by Carolyn Topliff
(New York)
I play the piano at an advanced level, but I have never been able to shift over into fast, clean playing of difficult pieces. Do you have any suggestions to help me move through and beyond this blockage? It feels like a wall that I just
can't seem to break through. Thank you for any suggestions you may have.
Answer:
Hmm, interesting question.
Of course it depends on the piece you play, and what technical difficulties it presents. As well as what your own weaknesses are ; )
So I will try a general idea of how to improve speed on an advanced level piece.
After doing all the basic work; really learning the notes of the piece, the rhythm and phrasing at a slower tempo, with fingering that is secured and not changed all the time. (This is important!)
The next step is passage work, to isolate your weak spots and practice slowly, hands separately as well as both, gradually increasing speed with the help of a metronome all the places that you feel any insecurity.
For rapid note patterns you should also take them through all kinds of rhythmical patterns to make sure every pattern flows effortlessly. This is an ongoing process by the way- even after you “know” the piece, it is useful to practice difficult passages this way.
This is important, you can not skip the basic work!
Now, divide the piece in parts of lets say 4-8 measures, or more depending on the difficulty of the piece (the easier, the bigger parts). With a metronome start slowly, as slow as you need to play comfortably with out any effort, almost ridiculously slow. Increase speed for each repetition until you start making mistakes. Then go back in speed a few “clicks”. Your goal is to play effortlessly and without allowing any mistakes at all .
(It is a bit like training to do splits, you stretch and go back, stretch a bit