The Power of Granular Practice

Introduction

Welcome to LivingPianos.com! Today, we’re diving into a crucial subject: the importance of granular practice. This technique is an incredibly productive tool for musicians, and I’ll demonstrate its effectiveness using a simple piece by Schumann and a more complex piece by Liszt. By breaking music down into granular elements, you can save a tremendous amount of practice time.

Starting with Schumann

Let’s begin by exploring the opening bars of Schumann’s “Scenes from Childhood: The Poet Speaks.” This beautiful chorale writing may tempt you to play it through a few times to absorb it. However, as you progress, the difficulty of fully absorbing the music can compound. Breaking it down to its essential elements can make this process much more manageable.

Breaking It Down

The obvious first step is to play hands separately. But you can go even further! By breaking the music down to the granular level, you not only save time but also gain a deeper understanding of the piece.

For instance, learn just the melody first. It’s tuneful and memorable, making it easy to grasp. The alto line, although simple, requires attention to detail. Play and memorize it separately to understand its structure fully.

When you combine the parts, concentrate on both the melody and the alto line. This method also applies to the left-hand parts. By understanding each line independently, you transform chords into individual musical lines, similar to how an orchestra functions.

A More Complex Example: Liszt

Now, let’s move to a more complex example with Liszt’s “Mephisto Waltz.” I started learning this piece recently and applied granular practice to memorize it efficiently.

Understanding the Complexity

Consider a challenging section in the piece. The right hand might have a repeating chromatic pattern, while the left hand presents a more intricate structure. For example, you can break down the left hand by playing the lower line first, followed by the chords. This method reveals the simplicity beneath the complexity, making it easier to understand and remember.

Putting It Together

Once you understand each part individually, putting them together becomes straightforward. Naturally, you can do the same thing with the right hand. Don’t just play the complete part, break it down even further by playing individual lines in each hand to fully understand the composition. Analyzing the music beforehand this way helps you learn it faster and more thoroughly. By breaking down music into its most essential elements, you can dramatically increase your practice productivity.

Conclusion

Try this granular practice technique yourself and see the difference it makes. I’m Robert Estrin here at LivingPianos.com, Your Online Piano Store. Thanks for joining me! For premium videos and exclusive content, you can join my Living Pianos Patreon channel at www.Patreon.com/RobertEstrin. Contact me if you are interested in private lessons. I have many resources for you! Robert@LivingPianos.com.