Why do we practice slow to go fast?
Good question. We all play like we practice. So, if we practice carefully, thoughtfully, and methodically our odds of playing expressively, confidently, at a steady tempo go up significantly. Alas the opposite is true too. Let's consider one aspect of this: Slow practice. 1. Starting slowly allows us to consider our motions at the piano. 2. Slow allows us to play steadier while learning. Remember playing quickly and stumbling about may make our stumbling get embedded in our playing. 3. Speed up bit by bit as your skill with the scale, chord, arpeggio, etude, phrase, or piece increases. 4. To play fast, you will have to practice fast. It is good practice to have your moves together before sprinting through the music. David
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Sight-reading tips
Some days and some weeks are going to be difficult. Here are some suggestions that immediately come to mind you might consider to dampen down the practice room blues. These comments are aimed at beginners.
If I can help you, call me. David One of my adult students was asking tonight for some help planning his practice time. He is preparing for his Grade 8 piano exam. He is an engineer, a spreadsheet kind of guy. I'm sympathetic. Here is what we discussed. Warmup with sight reading. Use a metronome! Get into the zone. Now start practicing Technique with a 2-minute timer. Switch activities every 2 minutes = 15 minutes
Practice one short section to perfection =15 minutes Theory =10 minutes Ear Training = 10 minutes Review completed piece or pieces 10 minutes BOOM! one hour of accomplishment This may work for you. David
Practice Tip: The power of exploration Students who practice, diligently practice the “notes,” struggle with rhythm and continuity trying to get it “right.” This is all important. But I’d like to add a new idea. Experimentation. A short story in which I’m the hero. I’m learning to play the jazz xylophone. I started at Christmas; I practice every day. I’ve got a 100-year-old textbook, a stack of tunes I want to learn, video recorder and oodles of desire. Here is the process I usually follow.
The video below is an unedited version. Notice it took just a brief period of time to accomplish something because I didn’t try to do everything at once. David I found it very helpful over the holidays to practice with a video camera recording my progress. I played for 5 minutes, and watched 5 minutes. The camera was positioned so that the keyboard of the xylophone was visible. I was able to see and hear what was working and what was not and adjust accordingly on the next round of playing. If I can help you, call me. David The above is the final take in ten takes over 20 minutes.
The three most neglected aspects of music study. Theory: knowing what you are doing makes everything easier. The knowledge and application of theory allows us to discover and understand the notes which leads to insight and artistry.
How you think about the drum set, what you have heard, and what you understand about the musical past of the instrument determine how you play the instrument musically. Ed Soph, master teacher History: Different eras of music sound different. Why? The study of the history of your instrument and the history of music in general will answer that question and help your interpretations.
Now the big one. Ear Training:
The list goes on. Some folks have it easier here than others, but I can confidently say I started with a tin-ear and over time developed it to a remarkably high degree. I can help you too. Call me. Hope is not a strategy. This is a blog celebrating action in the practice room. The effective action that follows our careful deliberation and reflection. We are grownups. The time of fooling ourselves is over because time is up. I've been exploring this topic in some depth over the years. Feel free to join in. Here is an interesting start to our explorations: Time management Premise: Practice time is precious and limited. It's limited by the limitations of our bodies and demands on our time from life. Therefore, wasting it with non-deliberate practice is counterproductive to our goal: playing as well as we can with the limitations we now have. Step one: Taking stock. "How do we spend our time when we are in the practice room? Do we carefully plan out the time, or do we jump Willy Nilly from one activity to another? It has been claimed that 90% music students play a piece through once, not even stopping to correct mistakes. ( http://www.escom.org/proceedings/ICMPC2000/Sun/McPherso.htm ) Tactic: At your next practice simply record yourself on your phone. Just put the recorder in the corner and forget about it. Later in the day listen back. Ask yourself this: 1. How did you spend your time? 2. How focused were you? 3. How do you sound? 4. What did you accomplish? 5. How did you really work on problems? If I can help you, call me. David Self assessment is nearly impossible. Our mind can play tricks on us. Research Dunning-Kruger effect for the science.
