How to Memorize a Piano Piece
Bring out the sheet music, study it closely., Decide to learn two or three bars at a time, depending on how difficult it is., Play the RIGHT hand part, while looking at the sheet music., Now turn away the sheet music, and play the very same part...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Bring out the sheet music
How difficult is it for your level? Realise that you cannot master Liszt's Liebesträum if you've only played for a year, as it requires very advanced techniques and precision. -
Step 2: study it closely.
If you feel it's very difficult, then try one or two bars at a time.
Likewise, if you feel that it's quite simple, challenge your memory and learn up to five at a time. , Play it slowly, don't rush! Your finger muscles need to remember in what way they moved when playing each note and phrase, and it takes time.
Once you can play this without any mistakes, at a reasonable pace, repeat until you have played it perfectly 3 times in a row.
Also make sure to look at the sheet music closely, your mind needs to develop it as a photographic memory. , Once you have played it perfectly, repeat until you have played it perfectly 3 times in a row. ,, , Think of two phrases (four bars each) as being named measures ABCD and EFGH.
What you need to do is to play measures D and E together to make sure that the pieces moves along without any interruptions.
It is important that you do this step, otherwise it's not going to sound very good. ,, -
Step 3: Decide to learn two or three bars at a time
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Step 4: depending on how difficult it is.
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Step 5: Play the RIGHT hand part
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Step 6: while looking at the sheet music.
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Step 7: Now turn away the sheet music
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Step 8: and play the very same part again.
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Step 9: Repeat step 3 and 4 for the LEFT hand
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Step 10: and repeat the very same steps for BOTH hands together.
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Step 11: Apply this for the rest of the piece
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Step 12: up to five bars at a time (Go easy!)
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Step 13: For perfecting the passages between bars
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Step 14: do like so.
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Step 15: Now try to get the entire piece done
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Step 16: first while looking at the sheet music and get it right 4 times with
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Step 17: and then 4 times without after turning the sheet music away.
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Step 18: Now that you know the actual notes you need to play and the keys you need to press
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Step 19: work on the emotion of the piece!
Detailed Guide
How difficult is it for your level? Realise that you cannot master Liszt's Liebesträum if you've only played for a year, as it requires very advanced techniques and precision.
If you feel it's very difficult, then try one or two bars at a time.
Likewise, if you feel that it's quite simple, challenge your memory and learn up to five at a time. , Play it slowly, don't rush! Your finger muscles need to remember in what way they moved when playing each note and phrase, and it takes time.
Once you can play this without any mistakes, at a reasonable pace, repeat until you have played it perfectly 3 times in a row.
Also make sure to look at the sheet music closely, your mind needs to develop it as a photographic memory. , Once you have played it perfectly, repeat until you have played it perfectly 3 times in a row. ,, , Think of two phrases (four bars each) as being named measures ABCD and EFGH.
What you need to do is to play measures D and E together to make sure that the pieces moves along without any interruptions.
It is important that you do this step, otherwise it's not going to sound very good. ,,
About the Author
Ryan Perry
Writer and educator with a focus on practical practical skills knowledge.
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