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 Learning a new piece
Author: Rachel 
Date:   2004-01-01 04:19

What stages does everyone here go through when they are learning a new piece? I have noticed a distinct pattern in my learning process.
1. Sightreading- depending on how difficult it is, I will either get most of the notes right away, or I will have a few problems.
2. Second reading- I will usually play the piece pretty well.
3. After I've played it a few times, more problems seem to come up. I'm not sure whether these are actual problems caused by being too complacent because of knowing the piece a bit better, or if I am just getting more picky.
4. Ironing out all the little problems. This is the most frustrating stage.
5. Getting bored with it and playing it uninspiredly. This is a very dangerous stage, because it could (never actually has) cause me to stop playing the piece.
And finally, going back to it and playing it better than ever.

How does everyone else learn?

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 Re: Learning a new piece
Author: rbell96 
Date:   2004-01-01 11:01

When I work on a new piece i tend to go about it this way:

1) Learn the notes
2) Research the piece (usually with the help of this bboard)
3) Listen to as many recordings as possible
4) Work on phrasing, dynamics etc.

Rob

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 Re: Learning a new piece
Author: ALOMARvelous12 
Date:   2004-01-01 17:00

1. Research
2. Sight Read through entire piece at slow tempo
3. Recordings
4. Practice Technicalities
5. Play through at regular tempo

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 Re: Learning a new piece
Author: EEBaum 
Date:   2004-01-01 22:16

1. Sight read
2. Practice melodic areas to get the feel
3. Practice technical runs
4. Play it through slowly
5. Bring it up to a decent tempo
6. Work on phrasing, energy & nuance
7. Listen to recordings (any sooner and I just mimic the recording)
8. Practice further on technicality and style
9. Once I "know it", play it at quite slow tempo.
10. Once I can play it nicely at that tempo, turn up the metronome one notch. Repeat until up to tempo.
11. Further practice on whatever needs it.
12. Practice on whatever does NOT need it (this part I often forget)

-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com

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 Re: Learning a new piece
Author: Rachel 
Date:   2004-01-02 00:34

I forgot about recordings. Listening to a recording is usually what prompts me to want to play a piece.

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 Re: Learning a new piece
Author: sfalexi 
Date:   2004-01-02 15:08

1) First I try to listen to a recording. Mostly for tempo ideas (I'm a bad judge at this and don't know all my tempi markings well.)
2) Then I read/play it a few times. This is to find out my obviously weak areas.

At this point I split off and work on parts 3 and 4 pretty much equally
throughout until I get "somewhat" playable.

3) I go through and mark down little notes or reminders to myself (crescendos where it seems to lead up to the high point of a phrase, breath marks, the word "Slow!" if I tend to speed up in various spots, accents, extra slurs or articulations I feel sounds more appropriate, R's and L's if I have to alternate pinkies and I get a little slipped up, etc. etc.)
4) Take time before playing through and after playing through to work on those techincally hard phrases (like the diminished seventh run in Concertino which I busted my hump on, still haven't gotten, but I plan to have all scales and basics done by the end of this year)

5) Work on it with the accompaniment to make sure we can blend fairly well. I mark down where they are going to slow down, where I have to play louder or softer to better match them, try to match their phrasing if they are phrasing a part of the melody different, and vice versa and etc.

That's pretty much what I do.

Alexi

US Army Japan Band

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