OCT 6, 2012: I think it's important that when you're practicing something on the piano, you can play and hear it all---all the pitches and rhythms and markings. When it all starts to get a little beyond your grasp, not only does it discourage you; you sometimes start to get less skilled at the piece you're learning. I've discussed all this before. But how do you get the desire to not press on when you know you've reached your limit? And also----if you don't stretch yourself, how will you be able to advance (get it faster)?
Usually sheer repetition will get you more proficient in a particular passage and it will become easier and easier with repeated playings---even if you just take it in one tempo. But if you've reached your limit and there has been no progress for several days, your best bet might be to take it one or two metronome clicks past where you are now and just deal with the mistakes---then go back to a comfortable tempo and try again. It may not work the first few times, but usually after a while you can advance one notch or so and still be able to play the passage.
The entire process begins to lose its potency with each hour and day of not practicing it----unless you know it so well and have played it so many times it's really deep down in there. But sometimes after weeks of getting no further, you start to make progress. That's why it's important to hang in there and keep working.
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