From LivingPianos.
Effective piano practice hinges on two fundamental pillars: expanding your repertoire and refining your music.
Expanding Your Repertoire
Continually learning new pieces is essential for growth as a pianist. Breaking down music into small sections allows for the absorption of intricate details without feeling overwhelmed. Focusing on short segments with each hand separately, ensuring all nuances are captured and committed to memory, is a productive approach. Combining both hands and gradually connecting these phrases leads to highly effective practice sessions.
Learning new music isn’t just for beginners; even seasoned pianists benefit from this practice. Each new piece broadens musical horizons and enhances technical skills.
Refining Your Music
After learning a piece, refinement is crucial. Regularly revisiting the score, playing slowly and without the pedal, allows for clear hearing of every detail. This practice reinforces memory and ensures accuracy, preventing subtle, unwanted changes that can occur over time.
Practicing without the pedal during this process is important, as it can mask imperfections. Playing without it enables you to hear the music more clearly so you can make necessary adjustments.
Conclusion
Consistently learning new music and diligently refining existing pieces form the foundation of effective piano study. Incorporating technical exercises like scales and arpeggios as well as sight-reading new material is also beneficial. However, focusing on expanding and refining your repertoire leads to significant growth in piano playing.
