Let's talk about...Mental Practice

[aerlinndan]

I am finding lately that mental practice long before a piece is ever taken to the piano is extremely beneficial for the following reasons:

1. When you do go to the piano, you have no time to pick up bad habits as you fumble about trying to find the right notes.

2. You can begin working on musical interpretation right from the start because you understand how the passage fits into the larger whole.

3. It is good for general musicality, which is important to me, being a student of composition as well. It sharpens your inner ear and attention to musical detail on a page.

So, being a fan of lists, I decided to try to compile a list of all the different ways one can practice a piece without actually taking it to the piano. My goal in mental practice is to get as good as Gould was - to the point where a piece is mastered except for the most technically difficult moments before I sit down with it at the piano. This is no simple feat! So here are all the ideas I have either gleaned or come up with on my own - I invite you to add more if you have them.

1. Listen to as many recordings of the piece as possible. Make a copy of the score specifically for noting differences between recordings, and pick a color for each recording and mark on the score the different things that different performers do.

2. Write in all the fingerings on your own. If fingerings are provided, review them and consider other options.

3. Input the piece into a notation program. You can play it back at various tempos. I use a practice regimen that involves taking small sections of the score and playing them back at first very slowly, hands separately, completely and fully visualizing the geography of the keys being played. Then I gradually speed up and combine hands, but only at the speed at which my mind can keep up.

4. Do a full harmonic analysis of the piece. This works for any piece up until probably French Impressionism. Then you have to get creative with your analyses. For example, you may have to start labeling chords by their 'absolute' names (for example, Cm/eb) as opposed to relative names (i6/4). The goal of a complete harmonic analysis of any piece is that it fully explicates and accounts for the existence of every note from a harmonic theory point of view. I have more thoughts about effective analysis of later music for pianists, but I will save them for another time.

5. Do a full formal analysis of the piece. Look for the overall form, and the forms within big sections. Attempt to find relations between different keys used. Try to find patterns between lengths of different phrases. Fully explore all the different motives and constructive elements – in effect, de-compose the piece, attempting to figure out how the composer created it.

6. In the ‘naked’ score that you created in step 3, extrapolate all dynamic, tempo, and expressive markings. Use different colored writing instruments for the different types of markings. Pay special attention to ‘surprises’ – markings that you might not expect to be there, and try to explain their existence.

7. Make another copy of the score and “orchestrate” the piece. Label the different lines with different instruments. Distinguish between solo and tutti sections, and determine how much of the orchestra would be playing at any given time based on dynamics and character.

8. Put some good focus on the rhythms in the piece. Grab some sticks, some spoons, or whatever, and drum out any rhythms that seem interesting. Try to ingrain them into you, for it will make for a more meaningful performance in the end.

8. (My favorite) Learn to sing each individual line in the piece. This is especially effective in Bach and other contrapuntal music, but it is useful in any music with a melodic line. Try to solfege it! I’m weak in this area so it’s good practice. This also gets your mind off the fingerings and allows you to focus on the beauty of the line. Memorization of all the melodic lines to the point that you can sing them given the first note is the sign that this step has been mastered.

9. If the piece is programmatic, or based on something else, get to know that something else. If you’re playing a theme and variations, find out where the theme came from. If you’re playing Ravel’s Gaspard de la Nuit get to know the poems intimately. See if there are any moments in the piece that correspond to lines in the poem. (Although if you’re playing Gaspard you probably don’t need this list. )

9. On a separate sheet, write out your practice plan for the piece. This is mental practice too, because ideally, your practicing sequence should start with the most difficult sections of the piece and be based on the form and construction of the piece itself. Be specific. Know the exact order in which you will go. Bernhard’s 20-minute practice session regimen is incredibly helpful, if not indispensable, in this step.

That’s all I got. Note that this list is not chronological at all. If you have more to add, please do! My goal is to learn how to absorb a piece so fully that I know it no better before I take it to the piano than after – that is, playing it reveals nothing new that mental practice did not.

[steinwayguy]

Good list! I'm relatively new to "mental practice", at least, concious mental practice, and I've always wanted a little clarification on the meaning and process, so this helped greatly. Thanks!

