Question to Bernhard..

[nocturneop2]

I've been following your advice about the 7x20 rule, but I have a few questions:

1) When should I link all the measures I've mastered HT?

2)I've read that it's bad to start at the beginning of a piece and work your way towards the end. Is this true? Why is that?

3) I'm currently trying to learn Minuet in G major by Bach and it's really difficult for me. I've only been playing for 3 months and I felt like I was ready for this piece, but it's proving to be very technically difficult for me. So far, I can play the first half of the piece pretty much flawlessly, but it took me about 4 days to master that and at this point I'm getting tired of practicing this piece. Is it okay for me to be playing this if it's very difficult for me?

4) I'm worried that I'm relying too much on hand memory to guide me, due to the blackouts I get sometimes. What can I do to avoid this?

Anyone is welcome to answer!

[sephethus]

Wow 4 days to master half? I'd say you're fine, personally. What's the 7x20 rule?

[nocturneop2]

Here's the thread where Bernhard explains what it is. Better it be straight from the horses mouth than my own interpretation.

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,3039.msg26525.html#msg26525

[ongaku_oniko]

umm.... so you're saying that you "mastered" half the piece in 4 days, and you're complaining that you're going too slowly?

troll much?

[m1469]

Well, I will answer these in my own way, of course, and not as though I am a Bernhard.

I've been following your advice about the 7x20 rule, but I have a few questions:

1) When should I link all the measures I've mastered HT?

This is something that I now start doing right away, but it also depends on exactly what it means to you to have "mastered" the measures.  The reason I start putting them together right away is because my mind appreciates grabbing hold of, and putting the puzzle pieces of larger sections together, too.  Basically, I would say that, if you have actually mastered all the measures, you're ready to put them together.

2)I've read that it's bad to start at the beginning of a piece and work your way towards the end. Is this true? Why is that?

I don't think this is *exactly* true or false, however, what tends to happen is that the beginning gets more attention than the middle and end, or, that easy parts get more attention than more difficult ones.  But, if you give equal attention or at least the *needed* attention to all of the parts, than in my opinion it doesn't matter what order you learn it in, so long as it helps in building your overall concept.

3) I'm currently trying to learn Minuet in G major by Bach and it's really difficult for me. I've only been playing for 3 months and I felt like I was ready for this piece, but it's proving to be very technically difficult for me. So far, I can play the first half of the piece pretty much flawlessly, but it took me about 4 days to master that and at this point I'm getting tired of practicing this piece. Is it okay for me to be playing this if it's very difficult for me?

In general, I'd say yes it's okay.  But, that's not entirely black and white, as it also depends on what kinds of habits it's creating for you, especially in your posture and related aspects of playing.

4) I'm worried that I'm relying too much on hand memory to guide me, due to the blackouts I get sometimes. What can I do to avoid this?

Well, you obviously realize that there is more than one kind of memory, so the idea is to basically get better at the others, too.  My basic idea is that of building very clear mental images of my pieces, and then to check in with myself by keeping to the idea that I either know something or I don't.  If I don't know it -- hear it, see it, feel it, etc.-- then that is exactly what I work towards.  And, I don't just mean that you can end up recalling it through the fog ... but, that you think of it and immediately an "image" comes to mind.  There's more to knowing a piece than that though, too.  

Sometimes blackouts are actually psychological though, too, and not exactly just a matter of preparation.

[nocturneop2]

umm.... so you're saying that you "mastered" half the piece in 4 days, and you're complaining that you're going too slowly?

troll much?

Well, it's only a grade 2 piece. I thought it'd be easy for most people.