The Piano Guide Review

Learning a Challenging Piano Piece

by Georgia Zoe Schohl

Q. How should I learn a difficult piano piece that is beyond my level? I want to learn this piece but feel overwhelmed and discouraged. I don’t know where to start. The books I had with my last teacher were Level 5 Faber Piano Adventures with the Lesson and the Performance books. Right now I’m not taking lessons because of money concerns, but I want to progress and learn a piece that challenges me. In a few months I plan to resume lessons again.
Any advice would help me working on my own so I can use my limited time at the piano wisely!
Thanks.
Devonna, via email

A. First of all, I think it’s a great idea for you to want to continue your piano studies while you are taking a break from lessons. You seem to be determined to choose a piece that is difficult. Have you done this on your own before? What about building up to that level first by choosing a piece that is from your Faber Level 5 book—where you left off with your old teacher? Then, if you are pleased with your results, go on to a more difficult piece. In other words, go towards your goal in steps. As a result, you won’t feel so overwhelmed.

Be aware that most students studying a difficult piece need a teacher for necessary technical advice, performance ideas, and interpretation ideas for the piece you want to study. For example, even if you believe you have mastered the notes of pieces you still need the participation and interaction of a teacher. For example, your rhythm may be completely wrong even if you have the correct notes.

How should you go about practicing a “big” and challenging piece? First of all, listen to several versions of it on YouTube for example. More piano books come with CDs so you can hear what the piece should sound like. Each pianist performing the piece that you select has their own interpretation of the piece but you can get a general idea how the piece should sound.

Divide your piece into small “bite size” sections, such as one or two lines at a time. Allow yourself a week or two for each small section. After you divide your piece into sections, begin to practice each hand alone. I can’t tell how much faster most people master a piece if they practice each hand alone. (Some students find the idea of playing each hand alone as boring and unnecessary, want to play both hands together immediately.)

Once you combine both hands together, you will find that it will be so much easier to learn the section you assigned yourself to master. Believe it or not, still spend some time slowly replaying sections that will give you some difficulty, each hand alone again if you need to.
If you have the patience and the determination, you will need to practice with a very slow speed, much slower than you would like to, and concentrating on the details of your fingering, hand position, rhythm, correct notes and interpretation.