The 1-2-4-Memory Rule – A report after a six month break
I haven’t played, read or thought about the Bach-Busoni chorale prelude “Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ”, since I last played it in January; six months ago. This piece has been used as the main focus for testing the 1-2-4-memory rule. In many respects this could well be the most interesting result of this test series so far. So how did I get on with it after a six month break?
1-2-4-Memory Rule – A report after a 4-month break
Today I resurrected CPE Bach’s Sofeggietto. I last played this when I recorded for the Piano world Adult Beginners Recital #17….
The 1-2-4-Memory Rule. The next step – Fancy a PIMMS Anyone?
What we need now is a PIMMS, no not the drink, but a Piano Information and Music Management System (PIMMS) to organise the data on all the pieces within a managed review plan.
Towards the end of last year and as the number of pieces had grown, keeping track of where each piece was in its progress through the 1-2-4-Memory rule had become more complex, even with just a few pieces. I ‘d been writing details in a diary (which works after a fashion). But something always seemed to happen to throw it off track. It was confusing trying to re-edit and re-jig the entries. So after some thought and based on earlier work modelling various review algorithms in Excel (see the archives), I decided to have a shot at writing a Windows application to do all this automagically….
1-2-4-Memory Rule – A report after a 4-weeks break
The latest episode in testing the 1-2-4 Memory rule using Bach-Busoni’s Chorale Prelude – Ich ruf’ zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ….
A “Standard Operating Procedure” for learning a new challenging Piece of music
For a number of reasons it has been very difficult finding time to practice during the last month (just three sessions). I decided to have a review of ideas, notes and thoughts on studying a new piece of music. It’s an attempt to integrate all the advice gleamed during the course of this year into a single “standard operating procedure” (SOP).
1-2-4-Memory Rule – A report after a 2-weeks break
After dropping it for two-weeks, the Bach/Busoni chorale prelude is back on the menu for review this week and today I completed the first practice session. This piece is being used as the basis of the current study of the 1-2-4-Memory Rule.
Train Wreck: part two – Getting it Back
I hadn’t played a piece for more than 4 months ( the Bach-Busoni Chorale prelude Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme [Awake! The Voice commands], BWV 645).
On the first attempt I struggled to remember any of it. See the Train Wreck article for full details. Well I have now worked it up again and have the details of how much time effort this took….
Train Wreck!
I just started reviewing and revising a piece (Bach/Busoni Chorale Prelude, “Awake! The Voice Commands”) that I worked on for nearly 4 months and spent almost 70 hours practicing prior to submission to the last Piano World ABF recital (No15) on 1st August. I haven’t played it since (more than 3 months). At the time of submission I didn’t feel comfortable with the piece, it needed more work. Looking at the score yesterday I had a feeling of disbelief that I had actually played it! I tried very briefly to play through and even with the aid of the score only managed about the first 10 bars or thereabouts (section 1 of 8). I’ve decided that this is going to be the “Train wreck” model of repertoire maintenance!
The 1-2-4 Memory Rule – A report after a 1-week break
The next episode in testing the 1-2-4 Memory rule using Bach-Busoni’s Chorale Prelude – Ich ruf’ zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ….
Today’s memory test of this piece was hard work! As in the previous tests I haven’t played, listened to recordings, or mentally rehearsed this piece since prior to the current 1-week break.
On the first slow play through I had to restart after just two bars. On the second attempt I got three quarters of the way through the piece then it all fell appart and I couldn’t remember how to restart in the later sections…
So putting a positive spin on things, I suppose I could say that I remembered 7 out of the 10 sections, which is not as good as after the 4-day break, but better than after some of the shorter breaks prior to that.
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