[xvimbi]

This is a great list! I can see only two "faults" with it. First, one must have complete technical proficiency. Only if one has excellent technique, including perfect body/keyboard maps can one aspire to look at a piece of music, sit down at the piano and play it. Second, one must have complete musicological proficiency. Only then is it possible to make the formal analyses, interpretative decisions with respect to the style of the period, etc.

This is asking a lot.

Personally, I use some of the things you mentioned, whereas I don't use others, because I would have to get the proper foundation first.

[mound]

Good list aerlinndan. I see you're new to the forum, welcome! Have you read much of what Bernhard has written on this site? He has written almost exactly the same things, in almost the same order.

[aerlinndan]

This is a great list! I can see only two "faults" with it. First, one must have complete technical proficiency. Only if one has excellent technique, including perfect body/keyboard maps can one aspire to look at a piece of music, sit down at the piano and play it. Second, one must have complete musicological proficiency. Only then is it possible to make the formal analyses, interpretative decisions with respect to the style of the period, etc.

1. You're right about technique. I am nowhere near the point where I can pull a Gould and learn an entire piece before sitting down at the keyboard with it. However, sitting down and playing it perfectly on the first try is not my goal (at the moment). I am still learning much about piano technique as I go, and I've found that doing all this mental practice before learning the physical technique of a piece will not only speed the learning process but the finished product will be more polished as well; in other words, the ends are the means (does that make sense?).

2. No analysis of any piece is ever complete. That's why there are theory journals, and countless theorists who will argue copiously into the night over the "correct" analysis of a piece. However, I say you should start with what you have. Do a roman numeral analysis. If you can't do that, just label the chords by their absolute names. Look for patterns (anyone can do that!). In the meantime, a good teacher or a rigorously applied self-study program will help fill in the blanks in your music theory knowledge (and I speak with the general "you" here).

[m1469]

I am hitting up this subject again and found this great list.  Thanks aerlinndan !!  I am bumping this thread because I wanted to add something to this list that I have recently read in a book by Neuhaus.

He suggests that a person :

10.  Take the score and conduct the entire thing as though a pianist (or a choir/ensemble) would be sitting there playing it while you conduct. 

I think this is a great idea, though I haven't tried it yet.  I could see this being helpful for any piece, however I suspect it would be particularly helpful with counterpoint and nailing down entrances and so on.  Plus, imagine the kind of understanding one would want of the score, and interpretation of it, to be able to gesture one's intentions in a way that another person(s) would comprehend and satisfactorily react to.

I have another idea about all of this but I will have to come back later.


In the meatime, Viva la practice mental ! 

m1469

[zheer]

10.  Take the score and conduct the entire thing as though a pianist would be sitting there playing it while you conduct. 

  Yes thats a great idea, but for me nothing beats the process of listining to ones own recording , not too long ago i recorded Chopins Ballad in G minor, now when i heard the recording i was horrified it was musically 10 minuts of poo. Why, well i guess cuz even though one might have conducted the piece in his/her head and thinks they know what they wont, the reality is different. The first thing i had to change was the note d after the introduction, you know the bass d, just that note and the other bass d notes that are played on the first page has been seriously examined for months ,am not kidding.

[m1469]

Yes thats a great idea, but for me nothing beats the process of listining to ones own recording , not too long ago i recorded Chopins Ballad in G minor, now when i heard the recording i was horrified it was musically 10 minuts of poo. Why, well i guess cuz even though one might have conducted the piece in his/her head and thinks they know what they wont, the reality is different. The first thing i had to change was the note d after the introduction, you know the bass d, just that note and the other bass d notes that are played on the first page has been seriously examined for months ,am not kidding.

I agree that this is a good strategy in aiding one to gain a concrete sense about the reality of one's performance, however, this thread is about strategies to learn the piece away from (and before touching) the piano. 


m1469

[m1469]

Updated list 



1. When you do go to the piano, you have no time to pick up bad habits as you fumble about trying to find the right notes.

2. You can begin working on musical interpretation right from the start because you understand how the passage fits into the larger whole.

3. It is good for general musicality, which is important to me, being a student of composition as well. It sharpens your inner ear and attention to musical detail on a page.

