to inquire further and see if I can gain some kind of clarity.

There must be a way to break apart the preparation of a piece along these lines...
I want to work on a piece, a larger piece probably -- one that I won't be sitting working at every day for months and months though.

I can only imagine that you have a process in mind that you are unhappy with.  Could you define what that process is ?
 

A way of working on a piece where I split the process of practicing it up into sections.  I work on each part of the project, solidfy it, and then drop it so I can work on the next part.

What is stopping you ?  This seems straight forward to me.

Essentially, similar to "regular" practicing, but I might drop it for six months, a year, who knows?
I want each part of the project to be solid, like a block, so it will be in place.

Do you basically mean you want it to remain learned/memorized throughout the time you drop it ?  If so, then you are dealing with issues of memorization, which of course have to do with practice strategies.  However, as I mentioned before, there are loads of posts covering this particular topic... not that it is a waste of time to bring it up and look at it again... I just would imagine you have already read and tried some of what has already been suggested by other forum members.

I

know something like this must already go in everyone's practicing.  Pieces started but never finished, or finished years later.
It involves breaking down the process of learning a piece.

Doesn't every piece involve this ?  Again, I don't quite understand.  If you could explain a little more, that would be quite helpful, I think. 

(Bob ponders) Some of these pieces... at least for me...
Initial notes and rhythms -- the crude movements
Higher elements -- articulation, dynamics
Studying the piece -- form and phrase, chords, expression...
.. knowing the piece.... memorizing all the parts of a piece...

Is this your style of breaking it down ?  I am particularly interested in that section of your post and would like more details if possible.  Are you looking for a more complete "method" of doing those things ?

I suppose this is a type of practicing where you hit the piece every once in awhile.  If I can break the process up into smaller chunks, I can work on it a little each day, even in the car....


Bob thinks more...
There must be a way to do this.  I might work on a piece during the summer, get raw notes and rhythms under my fingers and then come back in the winter to hit it again.  I might spend a month just studying the piece without ever playing anything from it on the piano.... There's something to this idea.


Any thoughts?  Advice?

Are you basically refering to mental practice ?  Again, there is already much on the forum about mental practice, and I would think you have read these these things and even tried them out... so, once again, I am unclear about what exactly you are looking for or asking.

Well, this is my feeble attempt to "help out"  .   More details would be appreciated.


m1469