A Brief Guide to Slow Practice

By Gary Dahl

I decided when I started teaching thirty-seven years ago, each student would be required to demonstrate slow practice tempos in selected sections of a piece assigned a week earlier. At first, these tempos are rather like slow ­motion and gradually increase only when the skill level is ready. I have never regretted this decision because it has produced many confident, satisfied accordionists.

What are the benefits of this kind of practicing?

• The student actually learns the piece faster, having had time to read the correct notes, time values, dynamics, etc.

•  Performance slips are greatly reduced (a slip is not a mistake). A mistake is playing the same wrong notes at every performance, while an occasional slip sometimes just happens.

• Slow practice eliminates practice mistakes. Why should we practice a mistake? Not too logical is it?

• Control, especially in fast rhythmic pieces is much more secure. This is especially true in long scale-like passages.

• Because dynamics are exaggerated during slow practice, they retain their color at tempo.

• Slow practice and repetitions of short passages is essential to increase learning speed and to eliminate mistakes.

There are many more points I could list but these are the basics. Occasionally my students think I am some sort of Psychic because I can tell immediately if they have not done their slow practice. If it is a fairly new piece, the fingers are searching everywhere for the notes. Slow practice will enable you to learn quickly while fast practice will produce very slow results or none at all. Slow practice is not particularly fun but it is part of the discipline we must observe. I tell my students I am not asking them to slow practice because it is fun, in fact it can be boring. You have to bleed a little, pay the price to realize the exciting benefits. You can't learn in your sleep.

To the Adult Student: Music is for all to enjoy, both for listening pleasure and the thrill of playing the accordion confidently and musically. Music is a way of expressing ourselves. Many people would give anything to play an instrument with authority. Don't let your age get you down. It is literally true, you are never too old to learn. Many adults are happier now and getting more out of life by learning music.

Adult students will learn more at lessons using these suggestions: 

• Make believe you are 10 years old again. Forget pre-conceived ideas.
• Don't talk too much-concentrate on listening.
• Let the teacher lead with the best sequence for you to reach your particular goals.
• Don't let your ego get in the way, even if you are an experienced player.
• Study harmony to dramatically enhance your current skills. You will then be able to produce your own arrangements-this is where the real fun is!
• Don't try to pick pieces way beyond your capability. It is always better to play a less difficult piece well than a more advanced selection sloppy; just experience the pleasure of high­quality music-making!