The Secret to Increasing Your Piano Piece's Speed ASAP

Getting bored of practicing slowly? When or how should you increase the speed of the piece you are practicing? In this lesson, I have four tips for you to help increase your playing speed through sure-fire methods that I have tested all these years. See if you can implement all 4 in your practice and do let me know how they worked for you.

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🕘 Timestamps
0:00 Intro
3:15 Tip 1
4:05 Tip 2
5:03 Tip 3
5:22 Tip 4

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[morrisgerm]

Jazer, I am 71 years old, took lesson for 2 years when I started 5th grade. A couple of years ago I decided to start back. I certainly am no Jazer, but I do feel I have the right things to continue making improvements.

You are my favorite You Tube piano instructor (no flattery you really are) and have been a tremendous help to me, thank you much. While my practice is consistent I always get an extra boost to go to my piano room and put in extra practice after watching your presentations, you inspire me.
WHAT I THINK THAT YOU DO WELL:
1. You have a humble presence about you. 2. The ideas you present are always fresh and useful. 3. Your presentation style is well done, using bullet points in a succinct and useful manner. 4. You really do know how to play the piano well; some on You Tube are not that good at teaching and seemed to lack playing and training skills. 5. You have a genuine interest in teaching students; that comes across though you are far from me (I live in Alabama) in Australia.

I HAVE ONE REQUEST: Could you do a mini concert or anything just to hear you play. I think the audience would love to hear your musical talent.

[catsandsheep]

Someone once said: "If you can play it slowly, you can play it quickly"...

[kieselsteinchen]

Thank you for this good advices. I got a fiths one: Enjoy any piece even if it is meant to be played much faster. Get the harmonies, melody and rythm instead of frustration by speed. Most pieces of our great composers are still interesting and beautiful played slowlier. This is for amateurs. For a professional that may not count. Anyway even a professional would first carefully read the notes, check the hand sets left and right, try slowly and so on, understand the piece a.s.o but may be frustated if not fast enough at the end.

[murraywilloughby]

A lot of American students aren't familiar with William Mason from Boston who studied with Liszt. He found that incremental increase of tempo was counterproductive and recommended playing a piece through at double tempo as soon as possible to find any fingering combinations that didn't work at high speed. You pretty much have to have a piece committed to memory to do this unless you are an exceptional sight reader.
My own experience is to first write out the piece in quarter notes, then eighth notes (and if the piece is primarily 16ths you just do 8ths and 16ths.) I do this in MuseScore. Then I learn the piece at a very slow Rachmaninoff learning tempo which is about 29 bpm for me. I do this to memorize the tune, analyzing the chord tones, singing solfege, etc. Then, after I have the piece memorized, I play at 60 bpm in quarter notes, then 60 bpm in 8th notes, then 90 bpm in 8th notes. At this point I know if the fingering works or not, so I drop back down to 60 bpm 8th notes and correct the fingering. Now since I have doubled my speed by playing in 8th notes I increase the tempo the next day to 90 bpm for 1/4 and 1/8th notes and 120 bpm 1/8th notes to again test fingering and to push myself. Then drop back to 90 bpm for 8th notes. If I can play it clearly with good articulation and expression, I increase the speed by 1/3 again the next day.
I've only just discovered this Method, but it has been pretty remarkable. When you drop the tempo back down after playing at high speed it feels ridiculously slow, but you have actually doubled your speed in one day.
I am not a professional though, and I do not want to lead any one astray. So, it's a fallback method for when nothing else seems to work. Cheers!

[MigLucian]

Yes!!! Moonlight Sonata 3rd movement.
The one piece I am so desperately trying to learn at the moment.
You rock Jazzer, with all that you share not just this.
You pack so much in a short amount of time and more importantly, it’s concise, understandable and to the point.
You’re very much appreciated.
Thank you

[Youtube_deleted_my_favourites]

This guy is a genius in the way he puts across the skills needed to improve

[frederickmenu]

Hi Jazer. I don't like sycophancy (and here it's not) but I wanted to tell you that I started the piano a little over a year ago and that your videos help me a lot, like the one this. It's clear, it's precise, it's concrete, and the videos aren't too long. Bravo to you, and especially thank you!

[marina.pianist]

Only when I have found your channel I have started to practice slowly and hands separately. It's a little boring to play slowly but it really works! Now I can play very fast and clear advanced note sheets! So thank you for your videos! Keep it up! ;)

[nancywebb]

Excellent advice of which I have to keep reminding myself to do. I tend to not want to practice hands separate but notice that my playing is better with both hands afterwards.

[dbcooper]

On the subject of piano exercises, I realize they will vary greatly depending on one's skill level. So sometime could you do a video of what we should be doing at each level?

[pamelahillenbrand]

Always helpful! I always look to you for help between lessons with my teacher. I am a "returnee" to the piano at age 73, and loving it. So grateful for not just the wisdom and experience you share, but also the clarity with which you provide the information. Than you!

[reflectzmoments]

Yes indeed! I practise new songs with hands separately in slow speed too! After getting the notes correct then I'll combine with both hands and increase speed. It's good to know that you practice with slow speed too. ☺️🙆🏻‍♀️

[rickomuzik]

Yes! I gradually increase my speed and if it’s sloppy or muddy I slow it down again and go faster each day. Great advice!!

[andrewfk]

Thank you Jazer for these videos. It is reassuring to hear that an accomplished pianist like yourself practices slowly and with hands separately. Keep up the good content!

[nguyen]

Thank you for your lessons teacher. I just started learning how to play 2 weeks and with your tips I can now play the Minuet in G a little bit. Really appreciate your contents. Help me climb out of dark depression days.

[nicolelim]

Agree. Perfect practise makes perfect. Thank you for your profound advice.

[luvkayakn]

As a student I took 10 years of piano lessons and played level 8 recital pieces my Senior year of high school. Of course, I was able to practice 3-5 hours daily and had no other responsibilities. Those pieces took me the entire school term to learn and memorize. After graduation I no longer had the time and freedom to dedicate to piano and I had never learned how to play without a written score. Now returning to piano after nearly 40 years I find most enjoyment in playing easy-intermediate pieces that I can sight read quickly and am focused more on learning improvisation and ear training. My current goal is learning the melody of jazz standards and memorizing at least one a month. Then learning the chord progressions and improvisation. I may be much older but still eager to learn and improve.

[jonhanzel]

Just a beginner at 63 you are inspiring thank you for your videos.

[rogercarroll]

There is no question that you know what you're talking about; a big help to me from an excellent teacher. Many thanks.

[barbaramunford]

Love this. I practice slowly, basically because I’m still learning, but also it seems to help with my understanding of the piece, almost like muscle memory for that piece.