Your Guide to Getting Through Tough Piano Passages

Does this sound familiar?  You sit down to practice the piano, sheet music placed in front of you. This is it.  You’re going to dominate this song.  You rest your fingers gently on the keys, and then begin playing.

Everything is going great!  And then suddenly, like black clouds rushing into a sunny sky, the measure is filled with never-ending runs of sixteenth notes and accidentals galore.  And just like that – your fingers freeze.  You think, “Wait, where was I again?”

This “start and stop” habit is something that many pianists face, even if the piece is something you’ve played before.  While you’re not always going to be playing a song perfectly, that dreaded pause when you hit a tough passage can be pretty unnerving.

Here are a few tips to help:

Tip 1 – Practice sight reading strategies.
Before you even begin your practice, it may help to take a look at the piece as a whole:  the time signature, genre and even the style of the composer. Understanding these basics will help you get into the right mindset, as opposed to racing through etudes, exercises and then songs without recognizing the differences.

Tip 2 – Practice slowly.
Practicing with a metronome is a great reminder to slow down – and sometimes, that’s all you need to master a tough phrase.  Take a good look at where you’re tripping it up – is it a certain accidental or one chord that catches you off guard?  An entire measure? One line that’s particularly scary? Once you’ve pinpointed it, simplify.  Start by practicing just a few notes.  Then, start at the measure before and work your way in. You can also simplify further by practicing one hand at a time.

Tip 3 – Practice effectively.