How do you correct mistakes on the piano? While this sounds like a really complex subject and seems impossible to cover in just one short article and video, the truth is, if you’re looking for an answer for how to correct all your mistakes on the piano; that is impossible! What this article focuses on is how to cement corrections you make so the mistakes can be eradicated permanently!
There are many practice techniques to correct mistakes including going slower, stopping and starting at precise places, playing each hand separately; the list goes on and on. What’s equally important to just correcting problems is how to cement corrections and avoid making the same mistakes again and again.
Here is the secret to making corrections stick. Play your trouble spot over and over again solidifying the corrections until you can play the section perfectly, and not only perfectly, but comfortably too. You might get it three times in a row perfectly but if you’re still a little hesitant or straining to finish, keep working until you can play it with ease; with as little tension as possible.
This is where most people stop. But this next step is vital to retaining the correction and continuing to play the passage correctly. The fact of the matter is that we are all prisoners of our own routines. Whatever we have done repeatedly in the past, we will do again; it’s just in our nature!
So how do you actually make a correction stick? You may play your problem spot over and over again ten times in a row perfectly. Yet when you play the piece later you will surprise yourself and make the original mistake again. So how do you avoid this?
First, you must solidify the correction in the context of the piece going back to the beginning of the section. But even this isn’t enough. You must then go back to the beginning of the entire piece or movement. When you play, be sure you are present so that when the corrected section comes, you are aware of at that moment! Once you play the correction from the beginning of the piece a number of times, the correction will be permanent!
Thanks again for joining me, Robert Estrin at LivingPianos.com. Robert@LivingPianos.com (949) 244-3729
5 thoughts on “How to Correct Mistakes In Your Piano Playing”
Great Post! Spot on Parsley
Hi Robert!
Loving your videos and absolutely finding them helpful.
I’m wondering if you have advice for helping students be present in their practice, at home. I find that students zone out when playing – during their lessons, I am able to help them stay present and focused, to solidify corrections – but when I am not there, I am certain they are falling back to their old “zone-out” ways.
Any suggestions?
Thanks!
Carly
The key of learning a piece of music solidly is not about remembering where your mistakes and corrections are. It is about learning the pieces as carefully and correctly in the beginning when you first start the piece. 99% people learn their music sloppily, chomping through wrong notes, skipping the beats they are supposed to hold, not paying any attention to rests, specific fingerings,and slowing down when the passages get more difficult and picking back up when it gets easier. Guess what, all of this “input” is going to stick with you.
Great video. This is quite a decent resource you are building up with these videos.
I’ve taken the one on memorising to heart, and am trying to learn a moderately long piece in stages in this way. What I find shocking is how slow the process is compared to the relative ease of reading. (Against that, it’s a delight to actually remember anything and you can definitely play better than.) I suspect there are many factors, most importantly that some people simply have much better memories than others. Any more comments on the challenges around memory? I suspect there may be a number of videos’ material here.