How to Practice in F Major

Well, it's in F major. I can't stress more:

• Scales are brilliant.

  I'd practice F major scales, making sure your fourth fingers are very concentrated on B flats.

• Left Hand Practice:

  You can practice legato and also staccato. Have a good look at the fingering because it's not as easy as you first think it is.

  Finger Positioning:

  I've written almost every finger on there, especially at the start of the phrase. I look at the fifth finger to begin, and I'm always looking at hand positions.

  In the second bar, I use 1, 2, and 3, and then I go again by using the fifth.

• Marking Fingering:

  When you're marking fingering, look at the easiest hand position. Then, use the thumb or the third finger and sometimes the fourth to kind of 'turn the corner' as if you were driving a car and you're just going around the roundabout.

  It's not jagged; it just needs to be smoothly done because everything is very malleable and fluent.

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Pedal Usage

And finally, let's look at pedal.

• Use Sparingly:

  There's very minimal pedal here. Use the pedal wisely and sparingly. I am not one for writing pedal markings in because I think pedal is literally that bit of spice that you just add as if you were cooking.

  You're just going to put a bit more chili powder or something stronger to influence it, making it resonate a little bit more.

• Be Aware of Sound:

  So you always have to be aware. If you're not listening, you'll end up with a muddled sound. I often hear that in young students; they put the pedal down and forget to take it off.

  I also think it's a bit like driving a car. You never think about when you put your accelerator or clutch down, or even if you have an automatic; you just put your accelerator down.

  It becomes second nature. So try not to think about the foot but think about the ear. And the foot will follow the ear, meaning it won't smudge or blur any harmonies.

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Random Practice Techniques

Finally, if you're finding this a little tricky at some points in the day, I would recommend block random practice.

• Engaging Games:

  I often play a game with my students where I say, "Go from that bar." You have to find out which finger you're on, where it begins, and move to the other, maybe the end of the second bar.

  This way, you always focus on various points.

It's very easy to get bogged down in your practice by just always practicing the beginning rather than the end; sometimes the middle is forgotten. So, random practice is my biggest tip I can give you here.