What is the best way to practise without a teacher

[psaiko]

Hi

I am currently studying abroad and will not have a teacher for one year. I want to get more serious about practise possibly trying to get into a conservatory in 2-3 years. How do I optimize the practise time when I dont have a teacher?

My greatest concern is that I learn things the wrong way, which will make it even more difficult to correct later. For instance I am playing some work from WTC, but without guidence I fear the time will be wasted.

What is the safest and most efficient use of practise time for this one year? Should I just play a lot of Czerny to improve my technique? Chopin etudes? Or is it safe to play Bach?

[dnephi]

What about hanon, schmidtt, and cortot?

[gruffalo]

What about hanon, schmidtt, and cortot?

those are damaging enough with guidance. without guidance would be a disaster.

[menuet]

Should I just play a lot of Czerny to improve my technique? Chopin etudes? Or is it safe to play Bach?

I don't know your skills as a pianist, but if you're asking yourself such a question, don't try Chopin etudes without a teacher.

I guess this is not very helpful.....

[pianowelsh]

I would suggest have one big piece maybe a variation structure that may have technical difficulties BUT not sustained ones - learn it slowly and carefully!  ALSO choose lots of easier pieces that are well within your level.. maybe  some debussy preludes some schumann fantasie stuck etc and make it your goal to play them really well and MEMORISE them. that way you are broadening and developing your musical virtues and at the same time are slowly building a more advanced technique.  I would agree that generally the chopin etudes should be left for working on with a teacher...BUT you could try no 1 of the nouvelle etudes of Chopin - it will sort your cross rhythms out well and truely and its a beautifull little piece for an encore and even possibly an audition.

[psaiko]

I would suggest have one big piece maybe a variation structure that may have technical difficulties BUT not sustained ones - learn it slowly and carefully!  ALSO choose lots of easier pieces that are well within your level.. maybe  some debussy preludes some schumann fantasie stuck etc and make it your goal to play them really well and MEMORISE them. that way you are broadening and developing your musical virtues and at the same time are slowly building a more advanced technique.  I would agree that generally the chopin etudes should be left for working on with a teacher...BUT you could try no 1 of the nouvelle etudes of Chopin - it will sort your cross rhythms out well and truely and its a beautifull little piece for an encore and even possibly an audition.

Thanks for the answer. I am already learning some easy pieces which I personally like very much. Do you think Czerny school of velocity can be done without a teacher?

[jazzyprof]

I think you should use this opportunity to master all your major and minor scales in their various forms...in contrary motion, in thirds, sixths, double thirds, octaves, etc., chords, arpeggios.  Get a good scale manual like Macfarren.  This is stuff you can work on without a teacher and will do more for your technique than Hanon.  Add to that a good dose of Bach...2- and 3-Part Inventions and some of the French Suites.  You won't need a teacher...just do a search for Bernhard's posts here on analysing and learning these pieces.   

[rescon]

There are also some great online resources that can help you can learn piano, though, of course, this can't replace the knowledge gained from private lessons. I, myself, am the webmaster of one such site, Resonance Connection, devoted to teaching the basics of reading music and playing piano. Other great websites includePiano Nanny, Piano Education Page, and Berklee Shares. However, even with the availability of these free online sources, I still think private lessons is the best way to go.

[theodore]

For Rescon:

Do you know of any drills or methods where I can learn to be more accurate in playing various intervals with one hand? For instance skips such as fifths , sixths, sevenths going both up and down and in various keys without actually looking at the keys.

Many songs have these leaps in both hands and the left hand has larger leaps when used as an accompaniment.

Thanks for any help...

Theodore

[Bob]

I'd search for a teacher in your new location.

Or stay in contact with your old teacher.

With the internet, you can send recordings or video.  With email, or posting them for anyone to see.  You can get somewhat "live" advice that way.

Get recordings of the pieces you're playing.  And books.  Esp with the WTC, I know some of those are dance styles and aren't meant to be played exactly was written.

You can post on here for advice about the ways you practice. 

I really think a lot is how the student practices, not as much about the teacher.  The teacher can give you advice about the things you wouldn't know about otherwise -- a certain playing technique, the "real" way the music is supposed to be interpretted, etc., but the student is one who actually does the work and knows how they are practicing.

At the very least, play something.  You can at least maintain your current level of playing. 

Listen critically to your playing.  Pick our your own mistakes and problems and then figure out your own solutions.   Basically, be your own teacher.  The tough part is knowing those little details about composers or style that aren't apparent from the music by itself -- Then you have to research books and recordings to discover it.

[pianowelsh]

With all technical things such as etudes and even scales it is best to have a teacher as they are aware of movements that you may be making that you are not even aware of. BUT I believe the first 5 at least of Czerny op740 are doable and most of the op299 without a full time teacher.  Maybe have the odd lesson maybe once a month with someone just to check your headig in the right direction.  Video recording yourself can be usefull and recording your playing that way you train your hand and eye to be your own teacher.   You can always benefit from scale practice.. I suggest work through a key per day and 2 one day of the week!! that way all the keys get practiced every week.   Oscar Beringer is a good complete technical manual...its more than you can get through on your own but its organised into areas of technique so you can select from each chapter and develop all round ability. Becarefull in the chord and octave ones without a teacher as these are the ones that can really be problematic in terms of tension. (Ignore most of the instructions given by the scales in Beringer about rasing your fingers something like 3 foot off the keys etc - they wrote that before they really understood the correct physiology of the hand etc but they are good excercises and they get you working through all the keys - not just boring C maj!!!

[nightingale11]

Have a look here instead:

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,5767.msg56133.html#msg56133
(huge collection of links of Bernhard's posts)

https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php/topic,9159.msg92755.html#msg92755
(m1469s index of the forum)