Learning Music:
A Guide to Practice Technique and Learning Music Quickly
Robert T. Kelley
May 2001

Note: This cannot serve to replace private instruction in music. It is intended to function as a resource for students who are looking for help on how to learn and practice music.
  1. Sightread through the piece, and maybe listen to a recording
    1. Do not play the piece so many times that it gets into muscle memory
    2. Do play it enough so that you can work out fingerings
    3. Do make expressive decisions about how to shape the music
  2. Memorize the piece
    1. Memorize little by little in small chunks
    2. Practice the technique as you rehearse the memory work
    3. Rehearse with as much musical expression as possible
  3. Rehearse the piece
    1. Perfect the technically difficult passages
    2. Make sure the phrasing, dynamics, etc. are the way you want them
    3. Record yourself and mark the score with musical and technical problems
  4. Play the piece for people
    1. Take it to your teacher
    2. Play it for friends, and ask them to be critical
    3. Perform the piece in public
  5. Add the piece to your repertoire
    1. Schedule the piece for periodic "cleaning"
    2. Play it often enough so that you can fake it pretty well any time
    3. Occasionally work the piece up again to performance readiness

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© 2001 . Reproduction of any part of or ideas from this document without permission is unlawful.