I am rather old, I want to learn piano but I forget pieces: Bach Anna Magdalena

[this_is_nicolas]

I am rather old, but nevertheless I enjoy learning piano. Although I forget pieces that I studied, such as Menuets from Bach's Anna Magdalena, I don't want to give up.

I already followed courses of Harmony in a Music Conservatory and now I have private lessons in more Harmony. Because of my age I found that it was a handicup my bad perfomance and knowledge of piano, that I intend to practice better. I adapt myself to a certain discipline of strict exam of piano, which makes me  concentrate better and improve day by day.

When I manage to concentrate to my studies in view of the upcoming lesson and my teacher's remarks, I feel better perhaps because piano energizes some parts of the brain. Solfege has been a very positive experience in the past, especially in high speeds, chasing out depressive thoughts, in the Conservatory's system and now it's gone.

I started piano lessons at equally old age, when because of my job, I found myself in Venezuela, during a two month's general strike (You can't imagine what a general strike was in 2003, during Chave's attempt to brake the petroleum middle class group supported by the Opposition, in order to make big bargains before US Operations in Iraq). There was nothing to do after work, no movie theaters even no beers! I so I said "I shall start study the piano in order to keep myself busy after work". That worked.

Hanon exercises are good for my brain, but it is very tiring.

However I need too much practice everyday, because I forget. I order to avoid bad remarks from the teacher I usually adapt myself to the metronome's tempo and the outcome is good.

I can't adapt myself to the idea that I can't adapt myself to the piano discipline. If at least I could learn to play well the Harmony pieces that I solve! What is best, adapt to reality of my age, or continue seek such unattainable objective?

[austinarg]

When you say that you forget pieces, you mean you can't memorize? If so, there's nothing wrong about reading from the score while playing! Look at Richter, he did it in his late years and he still played wonderfully.

[this_is_nicolas]

Of course I read the scores, but most of my practice is gone, and although yeasterday I played well, today I have forgotten the ability that I thought already aquired and start again and again my efforts to deal with tricky spots.

[roseamelia]

Maybe you should try practicing for an hour. On some of my lessons my teacher plays it for me because I can't figure out the tune then the day after my lesson I forget. But I sit their and think till my head hurts (well kind of exaggerated a little bit there) and I finally remember how to play it. To really test your forgetting something go back to some of the pieces you already played.

[keyofc]

Nicholas,

Mind if I ask how old you are since you say that? Only out of curiousity.  I know people sometimes learn slower as they get older - but on the other hand, they get more focused too.

Do you listen a lot to music?
Why not try buying cds of the music you are working on?
Listen to it - and see if that helps.
You might learn by ear more especially since Solfege was so
helpful for you. 

[quantum]

Nicholas,

Do you mean that you work at some aspect of the music or playing one day, then the next day it is as if that work has vanished? 

Try focusing on a few or even just one aspect of the music, instead of trying to remember many. 

Also important is to practice recalling work you had previously done.  After completing a small goal, walk away from the piano for a few minutes.  Return to the piano with the aim of picking up just where you left off.  Increase the rest period to an hour, a few hours, 12 hours, 18 hours, 24 hours, etc.  The focus is on recall, and actions or concept does not have to be large at all: A single scale, two bars of a piece. 

[simeonalojipan]

Yes, I agree with the above. It's far better to focus on one thing at a time, memorize it, and move on. Step by step. Maybe you could also try vitamins to help with memory? If you have trouble with keeping what you learn in your memory, it might be more beneficial to focus on having one thing competely memorized one day, then review it the other day, etc. Continue building and fit the pieces together after reviewing all of them.

[maliha786]

try this might help u in piano learning
https://tinyurl.com/pianoguru