So, being a fan of lists, I decided to try to compile a list of all the different ways one can practice a piece without actually taking it to the piano. My goal in mental practice is to get as good as Gould was - to the point where a piece is mastered except for the most technically difficult moments before I sit down with it at the piano. This is no simple feat! So here are all the ideas I have either gleaned or come up with on my own - I invite you to add more if you have them.

1. Listen to as many recordings of the piece as possible. Make a copy of the score specifically for noting differences between recordings, and pick a color for each recording and mark on the score the different things that different performers do.

2. Write in all the fingerings on your own. If fingerings are provided, review them and consider other options.

3. Input the piece into a notation program. You can play it back at various tempos. I use a practice regimen that involves taking small sections of the score and playing them back at first very slowly, hands separately, completely and fully visualizing the geography of the keys being played. Then I gradually speed up and combine hands, but only at the speed at which my mind can keep up.

4. Do a full harmonic analysis of the piece. This works for any piece up until probably French Impressionism. Then you have to get creative with your analyses. For example, you may have to start labeling chords by their 'absolute' names (for example, Cm/eb) as opposed to relative names (i6/4). The goal of a complete harmonic analysis of any piece is that it fully explicates and accounts for the existence of every note from a harmonic theory point of view. I have more thoughts about effective analysis of later music for pianists, but I will save them for another time.

5. Do a full formal analysis of the piece. Look for the overall form, and the forms within big sections. Attempt to find relations between different keys used. Try to find patterns between lengths of different phrases. Fully explore all the different motives and constructive elements – in effect, de-compose the piece, attempting to figure out how the composer created it.

6. In the ‘naked’ score that you created in step 3, extrapolate all dynamic, tempo, and expressive markings. Use different colored writing instruments for the different types of markings. Pay special attention to ‘surprises’ – markings that you might not expect to be there, and try to explain their existence.

7. Make another copy of the score and “orchestrate” the piece. Label the different lines with different instruments. Distinguish between solo and tutti sections, and determine how much of the orchestra would be playing at any given time based on dynamics and character.

8. Put some good focus on the rhythms in the piece. Grab some sticks, some spoons, or whatever, and drum out any rhythms that seem interesting. Try to ingrain them into you, for it will make for a more meaningful performance in the end.

8. (My favorite) Learn to sing each individual line in the piece. This is especially effective in Bach and other contrapuntal music, but it is useful in any music with a melodic line. Try to solfege it! I’m weak in this area so it’s good practice. This also gets your mind off the fingerings and allows you to focus on the beauty of the line. Memorization of all the melodic lines to the point that you can sing them given the first note is the sign that this step has been mastered.

9. If the piece is programmatic, or based on something else, get to know that something else. If you’re playing a theme and variations, find out where the theme came from. If you’re playing Ravel’s Gaspard de la Nuit get to know the poems intimately. See if there are any moments in the piece that correspond to lines in the poem. (Although if you’re playing Gaspard you probably don’t need this list. )

9. On a separate sheet, write out your practice plan for the piece. This is mental practice too, because ideally, your practicing sequence should start with the most difficult sections of the piece and be based on the form and construction of the piece itself. Be specific. Know the exact order in which you will go. Bernhard’s 20-minute practice session regimen is incredibly helpful, if not indispensable, in this step.

10.  Take the score and conduct the entire thing as though a pianist (or a choir/ensemble) would be sitting there playing it while you conduct.

[dorfmouse]

For the less analytically competent amongst us, myself included, I would add somewhere near the top;

Highlight, or better still, cross out all passages, phrases, groups of notes etc that repeat.

This is probably implicitly obvious to advanced players from the analysis stage, but anyone at any level can do this.
It's highly motivating and rewarding to see, say, a 6 page piece "shrink" effectively to 3 and a half of actual notes to be learnt!

[netzow]

I am finding lately that mental practice long before a piece is ever taken to the piano is extremely beneficial for the following reasons:

1. When you do go to the piano, you have no time to pick up bad habits as you fumble about trying to find the right notes.

2. You can begin working on musical interpretation right from the start because you understand how the passage fits into the larger whole.

3. It is good for general musicality, which is important to me, being a student of composition as well. It sharpens your inner ear and attention to musical detail on a page.

