Seven steps for learning a new piece of piano music.

Seven steps to learning a new piece of piano music.

1. Translate all the musical terms and write them in your score. These Italian terms tell you how to play the piece because they indicate tempo, mood, and attitude.
2. Locate three professional YouTube recordings of your new work. Play them in turn; make notes on how each musician interprets the score and musical terms from step one. If you can see their hands, note the gestures they use to interpret the score. (I write down what I hear and see directly in my scores.)
3. Using a slow metronome tempo, clap and count aloud any tricky rhythms you find.
4. If the music is complex, write in the fingering, measure by measure, hand by hand. The editor’s markings are often a good place to start. You just fill in the missing finger numbers. Experiment and carefully consider your choices. This will accomplish two things. One, you will be practicing slowly and consciously, hand by hand, chunk by chunk. Two, you will have time to play musically from the start because you will have time to consider the dynamics or articulations. Concurrently with the writing in the fingerings, consider the gestures needed to interpret the music. These might include fingers, rotation, drop, two note slurs, and other motions. If you are unclear about which gestures to use, call me. I will show you how, with the proper gestures, the composer's intentions are easier to realize.
5. After the initial consideration you gave to the fingering, dynamics, and articulations you are now ready to play with steadier time. Continue to count aloud, with a metronome, if you are having trouble with the rhythm. Don’t hesitate to work on your hands separately.
6. You now have a secure foundation to begin practicing in earnest. You have an artistic impression of the work, you’ve worked out the fingering, dynamics, articulations, and necessary hand gestures to interpret the music.

​If I can help you further, call me.
 
David
Revised 2024