I recently moved house in a hurry. We had already planned to be in the US for Christmas, and just a few weeks before that, my wife was offered a new job starting in early January. Suddenly, we had to find somewhere to live, pack up our belongings, and arrange for a removal company. When I describe it like that, it sounds straightforward, but let me tell you—it was incredibly stressful. Careful planning was essential.
Looking back a month later, I realized that moving house was very much like the process of learning a piece of music. Both require a clear destination in mind, and multiple steps and strategies to bring everything together at the right time. Some things come easily, depending on our experience, but the key for both is clear strategy and planning ahead.
First, let’s take a moment to define what practising is all about (a huge topic in itself, deserving of a blog post). Practising involves breaking the piece down into manageable sections, establishing a consistent fingering, working on each hand separately before combining them, playing slowly and gradually increasing speed, following performance directions, and working on memorization and internalization—the list goes on.
Here are some ideas to help you get started:
Choose something you already know: This may seem obvious, but choosing a piece you’re familiar with can give you a headstart. When you already have an aural picture of the piece in your mind, it helps you work through the material more effectively. It’s also essential that you choose something you want to play—learning a piece is a process that may take weeks or months, so your interest will be crucial for staying motivated.
Set a time limit: Setting a deadline for yourself—whether two weeks or two months—creates a sense of urgency and focus. But remember, your goal should be realistic. If you give yourself too little time, you risk stressing yourself out; too much time, and you might procrastinate. A reasonable, focused timeline will keep you motivated and on track.
Plan your sessions ahead of time: Once you’ve set a deadline, you need to plan how you’ll get there. Look at how much time you have and consider how you can be most productive during each session. Keeping a practice journal is a great way to track progress and stay on top of your goals.
Set short, medium, and long-term goals: This is particularly important if the piece is long, or if you have limited practice time available. It also helps to maintain motivation.
Play for others as soon as possible: Do this as often as you can, once you've found your feet with the piece.
If you start at the beginning and play through the piece from start to finish repeatedly, you will eventually make it through. But by planning carefully, as outlined above, you’ll reach your destination more efficiently—and the process will be less stressful and much more rewarding.
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