Is it bad to learn a lot of pieces at once?

[forzaitalia250]

I've taken classical lessons for a large part of my life, but the last year plus I've been without a classical teacher (I'm currently looking for one) and working on classical on my own while still studying with my current jazz teacher.

I was wondering if there is a problem with learning a lot of difficult classical pieces at once. Right now I'm currently working on Rachmaninoff: Concerto no. 1; Chopin: Revolutionary Etude, Ballade no. 1, and Nocturne no. 13; Liszt: La Campanella and Leibestraume (sp?).

Anyway, I realize I learn everything a lot slower this way because I can't devote all my time to one or two pieces, however I do spend a lot of time practicing (anywhere from 3-6 hours a day) which does help.

The reason I like to do it this way is because I get bored quickly playing only one piece at a time. Anyone see a problem with working on so much at once?

[wotgoplunk]

Short and to the point: IMO, as long as you can handle the pieces, it shouldn't be a problem. Also, don't start them all at once. Try to stagger them,  that way you don't end up with everything at the same stage at the same time.

[forzaitalia250]

Good to know. I'm very glad I didn't start all of these at once... I've been playing them for a few months to a few days, and it definately is nice to be at different stages with all the different pieces.

In terms of difficulty, the Rachmaninoff pushes it, and La Campanella might take awhile with the cadenzas, but nothing unplayable.

I could really use a new teacher though... I've been looking into music professors at some universities near my high school but haven't received any calls back yet (probably because it's summer) but until then, it's going to be a fun journey wading through them on my own 

[amelialw]

3-6 hrs a day for 6 pieces, that is'nt that bad but you should'nt be practising every single piece everyday, you should alternate for example if you have 3 hrs or slightly more than that you should spend 1 hr on each piece and not to mention some technique. You shoul'nt take too long if for that one hour on that certain piece you really focus on what you're practising.

I practise 4 to 5 hrs a day and I have 9 different pieces.

I don't think people at an advanced level should work on only 2-3 pieces that's really little...

yes, go get a teacher!

[jinfiesto]

I'm doing in excess of thirty pieces... I practice about five hours a day... I certainly don't get around to practicing everything every day. Really efficient practicing is the word for this. I'm doing all of the chopin etudes, the Mendelssohn Rondo Cappricioso, and I'm relearning a bunch of stuff for a recital... So that's in excess of thirty pieces. But yeah. Just take little bits at a time and learn them really well. I usually learn a measure plus a note, and keep doing that, and when I've got a page or so, i glue it all together, which is usually pretty easy, since I practice a measure plus a note... That note is the important part. So no, in short I dont think it's bad to learn a lot of pieces at once. But listen to wotgoplunk, and stagger them all. When I started the etudes, I learned one a week, and so, the first etudes that I started, are getting to be pretty good.

[pelajarpiano]

Not bad to practice many piece at once, but one thing u must concern is you must know what piece that u must pay more attention. If u can manage yourself in practice it's no problem.

Teacher is good, so u have someone who will give u advice for ur playing, and make ur playing become better,especially classic

[piano_ant]

All pieces become better over time, so I say you need to find the max number of pieces you can work on while still managing to let them grow...could take some tweaking to find your number...

[xpjamiexd]

I think learning lots of pieces at once can be slightly unfruitful, but I think concentrating on just maybe two for a while will enable you to play the pieces much better.

[pelajarpiano]

I think learning lots of pieces at once can be slightly unfruitful, but I think concentrating on just maybe two for a while will enable you to play the pieces much better.

It's according to the people. If you are very busy, it will be effective.But if u have more time, it's very boring to concencrate on just two pieces. And one again, not all people have same ability in playing piano, it's back to you, can u play many pieces at once, try that.if u can't, do something that u think the best for u.