How to overcome challenging passages
Practicing difficult sections of a piece can be daunting. Often we know it is tricky because it doesn’t sound how we want it to sound or our fingers won’t do what is required for the music. However, with the right strategies, you can tackle challenging passages and make progress in your practice. Here are some strategies that will assist in conquering tough spots in your practice:
Chunking (Break it down)
Rather than practicing the same bits over and over, identify the problem spot and focus on this. The “chunk” could be as small as a couple of notes or chords, or the length of several measures. Practicing the difficult section will save time and dedicate much needed practice time to this rather than playing through an entire piece just to have one swipe at the challenging spot. Once you can accurately play this small “chunk”, add the beat or two before it, add the beat after it. Keep doing this to work it into the context of the piece.
2. Identify the problem
Why would I put this second rather than first? Don’t we already know the problem if we have chosen a “chunk”? Not so!
Just because we know a spot is challenging doesn’t mean we know why. Use this opportunity to really think about the music. Are you holding each note for their intended length? Is it a chord shift up the neck of the guitar that is inconsistent each time you play it? Is there a guide finger between chords that could make your life easier? Consider all the possibilities and use the sheet music to make analyses alongside the guitar to make informed decisions.
3. Slow practice
Practice slowly. Slowly. Slowly!
Achieve your intended technical and musical result at a slow tempo. Do this again. Only then should you gradually begin to increase the tempo with the help of a metronome. Start slower than you think is necessary.
4. Practice quality rather than quantity
Repeating mistakes time and time again will ingrain bad habits in your playing. Practice with intention and aim for accuracy. Slow practice (see above) is the best way to do this.
5. Play the next beat
When practicing a small section, always end on the next beat. For example, if you are practicing one bar, then end on beat 1 on the next bar. If practicing a group of 4 semiquavers, then finish on the next note after. Doing this will mean you have practiced the transition into the next part. When adding the next section you simply begin on the note you finished on.
Mastering difficult sections of pieces can be a challenging but rewarding process. Don’t give up and try out the strategies mentioned in this blog. Good luck and happy practicing!
All the best for now - see you in the next blog!