Tips on learning big, fast chords?

[bluemountaingirl]

Hello all - I've returned to playing the piano after a 10 year hiatus. I'm just a hobbyist practicing about 8 hours a week. I've been working on a Nocturne (Op 33) by Samuel Barber. My trouble lies with measures 25-28: big, kinda fast chords.I've played them hands apart, with rhythms, very slowly--I'm running out of practice techniques, and yet the passage still does not go smoothly dependably. My hands tend to get in each other's way. Another common cause of error is just not landing the chords squarely; I slip of the keys and hit unintended notes. Needless to say, I'm getting frustrated and was thinking of laying the piece aside for a while, but before giving up (however temporarily) I thought I'd ask, Does anyone have any practice tips?

[go12_3]

Just keep what you're doing.  Practice with each hand separately.  Make sure your fingers strike each key with a firm touch so that they won't slip off the keys while you are playing the chords.  Use more weight through your arm and hands, then each note will sound evenly.  Think "slow and control" until you get that passage down and comfortable.  Good luck!  = )

[bluemountaingirl]

Thank you. You're right. I need to slow it way down again and build from scratch.

[timothy42b]

Or maybe not slow the tempo, but break it up into smaller chunks. 

Long ago I need to learn a fairly simple SATB four part piece that most of you could sight read, but was way beyond my skills.  (S415 in the Episcopal hymnal) 

I set a timer for five minutes and played one chord change.  Chord 1 to chord 2.  Then again for chord 2 to chord 3.  8 chords, 40 minutes, I pretty well had it.