Tips for Learning Challenging Music
Steve Burks
Here are some tips on how to approach music that’s technically difficult or otherwise hard for you. I’m referring to the piano in this post, but the tips can be used for any instrument or voice. Music may be hard to play because it needs to be played fast; has complicated fingering; multiple parts must be played at once, etc.
- Break it down into smaller parts. Simplify it. Do one little piece at a time. Depending on the music, that might mean one measure, or half a measure, or only three to four notes. For example, sometimes I practice a mere two notes, if they’re widely spaced and I have to “leap” from one to the other across the keyboard. Also, on piano, I might focus on just one hand at a time, then put them together later. There is nothing “too small” to work on.
- Be patient. It takes time for your brain to process complex music, and you can’t rush your brain.
- Focus only on the part at which you’re making a mistake. Don’t waste time repeating two whole measures over and over if you’re only crashing on beat two of the first measure. Focus right there.
- Slow down the tempo. If you can’t play it slowly, then you can’t play it quickly. Speed equals familiarity, so don’t concentrate on the tempo. Play the music at whatever tempo allows you to avoid making a mistake. You might not perceive slow practice as helping you learn, but trust me, it does.
- If you must learn it at tempo, add only one note at a time. Set your metronome. Play the first note, then the first and second up to tempo, then the first three, and so forth. If you start making mistakes, don’t add any more notes, decrease the tempo only as much as necessary, and repeat the chunk of notes that you have mastered until you’ve got it.
- Keep track of how many repetitions you’ve done. I use tally marks, grouped in fives, on a pad. That way I can literally see how much work I’ve done, and it helps me stay patient.
- Take breaks regularly. Sometimes I do forty minutes on, followed by twenty minutes off. Or forty-five on, and fifteen off. The breaks enable me to focus better.
- If possible, make the passage harder to play than it has to be. For example, on piano, if you have to leap an octave, see how it feels to leap two octaves instead. That way, when you go back and leap one octave, it will seem easier by comparison. The perception of difficulty is relative.
Steve Burks is a graduate of the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. Currently, he’s a vocalist and keyboardist in the International House of Blues Foundation’s “Blues School House,” a live musical presentation for 5th through 12th graders that traces the history of blues music and its influence on other forms of contemporary music.
11 comments
Posted 04/19/10 at 9:45 am
Good stuff, I like number 5. A lot of people don’t realise just how important a metronome can be when it comes to practise and songwriting.
Posted 04/19/10 at 11:12 am
TU 4 THE POINTERS. I HAVE MS AND THOT I COULDN’T PLAY PIANO ANYMORE. ALL THE INFO U HAVE GIVEN GIVES ME COURAGE TO TRY AGAIN.
Posted 04/19/10 at 11:51 am
I use this – IT WORKS !!!
Posted 04/19/10 at 3:01 pm
Bless you, Karen. Definitely try again! Slow is the way. Trust me.
Posted 04/23/10 at 11:26 am
Karen, I was diagnosed with MS in 2002 and 2 years ago I decided to start playing again. I started playing in 1969 and stopped playing in ’92 when my son was born. Now that they are teenagers I decided to do the 1 thing I enjoyed most in my life and that was playing guitar again. I’m doing pretty well with it and have had offers to join local bands but I want to learn some more before I do that. Picking up the guitar again has helped me tremendously both physically and mentally. I bet you would feel the same way should you decide to pursue it! Be well, be happy, John (51yo)
Posted 06/09/10 at 9:51 am
THANKS SO MUCH. AFTER ALL THESE YEARS, I WENT OUT A BOUGHT SOME NEW GOSPEL MUSIC. NOW I FEEL LIKE MAYBE I CAN DO IT AGAIN!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!
Posted 06/15/10 at 7:53 pm
Thank you, Steve
I remember way back when I was taking guitar lessons, blue grass, rag, and mixed with classical. That is the only way I could learn music, one little “bite” at a time. Sometimes it took two or three weeks to learn a song, not counting vocal parts. But, I feel that I played them well at the time. I just bought another guitar, I’m 58 yrs. young, diabetic with neuropothy in my hands and arms. It’s difficult to play, but I’m not quitting this time. I love playing. My wife was an organist, and pianist. I’m saving our pennies and dimes to be able to get my mom’s piano tuned or get her a full size keyboard in the near future. She has a lot of the same symptoms that I do, but she is my angel when it comes to her voice.
It’s great meeting you here, on line.
Posted 07/10/10 at 10:47 am
This is what I use for myself and what I tell my students! SLOW, SLOW, SLOW and in little chunks until you get it then speed it up to the tempo marked. Lots of patience and of course practice! I feel it is better to play a piece slightly slower than marked but ACCURATELY then try to go too fast and mess it up!
Posted 07/10/10 at 10:59 am
This is inspiring Steve. I bought a copy of Cakewalk Sonar and it has a built in metronome. I was planning to use it to compose and arrange some things via MIDI. I think I will get back on it and get to work…
Posted 07/11/10 at 12:20 am
I have started my clarinet back at age 53 not as fast as I use to be. Your tips are so helpful! Thank you!!!
Posted 07/11/10 at 8:51 am
Thank you, for this advice it gives me hope to keep learning the paino. I always try to learn the whole song now I know to break it down. Patiention is something I need to learn.
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