Stuck in a wierd limbo, need wisdom.

[beethovenfan01]

So, I've gotten really good at learning pieces of music. My technique has improved by leaps and bounds over this past summer, and my skills and sensitivity in interpretation have also developed a great deal. But there is something that is still troubling me, and it does a great deal. It's always that last five percent, the "polishing" phase.

Try as I might, I can never seem to get the notes of a piece absolutely perfect. I keep hearing, "learn the text," "be secure in the text," etc., etc. I'm trying, but it's so frustrating. I feel like wherever I go, I hit a wall--no matter what the piece. There's just not enough time in a day! And try as I might, memorization doesn't come easy either--I don't know why; it is such a pain that I always put it off until the last minute, which unpleasantly embarrassing consequences. Does anyone have any wisdom that can make this process easier, and increase retention of pieces?

What's the answer here? More work? I practice two to four hours a day. I try to pinpoint the issues in any given piece, and when I can find one I work it out. But some days there is one, and then the next it goes away on its own--so I can never quite find it again. It's so tricky to get this last five percent, and rather irritating.

Does anyone have any wisdom (or, as it be, encouragement)? I am getting ready to apply to a music college, and really want to do well at my audition--and on from there, I have big dreams of concertizing and/or teaching at conservatories (perhaps unrealistic--I know how hard it is to make a living as a musician; but I love music too much to care). My level is high enough that I can share music effectively with most "un-initiated" listeners, but to pianists at or above my level, I still have many flaws to overcome. So, I ask this question to people who have been here and then moved on to find some kind of success as a professional musician: How did you get through this stage?

Thank you!

[clouseau]

From your recording it is clear that you have musicality. You just have to practice correctly AND consistently. What you are referring to, is not the polishing stage, which is the finishing touch, but the very initial phase, that of learning the notes properly.

It is my suspicion that you don't practice slowly enough, and that you don't practice in sections. Am I right in assuming that? I can provide you with more practical info in case you are interested.

Don't get disappointed, there is nothing you can't fix 

[beethovenfan01]

I do try to practice slowly, patience is definitely something I have to work on ...

I do work in sections and slowly, albeit not enough. What is this practical information? I need all the help I can get right now ... 

Thanks!

[clouseau]

Hello again,

Remember that whatever you do in your practice sessions, it will stick like glue to the pieces you learn. For example, you play a piece very good, but always mess up at a certain bar. The more often you mess up on that bar, the more difficult it becomes to fix it. In a sense, you do better by not playing it at all, than playing it wrong.

Regarding the tempo of the performance, Golandsky said in one of her lectures that if it feels fast, you are not ready for that tempo. Always play at a tempo where you have complete control of what you are doing.

Regarding practice tempo, which obviously has to be slower than performance tempo, have a look at those short videos:

My personal "bible" for practicing is this resource of an Assistant Professor of Piano,  Dr. Brent Hugh. It presents a very organized way of targeted practicing, with many methods to choose from, depending on the situation (you can also combine the methods). I can't know if it is the _best_ way of practicing, but it certainly is a very effective method and a very logical way of practicing which has positive results.

https://brenthugh.com/piano/piano-practice.html

Try to be patient and resist the temptation of playing something fast, just for fun. You will be eventually rewarded.

[Bob]

Just glancing through...

You could try forgetting it and coming back later.  You won't think of it the same way.

Or, if you willing to eliminate something, practice it until you can't make the mistakes you're hearing.  If you drill it into your fingers enough, "you" won't need to be present any more.

[lostinidlewonder]

I wonder what you consider the last 5% of the polishing phase exactly is. What exactly are you trying to improve? Are you unsatisfied with how far you can push your control/expression of the piece or are you just being annoyed by wrong notes and slips here and there or something else?

It is also important to consider "over saturation" of practice. How long are you studying your pieces for? Usually when one practices a single piece for a very long extended period of time (or indeed practice of a short period in terms of days/weeks but with excessive practice in terms of time used per day) you can become over saturated with your practice and no matter how much time extra you pour into it your improvement is negligible if noticeable at all. The solution to this problem of course is to learn music which does not corner you into these situations or just leaving the piece and coming back to it, unfortunately putting more time or trying to tackle it in other ways doesn't relieve the feeling unless you are shown an idea you haven't considered at all.

[dogperson]

When I have problem sections Ive identified,   I mark them with a Post-it note arrow. If I practice it today, and get it worked out, the arrow is not removed until the section is repeatedly correct on subsequent days. So the arrow may sit there for a while until I am completely comfortable it is truly no longer a problem.

It gives me a great deal of satisfaction to finally remove the arrows but I am patient about it

[beethovenfan01]

Thanks, everyone. Dogperson, I especially like your idea, I'm going to have to try that now!