I have recently had a look at the syllabus for 2005/2006, and seen a piece in that I was already lerning (ARABESQUE) I am ½ way through it, and been on it 9 days At 2 hours per day. that menas it will take me roughly 18-20 days to play, and total <40> hours learning.

I am assuming you would have a couple of hours a day to learn a piece (or more), and devote it to that one

You can add comments like "I play only 30 mins a day, but finish in 30 days". Well, that would be like finishing it in 7½ days at 2 hours per day) (15 hours) Doesn't always work that way, but just a rough guide-line


PL7

Incidentally, Prolifer, is your name anything to do with your views?

Violinia

It seems to me that this question won't get many meaningful answers. The problem is what you mean by 'learn' it; some people will reply that it takes them a really long time when they can play it equally well within two weeks to someone who says they can learn it in two weeks. This poll is more of a test of people's own ability to criticise their playing (those who say longer are obviously better at listening to themselves playing); those that say shorter are probably not better pianists; probably worse in fact as they can't analyse their own playing and listen and correct themselves.

A piece is never finished: there are people who are professional pianists now and have performed a piece with a profesional orchestra at age 12 (presumably would count as 'finished' to many people) and are still learning the piece now thirty or more years later.

Don't forget also that the last 10 percent of finishing any piece takes 90 percent of the time!

QUOTE (AnotherPianist @ Sep 8 2004, 10:39 AM)

Don't forget also that the last 10 percent of finishing any piece takes 90 percent of the time!

Excellent point.

What do you mean by "learn"? Is it...knowing the whole piece, playing without stopping or playing like exam standard? I haven't started Grade 8 yet....still waiting for Grade 7 results!!It's beens years since I took my exam!!

I had the 2003/2004 pieces from when they first came out.
Got stuck part way through the Bethoven (where my hands were too small for all the notes).
Never really went back to that.
By the time the new books were out I had (almost) completed an A and a C piece.
Now got the new ones and starting again.

QUOTE (tzl_tzl @ Sep 8 2004, 11:32 AM)

What do you mean by "learn"? Is it...knowing the whole piece, playing without stopping or playing like exam standard?

Even 'playing to exam standard' wouldn't be a good enough description: to some people exam standard is 20 out of 30; others will always strive to get 30 (or as close as possible). There's a big difference between a 20/30 performance and a 25/30 performance; never mind a 30/30 performance.

I would agree with everything AnotherPianist and the others have said so far. I think you need to define what you mean by 'learn'. Is it:-

- Being able to sight read through the entire piece?

- Being able to play through the entire piece without needing to sight read every single note, but taking say 2-3 times the usual time?
i.e. getting used to where the fingers should go

- Knowing where the fingers go and starting to build up the muscle memory?

- Built up the muscle memory and now comfortable enough with it to start working on expression?

- Expression is getting there and now tying it together and expressing the entire piece as a whole, working on more smoothness, speed, colour, shading, consistency?

- Memorisation of the entire piece?

- Exam standard 20/30?

- Exam standard 25/30?

- Exam standard 30/30 (or as close as)?

- Performing in a major recital?

- And something that a lot of people tend to forget to point out, knowing the history or story behind the piece, the fashion of playing/music during that era, the background of the composer, related things like the composer's other works or works of his comtemporaries.

Depending on what your definition is, the answers range from less than a week to forever, beyond a lifetime.

QUOTE (AnotherPianist @ Sep 8 2004, 10:39 AM)

The problem is what you mean by 'learn' it;

To be able to Play & *pass* it to Grade 8 standard by the ABRSM board.

After this "pass", whether you get 150 (the maximum), or the absolute Minimum required, one can then, perfect it - in there own time. Like a driving test, the first day you pass the test, you won't be as good as the man behind you with 30 years experience - but you will have the license, you will be able to drive, anywhere really. But although not as good a driver as the more experienced ones, you will have had about 20-30 hours of driving only, before you actually passed your test. Lots of people drive that amount on a weekly basis.


Of course, a Poll to ask how long it takes to perfect a piece would be another poll. Another pianist!



PL7

A book highly recommended I would say is” practising the piano" by Jeffrey Whitton.

This book gives examples of what one could do in a 2 hour piano session.

1. Psychological and Physical Preparation = 2 mins
2. Technique = 20 Mins
3. Sight-reading = 10 Mins
4. Pieces = 28 Mins
5 Break/rest = 5 Mins
6 Pieces = 55 Mins

Total 120 Mins (2 hours)

I have about 3-4 hours a day, so can multiply that somewhat. Its a great way to "break-it-down", and use the 2 hours to play the piano as a "whole". I always suggest learning 3-4 pieces at one time, with one (perhaps) being a hard piece, with the other two being of intermediate difficulty.


PL7

One further question (sorry to be so picky ) is this to play it to the standard to pass when sat alone in a room (or perhaps with family or a teacher listening) or to play to pass standard actually with the pressure of the exam situation? Even between those there is a difference!

As for how long to perfect a piece as Chopinioff put it "forever, beyond a lifetime".

QUOTE (AnotherPianist @ Sep 8 2004, 03:10 PM)

As for how long to perfect a piece as Chopinioff put it "forever, beyond a lifetime".

What I do is record my piece on the digital Piano, AS SOON as I’ve learnt it (to be assumed "passable" if I played it in an exam), and then when a month as gone by, I listen to the piece I recorded (of passable quality) and find that I can play it better, even though I didn't play it a great deal. One can actually play a piece better, by learning something else that compliments it (scales/stretches etc) Always room for improvement. I also record the piece after a month, and then listen to it after another Month or so. Improvement again? - well, not all the time;)! - but my "Phrasing" got better I noticed.....

PL7

QUOTE (Prolifer777 @ Sep 8 2004, 03:09 PM)

A book highly recommended I would say is” practising the piano" by Jeffrey Whitton.

Thanks for the recommendation. I will look out for it.
Any other good books out there that people like?

I don't know, the way you put it is so mathematical that it scares me.

The 2005-2006 sylabus isn't too hard....the Scarlatti Sonata in D is easy to learn, even though you have to be very careful...I picked Beethoven in list B and I could play them all in a week, although they still aren't perfect....

i did my grade 8 in 2001 and took about a month or so to learn all my pieces....but with like 2 hours of practices everyday...

If I can practise a grade 8 piece for 7 days with 2 hours everyday, that is not me!(even when I was facing the grade 8 exam before)
It takes me little time to get a piece familiar with, and with no wrong notes, I mainly work on the emotional part of a piece.

And, 2 hours are already very enough for the Arabesque for me to play well!