Tips when Practising

[gradedpiano]

Hi,Im currently practising a piano arrangment of a song from Carmen composed by Bizet called Habanera. There is one section I am having great trouble with and I have been practising for 2 days now. Today being my 3rd and i havent cracked it yet. I just wondered how you guys overcome difficulties in pieces you are learning and if I should bother perservering with this piece. Thanks

[musicluvr49]

I can give you advice if you tell me what type of technique you need for this difficult part?

[stevebob]

Even without knowing what specific element you're having difficulty with, I can advise you that a few days is hardly sufficient time to "crack" a technical difficulty (or even to assess whether it might be beyond your ability).  Assuming you're satisfied with your practice method, you should give the process considerably more time to work.

[becky8898]

Are you practicing one hand at a time? Can you get this up to 1/2 tempo one hand at a time? Are you breaking this passage down into small enough sections? Have you memorized it so you know it cold in your mind? Can you play it away from the piano?. Can you make an exercise out of this section? Have you tried all possible fingerings?  Do you understand the music from a harmonic standpoint? Thats all the stuff my teacher has me go thru with difficult sections. 

Cheers, Becky

[musicluvr49]

Are you practicing one hand at a time? Can you get this up to 1/2 tempo one hand at a time? Are you breaking this passage down into small enough sections? Have you memorized it so you know it cold in your mind? Can you play it away from the piano?. Can you make an exercise out of this section? Have you tried all possible fingerings?  Do you understand the music from a harmonic standpoint? Thats all the stuff my teacher has me go thru with difficult sections. 

Cheers, Becky

Play it away from the piano... Hmmm, that's interesting, I've never heard of that before. How do you do it?

[becky8898]

Hi Musicluvr49. In your mind of course.  Visualize it, go thru it , see everything. There is a book by Harriet Brower who interviewed many of the great concert artists who where performing during the first part of the 20th century , Hoffman, Rubenstein, etc. and many of them used this technique of playing pieces in there mind.  My Teacher insists that i memorize all my performance pieces completly. That is I know them so well I have to be able to write them out.  It works for me and im only passing on as a suggestion things that I do. Im not saying it works for everyone. 

Cheers, Becky

[musicluvr49]

That sounds like a really good technique... I could definetely use something like that, since I don't have much time to practice at the piano.

[jimbo320]

Musiluvr,
The way I practice difficult pieces is playing very, very slowly paying close attention to my fingering. So slow you'll want to die. This way will aid in developing muscle memory. After a few very slow times speed up a little each time until playing at normal tempo. Developing muscle memory will help you "crack" the music...

Musically, Jimbo

[musicluvr49]

Musiluvr,
The way I practice difficult pieces is playing very, very slowly paying close attention to my fingering. So slow you'll want to die. This way will aid in developing muscle memory. After a few very slow times speed up a little each time until playing at normal tempo. Developing muscle memory will help you "crack" the music...

Musically, Jimbo

Thanks... But I'm not the one who was asking for advice, Lol. Plus I already use this technique.

[jimbo320]

Oops, I was intending it for Gradedpiano......Sorry

[musicluvr49]

Lol,  No problem.

[jimbo320]

Sometimes what's in my brain and what my fingers do is different, sort of like improvising thoughtlessly..... lol  

[gradedpiano]

thanks for the great tips everyone. Im glad it helped others as well.