Sudden and unplanned tempo changes
Even with a good sense of the beat and metre, students may unknowingly speed up or slow down at various parts of a piano piece. These tempo shivers can be subtle or extreme, frequent or infrequent.
Tempo shivers are most frequently caused by difficult sections, a fingering issue, or a section that is not as well rehearsed as the rest of the piece. To resolve these types of tempo shivers we must first resolve the underlying issue, before retraining the ear to the correct and consistent tempo of the piece.
Symptoms
Prescriptions
Hands Off
In lesson
Mark each point where the student is slowing down. Ask her to answer various questions about this section without touching the keys. What fingering is she using in the right hand? And the left hand? What are the note names? What are the intervals, both melodic and harmonic? Can she sing the melody for you? How about the harmony?
Allow her to play the section once, then take away the book and ask her similar questions again. (You can download a list of sample questions at: www.pianophysician.com/bonus.)How much can she remember about that section? If she intellectually knows the section well, then the problem will most likely lie in her muscle memory or aural memory of that section. If this is the case, the following prescription, ‘Build a Band’, should be your next move.
At home
If there was a particular question or thinking point that was a stumbling block in the lesson, highlight this question for her to ask herself (or her parents to ask her) at home during practice time. Put a sticky note or write in pencil beside each section to prompt the thinking process at home. Often this is as simple as writing “Fingering?” or “Chord changes?” on the score, and it can make all the difference to encourage effective and thoughtful home practice sessions.
Build a Band
In lesson
There is a reason why piano students are often less rhythmic than students of other instruments: early on, other instrumentalists will get many more opportunities to play with other musicians. As piano teachers, we need to put in a little more effort to create the band experience that our students are missing out on.
One easy way to do this is to have your student play with a rhythm backing track. When your student has to play along with a rhythm section, she can’t change the tempo midway through the piece. The drumbeat will stay the same throughout, so if she wants to slow it down she is forced to choose a slower tempo and start again.
There are many options for you to use as a rhythm track. You can use apps such as iReal Pro or Super Metronome Groovebox. You can even find drumming tracks on YouTube in any tempo and any style you could wish for.
At home
Whichever rhythm track route you choose to go down in the lesson, make sure your student knows how to access the tracks at home. Encourage her to practice along with her new rhythm band at home as much as possible.
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