How to Learn a Difficult Passage of Music

Whether you're a seasoned performer, an avid student of the form or new to the art of music making, we all experience those moments when, despite the grueling hours spent with our instrument, we have yet to fully grasp that virtuosic passage. Often times, (in our well meaning, absorbed concentration), we forget about the little things. Hopefully, this article can lend an extra helping hand whenever you find yourself in a musical bind.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Your instrument (clean and tuned)
• The score sheet or tablature
• Pencil (with eraser)
• A quiet place to study/practice
• A little dedication
• A whole lot of practice.

1. If you have been working on a particular passage for a long time with little luck, chances are you've built up a bit of mental resistance. Free yourself from any pressures or negativity and try to see the passage with fresh eyes. We tend to forget what it was like to hear and see that piece for the first time, naturally we loose some of that initial excitement, try to regain it for a moment and forget about everything else.
2. Think of the passage as a microcosm to the larger macrocosm that is the composition. See how they relate (or differ) in terms of key, mood, tonal texture, note contour, tempo and other musical attributes.
3. Take the passage out of context for a moment and break it down as far as you can. Analyze the theory of the passage. Identify the chord names, scale(s) or interval(s). (even if you are not well versed in music theory, do what you can, the deeper your understanding of the passage is, the less daunting it will become).
4. Identify the melody and if applicable, the individual voices. Highlight them if you need to. For example: Alto (highest voice) in pink; Soprano in yellow; Tenor in orange; Bass(lowest voice) in green. Use any color or notation that helps to spur your attention.
5. Determine the rhythm. Take note of the time signature and then divide your measures into main beats. For instance in a 4/4 time signature, determine on what notes beat 1, 2, 3 and 4 will fall. (this will give you some rhythmic grounding points) Now, break the rhythm down as minutely as you are able. Do you see triplets? Dotted eight notes? Maybe some sixteenth notes (1 e & a, 2 e & a...) Do your best to count out and label the rhythm that you see.
6. In order to solidify your overall grasp you have to change things up a bit in your practice. Begin by playing each hand separately, first play things exactly as intended, then play the entire passage again staccato (short and detached), then play it legato (smooth and connected), then play everything staggered with a little bit of a swing rhythm, play slow, play fast, just make some things up until that hand develops its own muscles memory and becomes almost automatic. Of course in the end you'll want to go back to the intended rhythm and make sure that it is nice and secure.
7. Be aware of your posture and breathing. Sit or stand up straight and make sure you haven't been holding your breath. Try practicing to the flow of your inhalations and exhalations. Be conscious of yourself as you play and allow the music to be an extension of you.
8. Be aware of your fingers. Are you using the most appropriate fingering and/or hand positions. Play around and try different things. (and remember that just because it may feel awkward at first, doesn't mean it's incorrect, sometimes you must sacrifice some positional comfort for the greater execution of the passage).
9. Use your ears. Although our fingers have the job of the technical execution, it's how we hear and listen to ourselves and the music that is of utmost importance. Listen to what you are playing, even if you hit some wrong notes, notice the difference between when you play it correctly and when you don't. Hear the modulation from one chord to another, really LISTEN to the music you are making. Bring as much joy into the process as possible (despite the obvious frustrations).
10. Don't always start from the same place each time. Start on the 3rd beat of the measure and then continue to the end.
11. Hum the parts that give you the most trouble, this will help you to internalize it.
12. Always hear, look and think ahead. When reading your score you should know where you are, where you just came from and where you're going at any given moment.
13. Memorize the passage if possible. Some things are easier to work out when you are not constantly having to refer to the score.
14. If all of your efforts are still futile a sure fire way to conquer this behemoth of a passage is to record yourself. Audio is great, video is better. Perform the piece as you normally would, then listen back or watch the video of yourself.
15. Now you have the task of becoming your own teacher. Often times we are guilty of being our harshest critic, so listen intently, but be completely objective. Take note of what things sound like, look like and what feeling your performance invokes. Repeat if necessary, adjust accordingly.
16. Regardless of the end result, you can be certain that these steps will enhance your overall musicianship and deepen your understanding, and if that's all you're left with in the end, well there is much music left to be learned and next time you'll be surprised at just how easily you will be able to tackle them.
    
    Cheers!

Tips & Warnings

• Always take breaks to stretch and release tension
• Drink water..staying hydrated can do wonders during intense periods of concentration.
• You may also find my article "How To Learn A New Piece of Music" helpful as well. It offers some more general tips for learning music.