As our students prepare for our End of Year concert we are certain that they are finding that not all the songs come to them easily.

Learning a difficult song can be time-consuming and frustrating.

Here are five tips to try that will make learning a difficult song a little easier. Good luck!

1. Slow Down

A great way to ease yourself into a difficult song is to slow the tempo right down. Play as slow as you need, ensuring you hit every note perfectly. I suggest using a metronome to keep yourself in time. Once you can play accurately and confidently, speed up slightly. Repeat the process until you’re playing at the intended tempo.

Here’s a bonus tip. Try playing the song even faster than the intended tempo, particularly if you’re preparing for a performance.

2. Practice the Most Difficult Section

Focus on the most difficult part first. That might be a measure, phrase, beat or figure. Master that section, and then practice the music directly before it. Increase the running start gradually, until you can play from the beginning of the piece, right up to and through the most difficult part. Then, play the rest. The idea is to avoid only practicing the fun and easy parts.

3. Isolate the Rhythm and Pitches

First, master just the rhythm of the song. Clap it, sing it, or play it on a single note or chord. The rhythm should become intuitive. Then, isolate the pitches. Play each note in order, not worrying about timing. Then combine the rhythm and pitch.

4. Take a Break

If you’re having no luck with a particularly difficult song, try taking a break. Do something else, or practice another song. When you return to the difficult song, try a different approach.

5. Memorise the Difficult Song

Once you can play through the difficult song with only a few hiccups along the way, try memorising it bit by bit. Once you’ve committed it to memory, playing will feel more natural.

So get ready to put in the work and then revel in the accolades from family, friends and teachers at the Learn2Play Music Concert.

Learn an Instrument

There’s no denying it – sometimes playing music is a huge challenge. But, there’s nothing quite like the feeling of finally cracking a difficult song. Experience it for yourself with us at Learn2Play Music or fill out the inquiry form.