Should you Listen to a Piece of Music Before you Learn It?

This is a very common question and it has less to do with the player than the style of music being played. Classical music is distinctively different from jazz or other styles of music where you are playing more by ear.

When it comes to jazz specifically you should always listen to a piece before you play it (if you have the chance) because it’s a great way to get the general melody and rhythm in your head before you start playing. Jazz can be very improvisational so it’s always best to know the structure of the song you will be performing. When it comes to jazz and rock, sometimes listening to a piece is really the only guide you have to actually playing it since it isn’t written music.

When it comes to classical music things are much different. In classical, every note is written down and intended to be played as written. As you progress as a classical musician it’s very important that you learn to play a piece without listening to it. You should ideally be able to look at notes on a page and understand what type of sound and melody they should produce.

If you listen to a piece of classical music before you learn it you will find yourself being very influenced by the performance and not so much what’s written on the page. As a kid I used to listen to my older sister Coren (who’s also a pianist and piano teacher in Ohio) playing the pieces I was going to learn later on. I definitely found it helpful to listen to and know the pieces I was going to learn – it did affect my way of learning new music.

You really are better off learning a piece of classical music on your own and figuring it out for yourself. You will be able to learn your own modes of expression and put a unique stamp on the music. After you’ve learned a piece give yourself a treat and listen to not only one but a number of different recordings of the piece you just learned.

Remember, when it comes to jazz and rock, listen as much as you can because the sound and the recordings are your guide to the music. When it comes to Classical music, learn first and listen later.

Thanks again for joining me Robert Estrin Robert@LivingPianos.com