Practicing the piano can get repetitive, and that is what turns a lot of people off. It’s why you need to make things interesting for yourself. Switch it up!
We talked about giving yourself freedom in the last post – but what does that look like when you’re practicing? Here’s tip number three for practicing the piano: Practice one phrase in as many different ways as possible.
Play it in a different register (higher or lower); use different articulations (bouncy sounds, smooth sounds, etc); play it at half speed, double speed, and every tempo in between; use different dynamics… this is just to name a few! All of these things help you to become more aware of what’s in the music. This gives you the capability to manipulate the notes into whatever you want them to be. If you exhaust all the options, there can be no surprises in performance!
If you’re practicing the piano – you’re a musician. Take inspiration from other musicians. Listen to one of your favourite popular songs, then listen to different cover versions. See how much the whole mood of a song can change just by changing the pace or the register. When you’re tackling a phrase, and it’s frustrating you – feel free to take some liberties so that your fingers learn where to go.
Maybe as you’re practicing a difficult phrase, give yourself a mood to perform instead of focusing on just the notes you are hitting. Bluesy. Upbeat. Sad. Happy. There’s lots to choose from, and maybe giving yourself something other than playing the notes at exactly the right time will help you relax enough to enjoy the learning process.
Musicians are creative – you’re a musician. So be creative!
Here’s the Bach fugue I’m working on. It’s in G# Minor from book 1 of the Well-Tempered Clavier (BWV 863):