What Is the Best Way to Learn a New Organ Piece? Pedals First or Manuals First?

Are you frustrated because you don't know what is the best way to learn a new
piece for the organ? If you want to succeed in organ playing it is important you
choose the learning method that is both efficient and easy to implement. In this
article, I will teach you what is the best way to learn a new organ piece.

If you want the quick answer - then it doesn't matter if you start learning
manual parts or the pedal parts first. What really matters is that you follow
these 4 simple techniques that makes your learning process efficient, fast, and
enjoyable.

1) Practice in a slow tempo. Resist the temptation to play at the concert
tempo right away. Instead, choose the tempo which allows you to play fluently
and without mistakes.

 2) Practice 1 voice, 2 voices, 3 voices etc. When you take a new piece,
unless it is easy to sight-read, do not attempt to play all the voices together
right away. Instead, learn solo parts and various combinations of 2 and 3 parts
before playing both hands and feet together.

 3) Practice in short fragments. It is wise to resist the temptation to play a
piece from the beginning to the end very often. Instead, take a fragment of 4
measures or shorter and master it.

 4) Correct your mistakes. Do not play the next fragment unless you can
perform it at a slow tempo fluently and without mistakes in fingering, pedaling,
rhythms, notes, and articulation at least 3 times in a row correctly.

Consider the above 4 points when you practice your new organ music today.
These techniques will help you to develop correct practice habits. If you
consistently are trying to incorporate them into your daily practice, you will
have more chances to succeed in organ playing.
 
By the way, do you want to learn to play the King of Instruments - the pipe
organ? If so, download my FREE video guide How to Master Any Organ
Composition in which I will show you my EXACT steps, techniques,
and methods that I use to practice, learn and master any piece of organ
music.