The ear should know before the fingers
Finger speed is seen; careful listening is heard. If the ear cannot tell the sound, the hands only repeat the shape of the notes. Before a hard piece, you should be able to hear tone, the balance of the two hands, and the musical phrase.
Before a hard piece, the ear has to know the sound; listening practice shortens the path of technique.
How to practice listening
Listening is not a separate talent; it is a skill built in the lesson and at home. The teacher works on the details of sound; the student has to bring the same care into daily practice.
- Play one phrase slowly and listen only to the color of the sound.
- Review the right and left hands apart so the weight of each sound is clear.
- After playing, hear the same phrase in your mind; then play it again.
- If the sound becomes crowded, slow down so the ear stays ahead of the fingers.
Technique follows the ear
Fast fingers without sound control only make noise. When the ear knows the aim, technique has a place: reaching that sound, not merely passing the notes. That is what turns mechanical practice into playing.
