Pro Pianists, questions/advice

I am currently learning this peice:

http://www.sheetmusicarchive.net/compositions_b/poln53.pdf

http://youtube.com/watch?v=KZGi49Bnghs

What is a better way to progress at a hard song? So far I'm progressing slowly, and I'm not a very patient guy.

Is it better to get familiar with seperate hands, and then play both hands, or play both hands really slowly?

Well, there are two different ways of going into it.

1. You can try practicing with both hands separately, and then try putting them together through out the whole piece.

2. Take sections of the music out and practice the hell out of those. Take say two measures and make sure you get them clean and flawless. Then move onto another two measures or whatever feels comfortable for you.

I prefer method one that I said, but my piano teacher said that method number two always worked for him.

aha, guess there arent alot of pianists in gamespot?lone_wolf911

go slow and count each beat, 1+2+3+4+ yes do count the + they are important! practice measures with sharps and flats separately. try to not strech alot or you could injure yourself (try staying 5 keys / 5 fingers). and don't learn both parts separtely. that'll basiclaly become a habit and retard your progress. learn to sight read slowly. but one thing you can try (which helps me a lot is) play the piece once withouht caring about the rhythm just get all the notes dead on. then play it again but with strict rhythm and don't worry about sour notes.GoodContributor

[QUOTE="GoodContributor"]go slow and count each beat, 1+2+3+4+ yes do count the + they are important! practice measures with sharps and flats separately. try to not strech alot or you could injure yourself (try staying 5 keys / 5 fingers). and don't learn both parts separtely. that'll basiclaly become a habit and retard your progress. learn to sight read slowly. but one thing you can try (which helps me a lot is) play the piece once withouht caring about the rhythm just get all the notes dead on. then play it again but with strict rhythm and don't worry about sour notes.lone_wolf911

i started this 4 days ago, i play play the whole first page ok, the second page is how far i got so far

my friend who is also a pianist told me to play the whole peice just playing the notes, but what i do is learn page by page, is that bad?

That is one of Chopin's most difficult polonaises.  What specifically are you having difficulty with, and how long have you been working on the piece?

Frankly, you should be studying with an instructor who can recommend effective methods of dealing with this piece.  Providing advice over the internet is more or less impossible, because I have no information about you whatsoever.  I don't know what your technical weaknesses are, I don't know what your previous background is, and most importantly, I can't hear what you sound like.  And so, the best I can do is suggest that you continue your slow work on the piece (start hands separately, then combine the hands after each feels comfortable on its own, always at a speed that makes it possible to play with total ease), and that you really should be working on this with a qualified instructor IN PERSON.
pianist

i started this 4 days ago, i play play the whole first page ok, the second page is how far i got so far

my friend who is also a pianist told me to play the whole peice just playing the notes, but what i do is learn page by page, is that bad?

lone_wolf911

[QUOTE="lone_wolf911"]

i started this 4 days ago, i play play the whole first page ok, the second page is how far i got so far

my friend who is also a pianist told me to play the whole peice just playing the notes, but what i do is learn page by page, is that bad?

GoodContributor

my friend in school (who is a fan of listz), says im to tense, and can't play octaves relaxed enough, so my weaknesses are playing octaves fast + relaxed, playing arppegios fast

lone_wolf911

i started this 4 days ago, i play play the whole first page ok, the second page is how far i got so far

my friend who is also a pianist told me to play the whole peice just playing the notes, but what i do is learn page by page, is that bad?

lone_wolf911