Bad practice habits or completely normal?

[marmima]

I've recently noticed that when I practice piano pieces, I tend to first just try to memorize the piece without much thought for how it actually sounds, but after I've done that and memorized the piece, I have a hard time actually changing how I used to play it when it comes to small nuances and/or interpretation.
I'm just wondering if I should be doing something differently or if it's normal.
Thanks

[dogperson]

It is not normal, IMHO.   I memorize  not only the notes/rhythm but the dynamics, phrasing, paying attention to how it sounds.  Certainly, the nuances change as the piece is developed-- but it is not memorized until the basic structure  of all the elements are there.

I would find it impossible to memorize just the notes and rhythm, and then try to go back and add the phrasing, dynamics, pedal,etc.  To me, it would mean 'undoing' what I have already learned and starting over. ....  because playing it without all of the elements is now ingrained in my memory  

I follow the same process if I never intend to memorize but just play from the score.... it is a unit.
FWIW:  This is how my teachers have taught me to learn music... have you discussed this with yours?

[indianajo]

I memorized pieces without thinking about it, it is just how my mind worked.
I still had to look at the score to change interpretation, volume, articulation, etc.  I wasn't looking at the notes anymore, but I was looking at the flow of music and the markings printed or the teacher or I had written in. 
Pieces I have memorized, I sometimes can change interpretation years later, as I decide I want to do something different.  Having the notes under control doesn't stop me from having feelings about things and executing them with these variations of technique. 

[dogperson]

I memorized pieces without thinking about it, it is just how my mind worked.
I still had to look at the score to change interpretation, volume, articulation, etc.  I wasn't looking at the notes anymore, but I was looking at the flow of music and the markings printed or the teacher or I had written in. 
Pieces I have memorized, I sometimes can change interpretation years later, as I decide I want to do something different.  Having the notes under control doesn't stop me from having feelings about things and executing them with these variations of technique. 

I get that this worked for you---- but the OP stated she had difficulty adding the nuances later as 'she does not think about how they sound when memorizing'... You may have changed  interpretations later (as we all do as we develop the piece), but I suspect you HAD an interpretation in your ears and fingers from the beginning, and not just memorizing the notes without attention to the sound.  No?

[marmima]

I'm just clarifying though, it's not like it's impossible for me to change the sound, but it takes a really long time and tons of repetition to get it to stay, and I'm just wondering if I'm either doing something wrong or if it's like that for everyone. I feel like I should just try to disect the piece into smaller bits and practice on the nuances before proceeding to the next part, but if anyone else has any suggestions, I'd appreciate it

[mishamalchik]

Coming from someone who learns pieces in a similar way, it's likely a bad habit. I memorize nearly everything I play, however, I do it with the expression in hand. I did this early on in my training (I've been playing for 6 months) because I felt pressure to perform well from my teacher, because in a university setting I was worried if I didn't perform he would drop me as a student. So instead of working on my sight reading ability, I simply listened closely and memorized it, as it was the easiest way to minimalize my mistakes in lessons. There's a price for that which I'm still trying to mitigate, as my sight reading ability is exceptionally poor for the level of pieces I am playing.

      Additionally, if you are learning only the notes, then you will only play the notes and not the feelings of the piece. In my, albeit limited, experience I play a piece in performance the way I memorized it. If I memorized it with a wonky fingering, or a specific interpretation, no matter how I worked on it later with my teacher, the performance stress brings out those initial internalized workings. This is why I'm now extremely cautious about reading pieces for the first time, as I memorize I pay the utmost attention to every detail. Once you've internalized something it's incredibly difficult to change that!

[dcstudio]

OK...well, normal?...let's just say it's how your mind is working at this point.  I remember learning pieces my teacher assigned just like you describe...but I also remember being able to play what I heard far quicker and with a much greater level of musicality.  Having difficultly changing up things is an indicator of heavy reliance upon muscle memory...that's also the first thing we develop as students, too.  Somehow students tend to think that they can get what they want from just developing their muscle memory to some super human level... maybe you are already realizing that it may take something more. 

How long have you been playing?  What specific pieces have you experienced this sort of thing with?

[keypeg]

Unfortunately too many teachers never teach how to practice and how to approach a piece during their practice.  They assign a piece, maybe with a few pointers of how this or that should sound or what to pay attention to in the piece, but now how to actually practice.  So you fall into whatever habit, which may sort of work with a 1 page beginner piece of 12 measures or so, but it no longer works when music gets more complicated.  In one of your first posts you mentioned some pieces - they are definitely not of the beginner variety.

Have you learned to divide your music into smaller logical sections, and also first go over them to understand some general patterns like ABA pattern, phrases, modulations to new keys and such?  Dividing up a piece lets you work on small sections.  You might work on only basic aspects of fingering and notes and such to start with.  When these get solid and flow well, you can add another layer, the nuances of expressiveness.  These can be created deliberately, thought through and experimented with.  Don't hesitate to scribble little notes on your score as you go along.

There's a whole world of approach and methodology which can change the entire experience of working on music if you've tried it.  This certainly made a difference for me.

[marmima]

Just replying to dcstudio;
The pieces I've noticed it with are the s.c. "simple" pieces, stuff like clementi's sonatine op.36 nr.1 or the second part of mozart's fantasy KV 397, and other similiar pieces I can't recall right now,
but for things like Chopin's FI or more technically challenging pieces (atleast for me), I don't have the same problem.
I think I'll just try to see if I'm practicing too impatiently and then go from there.
P.S. I've had lessons for around 5 years, but I've only really started practicing properly for like 1 1/2 years

[marmima]

And keypeg, thanks for the suggestion I'll try it out and see if it works

[dcstudio]

Just replying to dcstudio;
The pieces I've noticed it with are the s.c. "simple" pieces, stuff like clementi's sonatine op.36 nr.1 or the second part of mozart's fantasy KV 397, and other similiar pieces I can't recall right now,
but for things like Chopin's FI or more technically challenging pieces (atleast for me), I don't have the same problem.
I think I'll just try to see if I'm practicing too impatiently and then go from there.
P.S. I've had lessons for around 5 years, but I've only really started practicing properly for like 1 1/2 years

First I would be willing to bet that you did not repetitively listen to the clementi because...who does that.  The Chopin you have listened to 100s of times played by many different pianists.  You played the clementi because your teacher assigned it...not because you loved the piece. The pieces you label as "simple" do not receive the same attention as those pieces you label as challenging.

Even simple pieces have to be examined and prepared . Your simple pieces are played from muscle memory while the more difficult pieces you play receive help from your EARS.  Big difference.

Also, if you play a piece that you uploaded into your muscle memory alone it will stay that way even though your skill level has progressed beyond that stage.  Your older pieces do not automatically upgrade as you progress. 

[keypeg]

In regards to the Clementi, the attitude I have seen in general among teachers about Clementi and other "must teach because it's like spinach and broccoli 'good for you'" has been that it is boring, necessary, an "exercise".  It is presented that way, and learned that way.  Secondly, how to practice and approach pieces (which I wrote about) often is not done.