Tips and Pieces: Fixing an Incorrect Rhythm

Problem: There is a spot in a piece where your teacher says you are playing the wrong rhythm. You practice it at home and think it sounds okay, but when you go to your lesson, your teacher says it is still wrong.

Often the problem is that you learned that section incorrectly from the beginning and have the wrong rhythm in your ears. As a result, you think the wrong rhythm sounds okay when you play it. Here are a few tips to solve this problem.

1. Listen to how the music should sound. Find a recording and listen to the spot many times while looking at your music. There are many recordings online at sites such as YouTube.
2. Clap the rhythm along with the recording. You could also clap it at a lesson while your teacher plays the section. That way your teacher can tell if you are slightly off anywhere.
3. Sing the notes. Because you don't have to worry about how to move your hands on the keys when you sing, it is easier to focus on the notes and rhythms. Really listen and notice how the music feels, and how the notes connect to each other.
4. Practice it slowly on the piano. If both hands play the section, work on each one separately first. When each one feels absolutely comfortable, try putting them together. Again practice it slowly and only gradually speed it up.
5. Count and use a metronome. Often musicians think they are keeping with the beat but are actually speeding up and slowing down as they play because they are not counting. People tend to slow down at harder spots and speed up at easier ones. Another bad habit is cutting long notes short or skipping over rests.
6. Record yourself. After you have worked on the spot, see how it sounds when you playback a recording.
The most important thing to do is to get the correct music in your head. As long as you are mentally hearing it wrong, you are going to play it incorrectly.