Why is it important to practice the piano slowly?
One of the main reasons most piano students get frustrated with their playing is because they try to play their piano music too fast.
The concept of slowing down on anything these days isn’t exactly a priority. It’s not that we just decide to ignore “slowing down”; we just don’t even think about it.
With so much information, connection via social media, email, and access to instantly accessible music and video, we’re not all that familiar with things happening more slowly.
We call someone now by pressing a button. Years ago, we would have to go into another room, pick up the phone, and dial the number. There was no way to leave a voicemail, so if the person wasn’t home, you had to wait to send the message.
Going fast and getting what we need almost instantly is fine in some situations. However, there are certain things that cannot happen fast, if they are to happen successfully.
Learning to play the piano is one of these things. Because? Keep reading!
First of all, learning to play the piano can be compared to learning a new language. There are many different aspects of musical language that go into learning the piano, in addition to learning the mechanics of the instrument itself.
The language of music includes notes as well as note reading, rhythm, tempo, key signatures, chords, harmony and more. Applying this to the piano means learning where the notes are on the keyboard, how to play specific articulations, how to play different dynamics, how to use the pedals, and more.
Take reading notes, for example. The first thing to do is learn where the notes are on the keyboard. Usually the first note we learn the placement of on the piano is middle C. Then one can learn to identify middle C on the staff while playing it on the keyboard at the same time.
In fact, all notes can be learned this way. The important thing to note is that you learn one step at a time. You can learn where the notes are on the staff first, then identify where they are on the keyboard, or do it in the reverse pattern.
Practicing slowly, one step at a time is the same and is the key to learning music and playing the piano successfully. The practice starts from day one. Every time you sit down at the piano to work on something, you are practicing. The challenge is how to make the practice as productive as possible.
Always start slowly. Give your brain and body time to process what you’re telling it to do and then learn it. This is what we call muscle memory. If we try to play something before we’re technically ready, we send mixed messages to our brain and body and end up not playing what we’re trying to do very well.
Sending clear messages requires slower, more focused communication, which simply comes from playing slower. It could be compared to speaking slower to someone who speaks a different language so they can understand you more easily.
Once you speak/play slowly enough and the message is received and processed, you can easily increase the tempo a little higher and higher, without losing any of the essential work you’ve already done.
Think of it as a dialogue between you and your body, while you practice. See how well you can play what you’re working on at a slow tempo, and make sure you’re clear in your thinking as well.
The more you do this, you will be amazed at how quickly you progress at whatever level you are at in your piano studies.