Ever turn the page in your lesson book and go, “AACK!”? This happens to my students once in awhile. They look at it and their eyes don’t know what to do with it.
Sometimes I direct them to the backwards practice technique, and other times I help them analyze the piece.
What does it mean to analyze a piece?
It can mean a couple of things. Back in college theory class, it meant to figure out the chord structure of the piece. There are more things you can do:
- Find the form of the piece (ABA or sonata form, for example) to see how the melody repeats.
- Find all the common finger patterns – scales, chords, arpeggios, grupettos, roller coaster scales, finger wiggles, repeated notes.
- Find how the phrases might be the same, only slightly ornamented.
How do we analyze the piece together?
Usually, I start at the beginning. We look for the common finger patterns. I point out the patterns and have the student name them.
After the first phrase, I start looking at whether the melody repeats. At the beginning of a new phrase, I check to see if we’ve already done it. Then I point out to the student that it’s the same as before.
Results
After we talk through the piece, the students feel better. It’s not so scary. They say, “I play my scales and chords every day! This piece is so easy!”
Conclusion
Theory is the math of music, and it helps us make sense of it when it’s confusing. I know that theory lessons can be boring or frustrating, but they help make the music easier.