How can I practice more effectively?

[tsmithtree]

Hi, this is my first post!

I started playing piano about 3 years ago and am currently going to music school for guitar, but in the last couple months I've become very serious about piano and would make it my principal instrument. I've developed my technique extensively on guitar so I have some experience with building muscle memory and speed, although in a different context. I've taken piano lessons in the past, and while my teachers were all excellent players they didn't elaborate on how to practice or build speed. All my practice methods have either been devised by myself or learned online (for example from the pianofundamentals.com book).

The past couple years I've learned a few Beethoven sonatas, most of the 2 part Bach inventions and some of the 3 part inventions. Now I'm working on some of the Chopin etudes (mostly op.10 no.12), some preludes/nocturnes and some pieces from the WTC. I've gotten the revolutionary etude learned fairly well, practicing close to two hours every day for a few months, but I am still making mistakes. I want to play it perfectly, being "in control" of every note, but sometimes I sort of feel like I'm flailing my fingers around at faster speeds without accuracy. I can only play it completely accurately at very slow tempos. It has improved little in over a month or two of practicing, so I assume either one of two things: my technique is flawed and it will take much longer than a few months to develop it to the level required for this piece, or I am practicing incorrectly. How can I practice to effectively retain control when playing fast? I don't think I should give up on my attempts to learn this piece, because right now I can hit about 90% of the notes at the indicated tempo, but it's that last 10% that are giving me trouble. I refuse to settle for anything less than perfection.

I also notice sporadic inaccuracies with easier pieces I play. A year ago I was not so interested in playing seriously so mistakes didn't bother me too much, but now I want to learn to perform a piece flawlessly. Sometimes I practice by recording myself, and as much as I try I can NEVER record a perfect take. When a certain mistake comes up a few times I can usually isolate it and practice only that section, but so many of my mistakes seem inconsistent. I have a severe problem playing accurately, and I'm feeling really frustrated.

It'd be great if anybody had any advice, I'd especially like to hear from someone who developed good technique after beginning piano study later in life. I started at 16 but as I said before I only began seriously playing since I turned 19 a few months ago. It seems like most of the people I know with excellent technique developed much of it at a relatively young age, so they have a hard time articulating the developmental process in way that I can comprehend.

[avguste]

Welcome to the forums.

Here are a few simple suggestions:

-practice hands separate (one hand at a time)
-slowly
-count
-use the metronome
-divide the score in sections and work on the piece section by section

[tsmithtree]

Thanks! Sometimes I think I am just over thinking everything... :\

[richard black]

From what you say, Chopin Op.10/12 is waaaaayy beyond you. Learn some basic technique, with a good teacher, for a few years before wasting time on pieces at that level, or you'll never get anywhere.

[fleetfingers]

I can only play a piece perfectly, without any mistakes, once I know it like the back of my hand. What I mean is that not only do I have muscle memory developed, I can play the piece in my head - both by picturing it note-by-note on the page and by visualizing the movements my fingers and hands make to execute those notes. I can play it fast or slow, straight or syncopated, loud or soft, or any other which way because I really, truly, KNOW the piece. I also come to understand the music theory behind it. Of course, even knowing a piece as well as I describe does no good unless you have the technique to play it. Whatever it is you're messing up on - work on that to improve your technique in that area. Three years of piano is not very long to already be working on Chopin Etudes, so maybe it is above your reach. Although, I don't know you and haven't heard you play...maybe it's not.

Something I've figured out in my own practicing is that if I'm playing sloppily and don't feel in control, I stop playing that piece and give it a rest. If I start the next day and still don't have the control, I wait another day....and wait for however long and it is usually better after having given it a rest. Not sure why, but it works for me. You might want to try it. Work on other stuff in the meantime.

[tsmithtree]

richard black: maybe you're right :\ it just seems depressing to me, trying to play pieces that I don't really have a passion for. I am not ignorant of basic technique, but I will definitely resume taking lessons as soon as I can. Some directives teachers have given me seem nonsensical though, like lifting your fingers high when playing Hanon. If you want to play fast, shouldn't you make your movements as efficient as possible?

I listen critically to my playing. I will slow down a passage, practicing it until I am happy with what I hear. I compare it to my preferred recordings of the piece. I then gradually increase the speed. I think sometimes my weakness can be increasing the speed too quickly; perhaps I just need to be more studious with the metronome. For example there usually becomes a point where I cannot play quickly while articulating the notes the way I intend. Is this what people mean when referring to a lack of technique? I don't think I have a strong grasp on what the word "technique" means.

fleetfingers: I just tried playing a piece totally in my head, I can't do it. I can hear all the notes, but the finger motions become very difficult to imagine without the reference of a physical keyboard. I think I really need to work on this, thank you! If I can't play it in perfectly in my mind, there is no reason to think that I should be able to play it perfectly with my fingers.

[sucom]

I have found the most effective way to practise is to slow a piece down to the point where all the notes are controlled cleanly without fluffing a single note. Not one single note! Ensure you are fully in control of every note, and in full control of the expression of that note.  From there, use all the patience you can muster to very, very slowly increase the speed a fraction at a time, continuing to make sure that every single note is clean, with the expression in full control and the notes firmly in your memory.  In this way, mistakes are less likely to happen.

[fleetfingers]

fleetfingers: I just tried playing a piece totally in my head, I can't do it. I can hear all the notes, but the finger motions become very difficult to imagine without the reference of a physical keyboard. I think I really need to work on this, thank you! If I can't play it in perfectly in my mind, there is no reason to think that I should be able to play it perfectly with my fingers.

Sorry, I wasn't clear in what I was saying. I didn't mean that I play the piece in my head away from the keyboard (although it's not a bad idea). What I mean is that when I'm playing the notes, I am concious of what those notes are, what they look like on the score, and how the notes all relate to each other. It's like I'm reading the music in my head as I look down at my fingers. I am a visual person, so it helps me out to do things this way. Anyway, I hope that makes sense. I don't look at the music and picture my fingers playing...that would be tough to do. 

[jinfiesto]

Be honest with yourself, don't pick pieces beyond your range. Your ears will always be bigger than your technique. Don't worry about technique too much, high musicality and incredible technique are correlated, so worry about making music first. Don't play faster than you can perfectly (musically). Learn as fast as you can. When you pick a new piece, learn the notes the same day and memorize the piece over the next few. If you can't do that, the piece is too hard, or you're practicing wrong.  Get a good teacher. Don't take unmemorized music to lessons.

The three most important virtues to a pianist are integrity, respect and honesty. Integrity to your musical goals, respect for the music and the composer, and honesty with yourself.

Remember, pieces are either easy, or impossible at the moment. I suspect that for you, that ballade is impossible at the moment.

***edit*** I re-read your post, I don't know why I thought you were trying to play a chopin ballade!

Oh, and to save yourself some trouble, much like you can't work out for 24 hours consecutively and expect results, yet you can do so over 24 days and see drastic changes, the same will be true of pieces. Unless a piece is far below your abilities, you won't get it "up to speed" on day one, so don't bother trying. Not even on the easy parts.

Most importantly, success at the piano is ultimately determined by who you are, not what you can do. Improve as a person and you'll find your playing will become better correspondingly.