So, being a fan of lists, I decided to try to compile a list of all the different ways one can practice a piece without actually taking it to the piano. My goal in mental practice is to get as good as Gould was - to the point where a piece is mastered except for the most technically difficult moments before I sit down with it at the piano. This is no simple feat! So here are all the ideas I have either gleaned or come up with on my own - I invite you to add more if you have them.

1. Listen to as many recordings of the piece as possible. Make a copy of the score specifically for noting differences between recordings, and pick a color for each recording and mark on the score the different things that different performers do.

2. Write in all the fingerings on your own. If fingerings are provided, review them and consider other options.

3. Input the piece into a notation program. You can play it back at various tempos. I use a practice regimen that involves taking small sections of the score and playing them back at first very slowly, hands separately, completely and fully visualizing the geography of the keys being played. Then I gradually speed up and combine hands, but only at the speed at which my mind can keep up.

4. Do a full harmonic analysis of the piece. This works for any piece up until probably French Impressionism. Then you have to get creative with your analyses. For example, you may have to start labeling chords by their 'absolute' names (for example, Cm/eb) as opposed to relative names (i6/4). The goal of a complete harmonic analysis of any piece is that it fully explicates and accounts for the existence of every note from a harmonic theory point of view. I have more thoughts about effective analysis of later music for pianists, but I will save them for another time.

5. Do a full formal analysis of the piece. Look for the overall form, and the forms within big sections. Attempt to find relations between different keys used. Try to find patterns between lengths of different phrases. Fully explore all the different motives and constructive elements – in effect, de-compose the piece, attempting to figure out how the composer created it.

6. In the ‘naked’ score that you created in step 3, extrapolate all dynamic, tempo, and expressive markings. Use different colored writing instruments for the different types of markings. Pay special attention to ‘surprises’ – markings that you might not expect to be there, and try to explain their existence.

7. Make another copy of the score and “orchestrate” the piece. Label the different lines with different instruments. Distinguish between solo and tutti sections, and determine how much of the orchestra would be playing at any given time based on dynamics and character.

8. Put some good focus on the rhythms in the piece. Grab some sticks, some spoons, or whatever, and drum out any rhythms that seem interesting. Try to ingrain them into you, for it will make for a more meaningful performance in the end.

8. (My favorite) Learn to sing each individual line in the piece. This is especially effective in Bach and other contrapuntal music, but it is useful in any music with a melodic line. Try to solfege it! I’m weak in this area so it’s good practice. This also gets your mind off the fingerings and allows you to focus on the beauty of the line. Memorization of all the melodic lines to the point that you can sing them given the first note is the sign that this step has been mastered.

9. If the piece is programmatic, or based on something else, get to know that something else. If you’re playing a theme and variations, find out where the theme came from. If you’re playing Ravel’s Gaspard de la Nuit get to know the poems intimately. See if there are any moments in the piece that correspond to lines in the poem. (Although if you’re playing Gaspard you probably don’t need this list. )

9. On a separate sheet, write out your practice plan for the piece. This is mental practice too, because ideally, your practicing sequence should start with the most difficult sections of the piece and be based on the form and construction of the piece itself. Be specific. Know the exact order in which you will go. Bernhard’s 20-minute practice session regimen is incredibly helpful, if not indispensable, in this step.

That’s all I got. Note that this list is not chronological at all. If you have more to add, please do! My goal is to learn how to absorb a piece so fully that I know it no better before I take it to the piano than after – that is, playing it reveals nothing new that mental practice did not.

Very useful post, thank you! Great thread Idea to, We should have more thread's like this!

[kempff1234]

Mental practice is really great....

I always have a habit of sitting down and reading the notes as if I'm reading some novel. I find it a lot easier to learn a piece this way. Of course, sometimes I spend hours just staring at one page, but the final result is good.

[andresdo]

This is indeed a great list end well-thought over too. One thing: at the "list" at point nr 1 you said listen to as much as possible recordings and then go and write the idea that you like about a certain recording down at the specific place on your clean score. To a certain extend, I do agree. It is good to use things you like from other performers, but to a certain extend I don't agree: You must not do this with every single measure of the piece, as this will force your mind to try and connect the dots of the stylistic inputs every performer on these various recordings use, which will disable you to give your own style to the piece. You will then not feel to good about the piece when you start to round it off. I would say you should only use these ideas sparingly, when you perform it.