Here is a partial solution for music students. 1. Listen to professional recordings of your pieces. Frequently. You should know them as well as you know "happy birthday". 2. Record yourself and listen back to your efforts. Many students find this very difficult. I understand, but, push through the resistance. It is your best self assessment tool that you have. 3. Take lessons. Professional feedback is priceless. If I can help you, please call me. David
Ten things to do when learning a new piece of music that will simplify the process.
David I practice piano and drums daily, except Sundays when I rest. This summer I'm practicing bass. My student Barb asked me, "how do you practice?" This is what I said.
Have Fun. David Story The pandemic appears to be waning. We have all enjoyed the extra practice time lockdowns gave us. Extra time was an unexpected consequence during these tragic times. How will be hold on to this extra time when things move back to more normal times? Good question. Here is some of the things I’m considering. Perhaps it will be helpful for your situation too.
Best regards, David So much planning goes on before we play.
Planning an interpretation
Call me. David 4 hours of practice: All joy, no grinding. Top 5 tips for practicing any musical instrument
Theory
If you would like some help, call me. David 4 hours of practice: No Grinding. Top 5 tips for practicing any musical instrument
Playing
General and Jazz Specific Theory
If you would like some help, call me. David How I Prepare to Learn Or Teach A New Piece of Music: Haydn Sonata in C And Bourrée in F By Telemann1/8/2021 When I take on a new piece of music of any complexity I will go through some or all the following steps. My goal is to have a clear artistic impression of the piece before I begin. 1. Compare the different scores available to me. 2. Seek out professional recordings. 3. Print the music as I will be marking it up. 4. Study the form and phrasing of the work. Sometimes, as in the Telemann I will mark in the phrasing. 5. I will consider the era in which it was written for clues on possible interpretations. 6. I translate any unfamiliar terms I find in the score. 7. I might consult other sources to explore the style and era of its creation. For the Sonata in C, I enjoyed re-reading the section on Haydn ornaments in the book below. 8. I will listen to multiple professional performances and mark on the score ideas of interest. I often will slow down a recording to hear how the artist plays their ornaments. 9. I might consult with a colleague or my piano coach as well. In short, I will have a clear set of ideas, those I discovered and my own, to explore as I now start to "learn" the piece. I will share these with my students. If I can help you discover intriguing world of classical music, please call me. David ![]()
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![]() Know more than the notes. Exploring the questions of sociological context, compositional techniques, recorded history and more will add depth and sophistication to your playing and security to your memorization. Click on the picture for more, or for the "science" click the link. Here is a simple example: 1st Movement of Sonata in F minor op. 1 Who created it? Beethoven, German Romantic era composer 1770–1827 When and where was it created? 1795 Vienna Austria Why and for whom was it created? Dedicated to his teacher Joseph Haydn. Apparently it was his first publicly published work. What does it sound or look like? Dramatic opening rocket type theme of the tonic, then dominant chord announces that there is a "new kid in town". Great dynamic contrasts throughout the movement keep us focused. A composition of a young man. What kind of structure or form does it have? Classic Sonata Form What is its subject? The interplay is between the 2 main themes in the exposition and their development through many key centers. What is being expressed? Youthful exuberance, drama and compositional skill demonstration of the classical era style. What techniques did its creator use to help us understand what is being expressed?
David ![]() Ten hours plus a week on your instrument. Is this possible? Yes, maybe. There are some adults and many teenagers who log more than 10 hours a week.
They are united by an intense desire to learn and achieve. Their lives are organized around practice. They take lessons, they take responsibility, and they persevere through thick and thin. Some final thoughts. If you want to ramp it up, do it slowly to avoid injury. Add a 10% to your practice time each week. Be sure to ask advice from your instructors. Best David Story |
You've got to learn your instrument. Then, you practice, practice, practice. And then, when you finally get up there on the bandstand, forget all that and just wail. AuthorI'm a professional pianist and music educator in West Toronto Ontario. I'm also a devoted percussionist and drum teacher. Categories
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