Why Is This So Important?

---

One of the most important things that we can do to help our piano playing...no matter what level we are...is to slow down. 

These two words apply to everything we do with our piano playing!

They are the solution to almost every challenge we face in and with our playing.

Let's look at some of the reasons why it is such a big deal to...slow down. 

1. We automatically become more relaxed when we slow down our tempo. Relaxation allows us to learn easier and remember what we're learning better. 
2. Slowing down allows us to focus in greater detail to what we are looking at, hearing, and at what needs correcting. 
3. Our brains work better when they aren't overloaded; much like overloading an electrical circuit until a fuse blows. When we slow down, we can become more aware of when we're starting to feel overwhelmed and take a break. 
4. Slowing down ensures that we play the correct notes when we're learning a new passage. 
5. Repeating harder sections at slower tempos means that we'll learn the correct rhythms faster. 
6. Playing with both hands together at slow tempos helps us to coordinate the two opposing musical lines correctly.
7. Learning sixteenth note passages slowly allows our fingers to grow in strength and dexterity the right way; much like our bodies do with steady exercise. 
8. Playing slowly helps our ears to learn to recognize specific notes and chords; which will help us improvise better. 
9. Slow counting in harder rhythmic patterns helps us to understand the subdivisions needed to count correctly. 
10. Slowing down helps us to listen better when we're playing with others so we can understand how their parts mesh with our own. 

I literally cannot think of one thing that can't be improved by slowing down. I think that the hardest part of slowing down, is just actually doing it and remembering to do it whenever we mess up. 

Many times we put a little too high of an expectation on ourselves in thinking that we should be father along in our piece or how many key signatures we can play in. We think, "But I shouldn't have to slow down this far along in things". 

The longer you are willing to stay slow, the better the "fast" will be. It will come faster (believe it or not), it will be easier, and you will play it better...promise. 

A word of caution - this doesn't mean you don't work to increase your tempo by using the metronome and other things. Just don't rush it...you won't be able to start a new piece one day and play it up to tempo the next day correctly. But if you work on it slowly and increase your tempo slowly each day...by the end of the month (or even sooner), you'll be flying! 

If you find that practicing slowly is frustrating, take a break and go do something physical. Take a run, a walk, do some yoga or even yard work. Do something that helps to get some of that energy out; then come back to your piano work.

Even if you are an advanced student and you are working on a concerto or a sonata that you know but still have some trouble spots. Slow them down...this doesn't mean that you aren't succeeding in learning your repertoire. 

Once you get used to applying this to your piano playing and seeing the positive results you'll come to rely on that steady kind of work much more to help you reach your goals. 

Stay Tuned to PianoLessonsOnTheWeb.com to learn much more and achieve your dream of playing the piano!


​