what do i do about keeping the same tempo ?

[Chris_Rossoni]

I noticed today when i played a sonatina by handel that i slowed down alot while i was playing.   Any suggestions about what to do?  i also would increase speed sometimes.  I am having trouble keeping the same tempo.

[rachfan]

Try playing the sonatina through three times or so with the metronome.  When people tend to slow down, it can mean a couple of things.  First, it might simply be a lack of focus and attention.  Playing with the metronome will straighten that out quickly.  Then you'll be able to play the tempo more consistently without the aid of the metronome.   Secondly, and more importantly, some not-too-apparent technical difficulties might  be slowing the forward progress of the piece in certain places.  If that's the case, the metronome will highlight it immediately, since you'll start to stumble when forced to play at a consistent speed.  In that case, revert to slow practice in the troublesome section until you are far more comfortable with it.  The metronome is an indispensible tool and should be sitting on the piano desk at all times to help with these problems that come up from time to time.  Good luck!

[dinosaurtales]

Funny you should bring that topic up TODAY.  I just had my lesson today and got yet ANOTHER lecture on exactly the same thing.  I have a tendency to speed up in the *easy* parts, and knock the tempo down to get through the *hard* parts.  I still do it even though I know it's ultimately a very bad habit.  RachFan is right.  The metronome (my friend) will nail you every time, and right away, too.  Trouble is, you can't tell sometimes if you got ahead or behind, just that you are WRONG - but deep down you can probably figure that out.  The first couple of times through a piece with the met are the hardest, because it's *distracting* somehow.  But then, you sort of adjust to it, and can work with it much better.  It's really frustrating to do easy parts at the same S-L-O-W speed it takes to do the nasty licks.   Dont'  know what to tell you there.