I know what you meant and you did actually write that. It's just that my eyes go funny sometimes and I miss these tiny little i's when reading Bloody Microsoft fonts....

Ah. OK! I'm actually quite good at making a fool of myself by sloppy typing.



Hmmmm, you know what would happen to me? I would stare at the music, panic and wouldn't not be able to figure out where I am. Actually, that scenario is not too unlikely.

I still don't know what to do. I've taken this week off so I have plenty of time to practise. I played four hours today and didn't look at the music once. I'm now trying to memorise the pieces (as opposed to relying on my muscle memory), but I don't really know how. I've never actually leant it.

Does anybody have any advice?

I am going to have to ask my teacher, because I've forgotten some of the things he told me. But one thing I do remember - one technique is to memorize each hand separately. Supposedly, if you can play each hand by memory, then you have a better chance at playing hands together memorized. Oh - I just remembered another technique, which is to play the piece at a super, super slow tempo - like 'snail's pace' slow without looking at the music. Sounds easy but it's not. You have to totally rely on your 'brain memory' instead of 'muscle memory'. Both of these techniques are like torture for me, though, since I am so impatient.

Thanks, Monica! I've been trying to memorize both hands separately in Brahms Opus 117, which works fine in no 2. I'll try both techniques - I've got two and a half weeks, that'll do.

I'm actually very much looking forward to playing the next recital, which will be in a late 19th century neo-gothic church, somewhere in the middle of nowhere in the sort of north of Germany (that's where I work). The church was built at around the same time Brahms composed his opus 117...



I see what you mean, I'm also very impatient. That's why I barely practise both hands separately when I start playing a new piece, I go for both hands together immediately. I only practise both hands separately when I start running into difficulties. I know that's stupid and maybe that explains why it takes me ages to learn a new piece. Maybe I should practise more systematically.

*sigh* hurricane evacuations always make me miss the kewl, er gross ... i mean gross ... posts!

That's exactly how I practice.

Forgot to say this earlier:

You are the second person I've heard around here who gets to perform in such neat places. Now you really have to video record your recital! And I doubt you'll have to add in any reverb.

I've now spent some hours practising both hands separately, trying to memorise the pieces. It is incredible how little I know the pieces I have been playing for quite a while now, the pieces I have recorded three times and played in public three times!



I'm not so sure about the video recording thing.... Let me think about it

I know that feeling - I usually learn more difficult pieces so I don't have that problem, but some pieces just don't inspire me to practice hands separately and then, later after having learned the piece, trying to memorize each hand separately is a daunting task.