Big jumps

[perfect_playing]

Hi! I'm wondering what's the best way to practise big jumps in pieces. Could anybody give some tips/advice? For example, in Liszt's Paganini Etude No. 6 in Variation 5 and 11 there are big jumps that are hard to do.

[faulty_damper]

What jumps are you referring to?

[j_menz]

Play the notes, not the "jumps".

In other words, think about the note(s) you are going to play, and how you are going to play it/them and trust yourself to get there. You will.

[pianoplunker]

Hi! I'm wondering what's the best way to practise big jumps in pieces. Could anybody give some tips/advice? For example, in Liszt's Paganini Etude No. 6 in Variation 5 and 11 there are big jumps that are hard to do.

When it comes to this I try to break it down to the specific fingers which are needing to play the notes at either end of the jump. Practice just those notes while keeping your hands very near the keys. Then practice the notes leading in to the jump and leading out of the jump. Then close your eyes or look away and do it. then try it in a different key, then the original key. Then with a metronome try just the jump at full speed a few times.  That is just they way I do it , maybe someone else can shed some light that I dont have. It is hard and I never feel 100% confident about it.

[j_menz]

Then with a metronome try just the jump at full speed a few times. 

If you didn't have the jump, would you need to use the metronome to make sure you had the two notes/chords in time?

You may well be aware I'm not a fan of them, but I'm trying to see what you're using it for here.

[cabbynum]

No such thing as jumps... Just going from one note to another...

[pianoman53]

If you take away the jump, you are left with only the notes.
There, problem solved.

[pianoplunker]

If you didn't have the jump, would you need to use the metronome to make sure you had the two notes/chords in time?

You may well be aware I'm not a fan of them, but I'm trying to see what you're using it for here.

Although in my post, I did not mention the "M" as the first thing to try, what I use it for is to help with  control during the earlier phases of practicing with items such as jumps and sometimes even when there are no jumps.  It helps me practice notes evenly. 

[beethovensonata]

Hi! I'm wondering what's the best way to practice big jumps in pieces. Could anybody give some tips/advice? For example, in Liszt's Paganini Etude No. 6 in Variation 5 and 11 there are big jumps that are hard to do.

When I performed in Moscow, they head of the conservatory talked to me after wards.  He asked me if I had any difficulty in any piece.   I said the Mephisto Waltz jumps, he said i tell you how to fix in russian/english.  He said think of it as when you walk into your house after work, you reach for the light switch and 9 out of 10 you hit it WITHOUT caring or looking.  Just using muscle memory.  Literally what he meant was DON'T CARE!  And do you know what?  I could now do it without mistakes, don't care and you I would nail it every time.   

[nyiregyhazi]

Hi! I'm wondering what's the best way to practise big jumps in pieces. Could anybody give some tips/advice? For example, in Liszt's Paganini Etude No. 6 in Variation 5 and 11 there are big jumps that are hard to do.

Practise getting there instantly, but playing them after a pause. The mistake is to try to play "at" them before you master the art of simply being there.

[awesom_o]

Practise getting there instantly, but playing them after a pause. The mistake is to try to play "at" them before you master the art of simply being there.

+1!  This is the way to do it.

[perfect_playing]

Thanks for the help, I can do it well now! But I don't like the metronome tip as I rarely use metronomes when practising. The one about the "light switch" was really useful, I found it helpful to think about that analogy.