Grade 5 Piano Pieces, Practice...my teacher doesn't belive me! Options

[katyjay]

Annetta, two bits of Sarah's advice I'll re-iterate (and bear in mind I've just done Grade 5 piano so I know exactly what you are going through)

The first is to do slow practice on a metronome not only of the bit with the issue in it, but the phrase before and the phrase after (so go through it rather than just playing it on its own). I'll give an example of how I did slow practice:

I did the Hook Rondo not the Gigue, but the same principle applies. I set it at the pace of semiquaver = 60, and worked at that pace until I could do the phrase before the problem, the problem phrase and the phrase after all without an error. Only then did I move the metronome up a notch and play it all again. And so-on moving the metronome up when I could play at the new pace.

When I got to semiquaver = 120, I changed to using quaver = 60 instead. This is the same speed, but fewer metronome clicks, and oddly enough it was quite tricky to change from one to the other! But once I was comfortable with the metronome doing quavers, I did the same move up trick.

Then at quaver = 80, I swapped to using crotchet = 40, stabilised at that and then moved up until I finally reached playing speed of crotchet = 88.

It only took me a few minutes to type that. Doing it would take a week or more - I used to pencil in how fast I'd got the metronome the previous day so I knew where to start the next day in moving the speed up.

The other thing I'd agree with is not playing it flat-out fast in a lesson. Whenever I do that, I end up with tangled fingers, regardless of how I play at home. I always play a bit slow in lessons.

Hope some of this ramble helps.

Cheers

Katyjay

[sarah-flute]

When I got to semiquaver = 120, I changed to using quaver = 60 instead. This is the same speed, but fewer metronome clicks, and oddly enough it was quite tricky to change from one to the other!

That happens to me, too - strange, isn't it?

It only took me a few minutes to type that. Doing it would take a week or more - I used to pencil in how fast I'd got the metronome the previous day so I knew where to start the next day in moving the speed up.

Oooh yes, very true, keeping track is so helpful. I have been known to divide a piece into several sections and keep track of how fast each one was secure... it was a good indication of which bits needed more practice... though if you do that remember you also need to remember to practice the linking sections so that you don't end up being able to play the different bits fluently but not how to join them together.

[Annetta]

Yes that really helped thanks Katjay,

I shall do that with my metronome...something has got to work!

Thanks for all your advice

Annetta xx

[katyjay]

When I got to semiquaver = 120, I changed to using quaver = 60 instead. This is the same speed, but fewer metronome clicks, and oddly enough it was quite tricky to change from one to the other!

That happens to me, too - strange, isn't it?

It only took me a few minutes to type that. Doing it would take a week or more - I used to pencil in how fast I'd got the metronome the previous day so I knew where to start the next day in moving the speed up.

Oooh yes, very true, keeping track is so helpful. I have been known to divide a piece into several sections and keep track of how fast each one was secure... it was a good indication of which bits needed more practice... though if you do that remember you also need to remember to practice the linking sections so that you don't end up being able to play the different bits fluently but not how to join them together.

Absolutely. Thanks for reminding me, I forgot to say that (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Annetta - one little thing to bear in mind. If you work with a metronome, every note has to be on its beat - getting ahead of the metronome is as naughty as being behind it. It took me a while to suss this out, and it came back to bite me when I speeded up a bit.

[sarah-flute]

Absolutely. Thanks for reminding me, I forgot to say that (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Two brain cells are better than one (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) You did the same for the things I missed out (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)






Heh, I think I should bookmark this thread for good explanations of slow practice and the like!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[petrat]

If you are really struggling with the work why not tell your teacher and see if he will slow down a bit. Grade five in a year and a half is quite rapid and there is no rush is there? I would spend a few months longer working at technical stuff, and improving sight reading skills and playing easier pieces perhaps. If your playing sounds as if you really have not practised it seems to me that the work is a little too hard for you at the moment. Don't let the fun go out of it by being pushed too much and then being accused of not working when plainly you have been. Good luck.

[ben_walker446]

Hey, I'm doing The gigue too...My teacher changes the articulation every lesson...So once i have managed to play it legato he will decide he prefers it staccato and then after a bit of both and the other way round. But I think it is good practice changing bits of pieces, probably helps with sight reading. Its a nice piece when played well though...Good Luck anyone doing Grade 5 Piano

Ben

i had that too! apparently the articulation is just by the editor, and so the teachers can change it. mine loved changing it. every week. yay. got me very confused. still not really sure what i played in the exam... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Shame the teacher can't make their mind up (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

[George Burrell]

Hi guys,

I am currently studying for my grade 5 piano. So far I have learnt B1 Dream from Enfantines (this is the 2005-2006 syllabus).
At the moment I am practicing Gigue (A1) and I am finding it quite challenging.
We always go over little things in my piano lesson and he then says go away and practice one line or a few bars and get it perfect which is ok...and I go away and do it. I practice at home every night just one line to get it perfect and it is.
When I go to my piano lesson the follwing week and play it to him I keep making mistakes and I know I have done it at home. He then doesn't believe that I have done enough practice and then thinks I'm lying to him.

Are there any tips from anyone here please...I'm desperate to prove him wrong...somehow trying to contain what I have taught myself is proving mre difficult than I thought.

I have only been playing piano 1 + 1/2 years and I have passed grade 3 and now we are pushing onto grade 5...not the easiest thing to do.

Help please...

Thanks

Annetta xx

Annetta

It is my experience that in performing that it is unproductive to throw too much energy at too little much effort at too little music.

I have found it better to have a range of music at various stages and spread the effort. Great for sight reading and great for improving across the board.

Don't get too obsessed with just a few bars, they should eventually settle.

[Annetta]

If you are really struggling with the work why not tell your teacher and see if he will slow down a bit. Grade five in a year and a half is quite rapid and there is no rush is there? I would spend a few months longer working at technical stuff, and improving sight reading skills and playing easier pieces perhaps. If your playing sounds as if you really have not practised it seems to me that the work is a little too hard for you at the moment. Don't let the fun go out of it by being pushed too much and then being accused of not working when plainly you have been. Good luck.

Thanks that is a really good piece of advice, the only one thing I would say is that there is a bit of a rush, and no-one said it was going to be easy, because I am hoping to go off to university next september and alot of them ask for keyboard skills at a grade 5 level, I know I can play pieces at that level I just think that it is something completely different to sitting an exam.