Practice Tutorial

Practice Tutorial

A) Learn notes, fingering and counting

  1. Write in the counting in PENCIL (never ink)
  2. Count a small section out loud (without playing) while watching the music.
  3. Find the starting notes and hand and finger positions.
  4. Look for similar or identical patterns in the music and mark them in pencil.
  5. Start by learning the easier sections first.
  6. Learn the notes, one or two bar sections at a time.
Music score in thirds

7. Learn to play one hand and count it or sing-count it.

8. Do the same thing with your other hand

9. When the section is a lot easier, move to the next section.

Wittner large wood metronome

B) Perfect the counting

  1. Play one hand while counting out loud and feeling the beat.  Repeat while trying to improve each time. 
  2. Do the same thing with your other hand.
  3. Now play both hands together and count out loud.
  4. After you can do this well, add the metronome.
  5. Play with the metronome at a slow speed while playing both hands together and counting out loud.

C) Work on dynamics, phrasing and articulation

  1. Watch all the additional markings in the music.
  2. Use the right dynamics and articulation.
  3. Where are the phrase marks?
  4. Do the dynamics, articulation and phrasing change the feel of the music?   They should change the sound and feel dramatically!
Music phrasing is important
Increase the tempo of the music

D) Increase the tempo

  1. Practice with the metronome at a slow speed that is easy.
  2. Play it perfectly at your starting speed.
  3. When you can play it perfectly, increase your speed 2 clicks on the metronome
  4. Continue increasing 2 clicks at a time until you reach performance speed.

E) Memorize the music

  1. Repeat small sections, usually one or two bars long.
  2. Repeat each section several times until you feel you have it memorized.
  3. Combine smaller sections into larger sections
  4. Practice starting from different sections, instead of just the beginning.
Memorize your music
Piano repetoire

F) Add the piece to your repetoire

  1. Play the music at least three times per week to keep it memorized.
  2. Now you can play this whenever and wherever you like – from memory!

G) Perform the music

  1. For your family and friends.
  2. For your school.
  3. For a recital.
  4. For a competition.
Man playing the piano