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Tricks for practicing difficult passages

Author: Roxann
Date: 2016-06-23 19:22

I belong to an informal educational music group that meets once a month. Someone presents a five minute lesson and, those who would like to, perform a piece. Then we have dessert afterwards:) I volunteered to present the lesson next month and I'm going to talk about ways to practice difficult passages. I believe the whole purpose of repetitive practice of a difficult passage is to create muscle memory in your fingers while fully engaging your brain. If you practice it only one way, after awhile I would imagine your brain becomes disengaged. So, we need ways to vary our practice. I already know several ways. For example, setting the metronome at an extremely slow tempo and practicing extremely slowly and gradually increasing the tempo. Also, "chunking:" breaking the passage into perhaps three notes segments and playing the first three notes several times, then the next three several times, then linking them. Or playing one of the notes within the group of three for a longer period of time than you play the others, and varying which one it is. Playing half the passage forwards then backwards. Playing four notes, rest for one beat, playing the first note of the four and adding three more, resting, etc. What I'd be interested in learning from you is what are some of YOUR favorite ways of practicing a difficult passage? Thank you!

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