Question: When I am learning a slow piece how can I understand the melody line and play it musically?
Answer: Play the melody line separately and increase the tempo (speed) so that it is faster than it was meant to be. This will help you to hear the whole melody line. Then slow it down to the correct tempo and focus on musical expression.
Question: How can I make the melody louder than the accompaniment?
Answer: Play the melody line separately at a louder volume. Then play the accompaniment separately but so softly that there is no sound. Then play both parts together in the same way (melody louder and accompaniment with no sound). Once you can do that, then add a bit of sound to the accompaniment but keep the melody loud. Once you can do this you will be able to play them both together, each at the proper volume.
Question: When I learn a new piece I often get stuck in the middle section and abandon learning the piece. What can I do about this?
Answer: The middle section is often the section where the main theme is being developed. This may involve key changes and technical challenges. Master the middle/difficult section first – alternating between hands separately and hands together and playing at different tempos. Focus on the most difficult measures/phrases first. Once the difficult sections are mastered you will enjoy playing the piece from the beginning, will get past the difficult sections, and will be able to finish the piece!
Question: I have trouble playing 16th notes in one hand against triplet 8th notes in the other hand. How can I do this smoothly?
Answer: Practice each hand separately until it is automatic, then play them together. You may want to use a simple exercise first for practice purposes and then apply the technique to the piece you are working on. In the Sheet Music Plus Links tab on this site there is a link to a digital copy of “Is It Going to Rain?”, which may be purchased from Sheet Music Plus. This is an excellent piece for practicing playing 16th notes against triplet 8th notes.
Question: How can I make my piano pieces more interesting?
Answer: If the piece already contains expression marks, use them as a guide, but also add your own expression as you feel the music. For example, when two phrases are the same, you may play the second phrase a little louder or softer than the first one if that will enhance the music. Also, think in terms of sentences or questions and answers and pay attention to longer phrases that contain smaller phrases within them. Think of the mood, story, or emotion being portrayed by the music for each phrase, line, section, and the entire piece. Also, listen to the music while you are playing.
Question: Do I have to follow the fingering that is provided?
Answer: Every pianist’s hands and fingers are different sizes and are shaped uniquely. What works for one pianist may not work for another. If you need to change the fingering, decide which fingering works best and then make sure that you use that fingering every time you play the passage. Your brain trains your muscles. If the muscles receive mixed messages, your practice session will be futile. Using the same fingering every time helps your fingers to play the passage correctly and automatically.
Question: I keep hitting the wrong note and correcting it every time I play a particular passage. How can I break that habit?
Answer: After you have corrected the note, do not continue on. Go back and repeat that measure with the correct note. Then go back to the previous measure and play both measures with the correct note. Go back as far as you need to and as often as you need to so that your brain will train your finger to play the note correctly every time.