Best way to learn piano pieces??

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I've been attempting some pretty long, difficult pieces
lately, and I wanted to know the best way to learn them. Like memories them.

I read somewhere that learning away from the piano, helps you memories music
allot.... better/quirkier? This idea seems very strange to me, because.. I've
always done all my piano practice at the piano. Anyway.

Going slow and learning the pieces bit-by-bit, well that seems to be the way to
go, and what allot of people recommend.

Anyone have any idea, which is the best, most efficient way to learn pieces?

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smithmiller6 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Newbie Joined: July 26 2009 Status: Offline Points: 3	Topic: Best way to learn piano pieces?? Posted: July 30 2009 at 02:08
	I've been attempting some pretty long, difficult pieces lately, and I wanted to know the best way to learn them. Like memories them. I read somewhere that learning away from the piano, helps you memories music allot.... better/quirkier? This idea seems very strange to me, because.. I've always done all my piano practice at the piano. Anyway. Going slow and learning the pieces bit-by-bit, well that seems to be the way to go, and what allot of people recommend. Anyone have any idea, which is the best, most efficient way to learn pieces?

mono Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: May 12 2005 Location: Paris, France Status: Offline Points: 652	Posted: August 04 2009 at 06:53
	Along with working bit-by-bit and from slow to fast tempo (this is mostly useful to learn the piece, less to memorize it). A great way to memorize it once you can play the piece with the notes perfectly, is indeed to take the parts and look at them away from the piano, while imagining yourself playing. The goal from this method is that you don't use your now acquired mecanisms to remember the piece. You memorize it almost like a text, focusing on the nuances and on the structure. Understanding the piece is the first step to memorizing it.
	https://soundcloud.com/why-music Prog trio, from ambiant to violence https://soundcloud.com/m0n0-film Film music and production projects https://soundcloud.com/fadisaliba (almost) everything else

keiser willhelm Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: September 14 2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1697	Posted: August 04 2009 at 11:29
	i always just start slow and repeat repeat repeat repeat every part until i get up to speed on that section and then on to next section. every phrase (usually only a couple measures, MAYBE a bar), phrase by phrase until the end. its pretty efficient. it also allows you to work on specific sections that give you trouble. chop it up and practice the bits individually and play the song through very slowly. only way ive ever been taught.
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keiser willhelm Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: September 14 2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1697	Posted: August 04 2009 at 11:32
	also, memorizing any piece of music is 90% muscle memory if not 100% . i cant remember specifically a piece of sheet music or tell you what note is where on an old song i might have played but i can sit down and just start playing it. happened the other day. i was messing around and all of a sudden i was playing a chopin nocturne i hadnt played in 5 years. if i think about certain parts i get lost and it falls appart but if i just left go and dont focus too hard it just sort of flows out. Edited by keiser willhelm - August 04 2009 at 11:34
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mono Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: May 12 2005 Location: Paris, France Status: Offline Points: 652	Posted: August 06 2009 at 03:13
	This is one way of memorizing that's not the "healthiest" one. This way, "your fingers" memorize the piece. This can be seen easily as you can't start the piece from any point, you always need to restart or to begin at a certain measure. If you really memorize a piece (with structure and meaning), your fingers won't be the only ones to remember the piece 5 years later.
	https://soundcloud.com/why-music Prog trio, from ambiant to violence https://soundcloud.com/m0n0-film Film music and production projects https://soundcloud.com/fadisaliba (almost) everything else