How to learn a new piece - JS Bach Invention no. 13

[@jayelm5392]

Helps to have a teacher to advise of shortcuts to memorizing these buggers. My Steinway L keeps saying, “use me or lose me!” It does take constant practice to keep pace with even the simplest Bach compositions.

[@AbandonedMines11]

Great advice to break pieces down into smaller, more manageable segments.

[@ChadPeiper]

Divide and conquer - that is exactly how I learned to play this piece.

[@profsjp]

You’re a great guide to ‘being a guide to oneself’. 👏🏻

[@businessdevil7094]

Thanks, always a pleasure to listen to your tutorials. I'm currently finishing the revolutionary etude and wondering if I could start the heroic polonaise in my next project. I would consider myself as an advanced amateur. It's interesting to see the approach of a professional pianist. I will recommend your channel.

[@gailascari]

My piano teacher taught me start with both hands, very slowly only the first 8 measures. Get the fingering down. When that gets comfortable, add the next 6 or 8 measures, practice from start to new addition. Always, always learn new piece both hands together. With comfy fingering - yes! That's the first step!

[@riverstun]

Personally I wouldnt care about the rhythm until the end. If you can play the thing through with both hands at any reasonable speed, you can always adjust the rhythm at the end by hearing the piece in your head from a recording, and adjusting. For example, when I look at the notes for the first time, and I play through, it doesnt sound like the piece at all, until I recognize it. Then its simple to play it at the right speed to get the tune recognizable. (I'm talking playing one phrase, one melody here).

[@LogicalQ]

100% Disagree. So many pianists wind up rhythmically deficient because of this. I would much rather see students practice in rhythm with metered pauses to allow the brain time to process what comes next. i.e. 1e+a _____ 2e+a ____ 3e+a____ 4e+a____ . Then e+a2 ____ e+a3 ____ e+a4 ____ e+a1. Once beat to beat playing is achievable, assemble into complete phrases. Practice each phrase until it is musical. Then practice dovetailing the phrases together. the other advantage of doing it this way is it becomes much easier to start mid piece should you make a mistake. YMMV

[@mrsmokpiano]

Good tips. I'm learning this invention for 3 months, did a lot of mistakes in the process, and some breaks. I want to finish it in March so hard.

[@thetexanist]

You got this!!!

[@ChristianYi-b9x]

Other important tips Listen to it before hand Feel free to sightread through it and analyze for basic things like key signature, time signature, starting measure or pick up, and the style

[@TijuanaBorderJumper]

My favorite composer, my favorite inspirer 😃❤😉

[@cariboux2]

Thank you!

[@blackletter2591]

I have to get it in my head first, so I listen to Paul Barton about 50 times. S'OK, I only play for myself, so originality isn't required.

[@AnjaliYogaWellnessInc]

Thank you!!

[@mikey27]

Glenn Gould speed right away!

[@Victorkane58]

Tu ne fais plus de vidéo en français? J’adore ton accent québécois ❤

[@StevenMassicotte]

Merci, je vais en faire d’autre cette année. 🙃

[@DandGBears]

❤️

[@jeffreykaufmann2867]

Invention #14 was the easiest one for me to learn. Couldn't learn any of the other ones.

[@321Lopper]

The first is doable too

[@jeffreykaufmann2867]

​@@321Lopper just finished learning #8 and 13.

[@yankalu2000]

You know, if someone got to the point of playing this piece they probably already figured trough the first step of breaking hard songs into many little pieces. It’s been 6 mins into the video and no useful advise so far on how to learn Bach inventions.

[@Axadn]

😂 true

[@MAXKENT-mh7lu]

too many breakdowns....making it more complicated than necessary....1) Right Hand 2) Left Hand 3) Slowly combine both right and left hands....

[@FGrimeson]

He used right hand/left hand as a hypothetical example of intermediate steps but it is not at all the case that one should first do right hand, then left hand, then combine them. Especially in Bach where the hands are doing independent things you may want to practice hands together well before you can play either hand perfectly at the final tempo. It always fascinates me to see people in comments sections who combine extreme ignorance with extreme confidence.

[@MAXKENT-mh7lu]

Thanks for my education. Cheers