
When starting to learn a piece, we often are so excited to sound like our favorite recordings that we jump right in and attempt to play it in large sections, at tempo, with all the flair and gusto of our favorite performers. This excitement is a beautiful thing, and probably plays a large role in why we got into music in the first place. However, I believe that it can be even more beautiful to take a microscope to each piece (time permitting, that is) and learn it, I mean really learn it. After all, this is probably what your favorite performers did as well.
I too find myself starting too fast when learning a new excerpt or song, and it is understandable. We get the music, and think to ourselves, "Oh no, I have to have this down perfectly in a month for an audition!". This panicked attitude leads us to try to cram in the work so we get to our destination as quickly as possible because after all, we only have a month. Keep this in mind; If you have a whole month, why try to learn the piece in 3 days, or even 20 days? If you learn the whole piece halfway in 3 days and try to add in the other half for the rest of the month, you probably won't see much progress.
For any audition or performance you want to set yourself up to do your best on the day of the performance, not the day before, or after. Obviously different circumstances will necessitate learning music faster or slower than others, but try to always take the time you are given. A metronome is our best comrade to keep us in check of this, especially with technical passages. Below is the outline of how I work technical challenges from slow to fast.
Now I know, this is an ideal situation and easier said then done, but even if you fall of the wagon when using this process, you will still see many benefits. I personally have the tendency to do really well and even get up to tempo, but I sometimes finish the process a week or two before I need to, and then I have a few weeks where I don't know what to do! It is for sure not a bad thing to be prepared early, but make sure you have other methods in mind to keep improving for your remaining days until the performance. It is hard to simply maintain a technique, you either keep trying to improve it and hopefully you do (at the very least it does stay maintained), otherwise you start to go backwards down the progress hill.
Also, be smart when using this method. You don't necessarily need to play every note of every piece like this. Use it on anything remotely challenging, and you will find the challenge quickly dissipates when you practice this way. Also, be warned that this process can be especially tedious, so I don't recommend using only this method for 30 minutes straight. If you have 2 weeks and have to get a lick from 60 bpm to 130, that is only 5 bpm a day, which is VERY doable and will probably take 5 minutes or less each day. Try mixing this with learning from the bottom of the page, as outlined here.
Thanks for reading!
-Justin
I too find myself starting too fast when learning a new excerpt or song, and it is understandable. We get the music, and think to ourselves, "Oh no, I have to have this down perfectly in a month for an audition!". This panicked attitude leads us to try to cram in the work so we get to our destination as quickly as possible because after all, we only have a month. Keep this in mind; If you have a whole month, why try to learn the piece in 3 days, or even 20 days? If you learn the whole piece halfway in 3 days and try to add in the other half for the rest of the month, you probably won't see much progress.
For any audition or performance you want to set yourself up to do your best on the day of the performance, not the day before, or after. Obviously different circumstances will necessitate learning music faster or slower than others, but try to always take the time you are given. A metronome is our best comrade to keep us in check of this, especially with technical passages. Below is the outline of how I work technical challenges from slow to fast.
- Find a tempo (no matter how slow it is) where you can play the line, measure, or lick flawlessly.
- Move the metronome up 2 bpm. If you had it solid at 60, go to 62. You will hardly notice a difference, and that is the point. You are taking many small steps toward your goal.
- If it is still flawless, go +2 to 64. If not, use your large box of techniques to learn it correctly at that tempo. (see other posts for ideas, or make up your own!) If you still can't get it, slow the metronome down at least 4 bmp and start from there back at number 2 above.
- Once you get it comfortable at 64, go to 66, and so on.
- Always try to go at least 10 bpm past your goal performance tempo.
- Mark down each day's progress so you know what tempo you start at next time.
Now I know, this is an ideal situation and easier said then done, but even if you fall of the wagon when using this process, you will still see many benefits. I personally have the tendency to do really well and even get up to tempo, but I sometimes finish the process a week or two before I need to, and then I have a few weeks where I don't know what to do! It is for sure not a bad thing to be prepared early, but make sure you have other methods in mind to keep improving for your remaining days until the performance. It is hard to simply maintain a technique, you either keep trying to improve it and hopefully you do (at the very least it does stay maintained), otherwise you start to go backwards down the progress hill.
Also, be smart when using this method. You don't necessarily need to play every note of every piece like this. Use it on anything remotely challenging, and you will find the challenge quickly dissipates when you practice this way. Also, be warned that this process can be especially tedious, so I don't recommend using only this method for 30 minutes straight. If you have 2 weeks and have to get a lick from 60 bpm to 130, that is only 5 bpm a day, which is VERY doable and will probably take 5 minutes or less each day. Try mixing this with learning from the bottom of the page, as outlined here.
Thanks for reading!
-Justin