I read a book called "The fundemantals of practice". It put forward the concept of slow practice, i tried it and got it, then i seen it in you videos, double got it. I still have to force myself, but it builds the fabric of playing a piece of music. Thanks for all your guidance
I have entered my email no. In order to get your book on practice. There must be some hiccup because it is telling me the number is not valid. I'm so disappointed. Your videos are so inspiring.
I’ve tried using a metronome a few times but I’m terrified of the thing so I’ve never stuck with it. After listening to this video, I’m willing to give it another try. Thank you for always being so encouraging.
I thank you, very much, for showing us how to set this up for our practice. I never knew how to do this. Not only that, but I believe this will correct my problem with timing. Thank you. God Bless. Richard B
I have resisted practicing with a metronome since I started learning four years ago. You have inspired me to start using it and have clearly explained all the reasons I should do so. Thank you so much!
Thank you for reminding me about this amazing technique. I used this last night in my practice and although it's going to take some experimentation - mainly because I'm just too impatient to increase the speed! It's really effective. What it does do is make you slow down to the point where everything is controlled and solid. The result was that a couple of bars that were causing anxiety are now really solid. Cheers!
I just watched this yesterday, thought about it overnight, and wanted to share in a comment that I found it very enlightening. We often hear the mantra 'practice slowly' but this video actually demonstrates how to do so, especially the Petzold song. The first song looks like it has lots of 16th notes in it but you are playing to a slow quarter note beat and I think your advice to set the metronome to the notes that are mostly found in the song or section is the better way to go. I could see you making a series of videos not necessarily demonstrating how to speed up the metronome as you get better, but rather how to start a piece with the metronome, selecting the starting number of the metronome, and the note to set it to (16th, 8th, quarter). And on top of that, then explaining what is going on in your mind as you are playing...'I have to change my hand position here, I am noting this is an F chord there, I am anticipating a leap here, I have to remember this accidental there...I have to play this crescendo here...etc...all just at the slow beat where you have time to get your mind around these matters. How many times when we are playing too fast we make the same mistake multiple times, even when we repeat right away but seemingly 'forget' and make the same mistake because we played too fast and we didn't get the fix into our long term memory. I think this advice of extremely slow metronome settings to start is really good, especially when engaging your brain while doing so! The other thing is whether to do this hands separately. Personally I find hands separate I can often play the notes correctly, but when the hands come together it all falls apart. I think for me I am going to try what you are recommending by playing hands together. I really enjoy your videos please keep making them! :)
Thanks Mattpa, and indeed that internal monologue is exactly what’s going on. I often encourage young students to voice it out loud as it helps them maintain focus. I think hands separate is of course useful in the very early stages of learning a piece, especially when working out fingering and tricky manoeuvres, but then moving to hands together as soon as possible makes more sense for a lot of music. 😊
Thank you for a very great lesson! To see how you practice really helps. I am glad you added text notes on the video explaining what you were working on, staying on a certain bpm until better, etc. It gave me better insight as to how you use the metronome in your practice. Like you said, showing is better than telling. Thanks again for sharing this information.
Wow! Have I ever been using the metronome wrong! After I get my fingering down and know all the notes, I set it to BPM for the song and try to keep up. I get so frustrated that I stop using the metronome. I can't wait to try your approach at my next practice session. Thanks so much!
Thank you for this very helpful video. I have a piece I have been struggling with and decided to try your slow metronome method for a few minutes and already I see how helpful it is. I will definitely be using it on every piece in future.
Even as a kid what turned me off about metronomes was the way they looked. They look so fragile!!! I feared breaking it or bending it, by touching it or by knocking it over. Also, they weren't cheap back in the day. Now I plan to use an app as I have taken up drums so I will probably also use it with piano too. Thanks for your vids!
Hello! I really admire your teaching and guidance and enjoy your videos so much. I am curious as to when/if you introduce counting aloud to a student- a challenging skill that my students struggle with doing and with even submitting to trying! I was taught and do use extremely slow practice but have not tried this with metronome from the beginning stages of learning. Thank you so much for any wisdom you can share about counting/tracking the pulse while playing.
