When you’ve got a new song to learn, using these steps, you’ll get better faster, and you’ll be excited by how much progress you make. Don’t take short cuts – you’ll just have sloppy pieces and won’t have gotten to be a better player. Ask your parents to coach you on this, they’ll help keep you motivated.
The 8 Steps:
1. Check the key signature and time signature. Decide what kind of note gets the beat.
2. Tap and clap the beat and say the rhythm out loud using words like pie, pizza, strawberry.
3. Say the names of the notes in rhythm (while clapping and tapping the beat)
4. Repeat #3 while fingering the notes.
5. Play as written
6. Play five times in a row PERFECTLY.
7. Repeat these steps on the next phrase
8. Play both phrases perfectly…and go on from there.
Do these steps every time you’ve got a new piece, or a really hard part of a piece you’re working on. They’re faster than just plowing through from beginning to end!