Practice Techniques
In general ALWAYS use metronome, determining the fastest tempo with NO mistakes of ANY kind and increase by increments of 4 degrees
Scalar figurations
* If legato, play staccato and vice versa
* Apply rhythms
* Apply accents
* Play as written with metronome (slow to fast)
Arpeggio figurations
* Play as chords or double notes
Chord series
* Play each chord in the series 4 times, then 3, 2, and finally 1 time, keeping a
steady pulse
* Play as written, again using metronome
Jumps (single notes, chords, etc)
* Start a few measures before the mistake, stop, touch correct note(s) and play,
then STOP. Repeat until easy
* Start a few measures before the mistake and play correct note(s) without
stopping. Then stop
* Put into larger context, playing slowly and increase with metronome.
Wrong notes
* Same as for jumps
Continuity from Part to Whole
Everything you practice need to be put into a larger context until the entire piece is learned. After practicing a series of measures (1, 2, 4, 8, 16, etc) they need to be joined together and played without mistakes and without starting and stopping. It is always difficult to string together a series of measures that were practiced separately, so again, one must use the metronome, starting at a slower tempo and increasing 4-8 degrees at a time. The goal, as always, is to play without mistakes in a steady tempo, however slow that may be.