stupid question, I just got this all memorised (really quickly too, snaps for me) and now I'm trying to figure out how to get rid of my pauses and get it up to tempo. I have an idea of what I need to be doing, but suggestions are always welcome. thanks!

I'd memorize the LH by itself.

Slow practice, and memorizing the hands seperate is really good too, what Neo said. Rhythmic variations are good for your finger memory also.

The best way to get rid of pauses is to slow down your playing to the point that you have no pauses and then work up from there.

Regards,

Thats how I do my ironing.

I wouldn't recommend learning pieces HS really, not unless it's really necessary - but usually it just slows down the learning process and you're better off playing it hands together - as you're never going to play it again hands seperate after you learn it (normally)

Max :

I'll have to disagree with you there. I think there's much to be said for occasional serious practice sessions doing hands separately. Doing so enables you to concentrate on details that you may overlook when you're practicing hands together. Even after a piece is learned, I see much advantage to revisiting certain sections of pieces hands separately.

Do I do it? Not as often as I should!

Regards,

Important is also to practice HS, and try to think/sing the other hand along, great memory practice.

I suppose...I've never experienced the benefits though. I always learn pieces HT and extremely slowly, so I can learn it note by note, then once I've memorised it like that I can speed it up (usually play it to tempo within another play through). Though learning a piece with a lot of music can be tedious like this, sitting at the piano for hours on end playing extremely slowly...but its worth it in the long run. I used to be a hands seperate and then put them together kind of guy, but that got too inconsistant for me.

Same here, I don't spend half as much time to HS practicing as I used to do, though I still think of it as something with great importance.

I usually memorise hands together, or I'll memorise them separately in a section and then put them together as soon as I can, but I do practice hands separately. Of course, I must admit, I haven't practiced the left hand nearly as much.. might help.

I thought someone might say that.. I have been doing that. It takes a while, but there are at least two pauses that are gone now. Thanks everyone for the good suggestions!

The left hand is what tells the story in this etude, make sure you DO practice it enough.

yup. I have noticed that. The left hand is interesting, I've just been a smidge lazy I think. I'm actually really excited about working on this etude though! First Chopin etude I've ever attempted, and it's a really cool one to boot!

Heh yeah, it's very satisfying to play too, but can be oh so frustrating >_>....

I have to relearn this one to audition in a couple of months.

best of luck! Enjoy your relearning! What's the audition for? A music school, a job?

I found this Etude quite managable, its a case of leading your fingers with your wrist and arm. I've certainly played harder ones

Yeah the right hand figures haven't been too bad so far. (watch and laugh as I surely speak too soon). At any rate, this etude doesn't scare the heck out of me like some of them do.

I found the hardest bits to be the mordents that move around in octaves (Db-Eb) and the last chordal passage thing before the octaves at the end of the piece.

This is going to be my audition etude for the conservatory .