Hi Becky, I start to teach rhythm even before note reading, using rhythm language and simple patterns. More information in this video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-WXCLrYIwc70.html
Thank you so much for the tutorial, I have been doing exactly what you suggest not to do, have full intention of listening to the metronome and after a while we go our separate ways because obviously I am playing too fast and don’t synchronise with the metronome,so my February resolution is “ play slowly “ . Thank you ♥️ .
Thank you very much for this video, Leah. It solidified and confirmed that I’m slow practicing and using the metronome correctly. I agree about using the metronome helps you learn the piece faster. I’m getting through my pieces far more quickly with this technique than not😀. Thanks again!
I second all the complements below. I'm addicted to your videos. You have a beautiful way of speaking, not to mention a wonderful way of explaining and you are just so lovely to watch.
Thank you for explaining the metronome so well. I'm going to give it a go. I'm working on a peace in alfreds all in one adult book 2. Etude,opus 10 n0 3 which has a couple of tricky bits in. I think if I slow it right down like you say I might learn it alot better than trying to play it faster. Thank you so much.
Still cannot get used to the metronome. The tic tic distracts me and cannot concentrate and thus play all the wrong notes! Mind you today I found an APP which I think I might get on better with as it looks like a real metronome. It is funny but looking at the pendulum sway from side to side makes me feel more relaxed. I will follow all your advice given in this video and will continue persevering. Will let you know how I get on. Thank you for your wonderful videos. Update (18/7/22): after practising these past three days with the analog metronome, I have to say that I am coping much better, compared to when I was using the digital metronome. Also, have seen a big improvement as finally I am able to practice steadily at "the speed of no mistake".
Thank you for a great & super helpful tutorial Leah. Could you possibly give the details of the on-line metronome you use please. Much less fiddly than an ordinary metronome.
Hi Amanda! Yes, the one I use is called Tempo and it's free. There's a paid version but honestly I don't know what it does that the free version doesn't do. 😄 I use an iPhone though so I don't know if it's also available for android.
Very helpful video Leah. Like the example of the practice with the metronome. Sounds maybe stupid, but sometimes when I practice at very slowly speed, I have plenty time to overthink things. Ending up with hesitations, changing my mind 3 times, finally to discover that the first movement was the correct one after all. Playing very slowly is kind of difficult, and often I don’t have the patience for it. The sharp ticking noise of a metronome is very disturbing. I prefer drum beats far more to practice with. However I’m using the metronome quite often to stay on track, especially with music I don’t know.
Thanks Marina, I hope you'll keep trying - the sound can definitely be annoying! I turn mine down as low as I can, but using a drum beat instead is a great idea. With the overthinking, consider it an opportunity to try out those different movements, even if as you say, you find the first was the correct one after all - at least then you'll have removed any doubt and your playing will be all the more confident for it! If you feel impatient, remind yourself that the period of very slow playing lasts a short time, and you'll learn the piece faster overall. Best of luck with it!
Hi ....I really enjoy your no nonsense style ....and I've been looking for a session you may have done on passing the grade systems ....have you done any? ...perhaps on the aural assessment etc ....thanks ..you've really helped my sight reading ...
Hi Nigel, thanks so much, glad you like it! I haven't done anything of the grade systems aural test (yet), but here's one on passing the sight reading component: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-jOjMAuyrwag.html
Very helpful! I’ve been looking (squinting and sideways) at the metronome all wrong! I turn it on after some mastery has occurred to point out weak points. Your suggestions will possibly eliminate those weak points early on, thanks! Btw: I love the piece playing as we watch the “time warp”. Is there a link to it?
Hi Cathie, it's lovely isn't it? Unfortunately I have no information on who wrote or performs it - it comes from the resource library of the editing software I use!
Thank you for the great explanation. Just a question: in what time frame you improved the bpm? And what do you recommend for beginners to start with easy beats - when and in which time frame best to increase the bpm? Thanks a lot. Melanie
Hi Melanie, the increase in bpm is very gradual, almost imperceptible at first. With each play through of the phrase I increased the bpm by just 3 beats, so I went from 60 - 63 - 66 - 69 etc. If you're a beginner you can start by learning to clap the rhythm with the metronome on. When you start to play, stay at a very slow bpm - if you can't play the music correctly, the bpm is too fast. Hope this helps. Good luck with it 😊
