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[bravuraoctaves]

I practice an hour a day, but I find that learning pieces (eg. a sonata) takes a long time.

I find myself practicing the parts that I have already got reasonably accurate,  instead of working on new stuff. 

How do I stop myself from doing this?

[abe]

umm, concentration and self control. Once you start enjoying learning new material, even within a new peice, than you will want to. When I get a new peice, usually the first week is hard because I don't know the whole peice, and its a lot of hard reading/technical work. However, once i have a grasp on the peice, it's all fun perfecting it. Just separate and define the hard/new parts, and only focus on those for a few days, then after that initial hard part it's not bad.

[MrRonsMusic]

Try learning the piece from the end to the beginning!

To your success,

Mr. Ron
https://www.mrronsmusic.com

[xvimbi]

I practice an hour a day, but I find that learning pieces (eg. a sonata) takes a long time.

I find myself practicing the parts that I have already got reasonably accurate,  instead of working on new stuff. 

How do I stop myself from doing this?

This is a very common trap. It requires self-discipline to get out of it. One becomes pleased with the progress, dwelling on it, rather than moving on to the really hard bits.

Along the lines of what Mr. Ron recommends, I recommend starting with the difficult bits of a piece. They are often at the end, but they can be scattered throughout. Start practicing those first, because they require the most time to master. Once you have mastered them, the rest will come easily. Because there are no major hurdles left, you will feel more compelled to finish the piece.

[m1469]

One becomes pleased with the progress, dwelling on it, rather than moving on to the really hard bits.

Good point xvimbi, and insightful to broader matters as well.  This is the tendency in one's overall progress; both personal and pianistically.  Accomplishing a certain amount, reaching certain goals and then sitting back and becomimg complacent, ignoring  the really hard work that must be done in order to become a truly great artist.

Some people make a decent living off of one or two words in their biography, like: "prodigy" such and such "competition", such and such "award" etc..

But oh, they have worked enough already.  Afterall, what could possibly come beyond virtuosity?

(whoah, where did that all come from?  )

m1469

[xvimbi]

This is the tendency in one's overall progress; both personal and pianistically.  Accomplishing a certain amount, reaching certain goals and then sitting back and becomimg complacent, ignoring  the really hard work that must be done in order to become a truly great artist.

That's right, but I was alluding to something other than complacency: fear!

When people have worked out something, they often do it over and over again, simply because it works. It will be successful. If they try something new, there is a high probability of failure, which is unsettling. Many people are afraid of exploring the unknown or the uncertain. This is what distinguishes the pioneering scientists from the everyday-scientists, those who discover new things from those who do routine work, the entrepreneur who creates a new market from those who open up yet another Pizza restaurant.

However, the truely astonishing thing, which I believe to have observed, is that many are not necessarily afraid of failing; they are afraid of succeeding!

[m1469]

Well... you got me. 

I will drink to that...'cheers' 

*raises large glass of water in the air*

m1469

[lostinidlewonder]

One way I find that keeps me pushing on is to first of all completly section out your sheet music of the piece into its parts. Not the theoretical parts, but more importantly, when you feel that a new section occurs. When you sit to practice you assign which part you will work on, this allows you to play anywhere in the piece.
I also think it is crucial that you listen to a recording of the peice and read the sheetmusic along with it. This way, when you look at ur sheet music when sitting at the keyboard, you can hear all the notes in your head. This usually encourages the brain to wake up and learn what you can hear.