PRACTICE TIPS #12: "Study the Music"

[Brent Hugh <bhugh@griffon.mwsc.edu>]

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PRACTICE TIPS #12: "Study the Music"

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I spent this weekend at the Missouri Music Teachers Convention in Bolivar, 

Missouri.  At a presentation by Janice Saffir, I heard an interesting 

practice tip.



You can use this tip whenever you are learning a piece you plan to perform 

by memory.  Janice suggested that you could follow this practice method 

from the very first time you start practicing a new piece, although it 

works equally well when practicing a piece you have already memorized.  The 

rule you follow in this practice method is:



   Study the music carefully before and after you play, but

   NEVER look at the music while you are playing.



If you learn a new piece using this method, it is good because:



   * It forces you to divide the music into very small, digestible

     sections from the very beginning.

   * It forces you to look for patterns from the very beginning.

   * It forces to you figure out musically what is really going on

     from the very beginning. (*Music* is so much easier to remember than

     random notes!)



If you practice an already memorized piece using this method, you will find 

that it has these advantages:



   * You are continually playing in small and medium-sized sections,

     then stopping to study the score.  This makes you automatically

     learn a large number of memory starting points very, very well.

   * You never get into that awkward habit of half playing by memory

     and half reading the music.  (If you're going to read the music,

     read it!  And if you're going to play by memory, play by memory!

     But stumbling along half by memory and half by reading is the worst

     of both worlds--you develop neither good reading habits nor

     solid memory.)

   * Since you are studying the music a lot (both before and after playing

     a section) you will notice many more of the composer's musical

     ideas and performance suggestions.

   * Your practice periods will automatically have change and

     variety (sometimes you are playing, sometimes reading and thinking).

   * Your practice has built in "micro-breaks"--very important in preventing

     arm and hand problems.



Happy Practicing!



--Brent



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PRACTICE TIPS is by pianist, teacher, composer, and internet nerd

Brent Hugh.  Brent knows about practicing mostly because he *does*

it, and in fact is toddling off to do some of it just about now . . .



Thanks to the many people who have written to say PRACTICE TIPS has

been helpful.  I always like to hear what you think of these

ideas and how they worked for you!



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