When possible, before learning a new piece (or shortly thereafter),
listen to a recording with the score:
* Get a sense of overall style and form
* Notice what is the same/different, easy/difficult
* Identify major key areas, large sections, smaller sections, beginning/ending of
individual phrases
* continue these observations throughout study of piece
Play through the piece slowly the best you can.
Set goal for next lesson
* Determine how much music to learn in a week
(Exposition of Sonata, first section of a piece in A-B-A form, mm. quarter = ?)
* Set daily achievable practice goals
(1 page, mm. quarter = ?, increase by end of week to desired goal of quarter = ?.
By end of week you would have learned 4,5, or 6 pages)
Practice 1,2,or 4 measures at a time
* Slow tempo
* Learn carefully and thoroughly
* Do not allow mistakes before moving on to new meas.
Practice Goals (what you are practicing)
always maintaining a steady tempo:
* correct fingering
* correct notes
* correct rhythm
* correct articulation
Add as soon as possible:
* dynamics
* phrasing
* character
* pedal
Learning a new piece
After many years of teaching, I find that most of the lesson is occupied with teaching the student how to practice.These are some 'basic' ideas which can and should be modified to your own needs.