Finding the Goldilocks Piece

The piece you choose can shape the whole learning experience.

Make the right choice and you give yourself something that inspires you, stretches you and keeps you returning to the piano. Choose something poorly matched to your current level, time or aims, and even beautiful music can quickly become frustrating.

The best choice often sits in the “Goldilocks” zone: not too easy, not too hard, but just challenging enough to be rewarding.

So before diving into a new score, it is worth pausing to ask a few practical questions.

Not Too Easy, Not Too Hard

A good piece does not have to be the most difficult thing you can possibly play. In fact, choosing something at the very edge of your ability can sometimes make the learning process less rewarding. If every line is a struggle, there may be little space left for listening, understanding, planning or shaping the music.

While less demanding repertoire has an important place, if your choices never ask anything new or challenging of you, your development may begin to plateau.

The Goldilocks piece is somewhere in between. It stretches you, but does not overwhelm you. It gives you something to work towards, but still allows you to make meaningful progress with steady practice.

When judging difficulty, look beyond the official grade or level. Consider:

• the length of the piece;
• the density and complexity of the score;
• the number of unfamiliar techniques;
• the speed and coordination required;
• the amount of practice time you realistically have available;
• how many genuinely difficult passages there are.

One challenging section need not rule a piece out. A score that contains difficulties on almost every line, however, may not be the best choice for your next focused project.

Choose Something You Actually Want to Play

A suitable piece is not only technically appropriate. It should also give you a reason to keep going.

That reason might be emotional, musical, intellectual or personal. You might love the mood of the piece, feel drawn to the composer, want to master a particular style, or enjoy the challenge of finally learning something that has been on your wish list for years.

You do not have to adore every bar immediately. Part of the pleasure of learning a piece is discovering more than you noticed at first.

But there should be some kind of spark. Ask yourself: What attracts me to this piece? Is it the sound, the character, the style, the challenge, or the satisfaction of learning something you have wanted to play for a long time?

That connection matters because it helps sustain the day-to-day work of practice and keeps you connected to the music you are trying to create.

Think About the Kind of Project You Need

Some pieces are wonderful, but not every wonderful piece is the right project for right now. A large-scale work may be deeply rewarding, but it can also take months of sustained attention. If your practice time is limited, or if you want to experience the whole learning process more quickly, a shorter piece, individual movement or modest project may be a better choice.

This does not mean choosing something easy. A piece slightly below your maximum technical level can be ideal because it leaves more attention available for observation, interpretation, experimentation and musical refinement.

It can also help to think about your broader repertoire diet. Many pianists benefit from having a mixture of:

• Aspirational pieces – Larger or more demanding works that stretch you over a longer period.
• Comfort-zone pieces – Music well within your grasp, allowing you to focus on fluency, expression and refinement.
• Quick studies – Shorter pieces that can be learned relatively quickly, helping to develop reading, responsiveness and efficient learning habits.

For your next project, a comfort-zone piece or manageable stretch piece may be especially useful. A quick study can also be an excellent way to learn new things on a smaller scale before applying them to something more substantial.

Use Repertoire to Grow

The right piece can help you develop, but growth does not always mean choosing something harder.

You might choose a piece that introduces you to an unfamiliar composer or period, contains a texture you want to improve, contrasts with the music you usually play, or helps develop qualities such as voicing, articulation, rhythmic control or tonal refinement.

If you mostly choose big, dramatic pieces, a more delicate work might help you develop subtlety. If you tend to stay within one style, something from a different period may open up new questions about touch, pedalling, texture or sound.

This does not need to become a catalogue of weaknesses. Interest and enjoyment should remain central, but repertoire choice can be one of the most natural ways to broaden your skills.

Try a Simple Feasibility Test

Before committing to a piece, spend a little time with it without trying to practise it properly. Listen to one or two recordings if they are available. Look through the score. Try a gentle read-through if appropriate, but do not treat this as a sight-reading test. The objective is simply to get a first impression of what will be involved.

Ask yourself:

• Do I genuinely want to spend the next few weeks with this music?
• Can I understand enough of the score to see what the project involves?
• Are the most difficult passages limited and identifiable?
• Is the length realistic for the time I have available?
• Can I imagine making meaningful progress with steady work?
• Can I obtain a clear, reliable and legally sourced copy of the score?

If you are choosing between two pieces, the shorter or slightly easier option will often make the better project. You are more likely to engage deeply with the learning process when every session is not dominated by basic note learning or technical survival.

What Comes Next?

Once you have chosen your piece, the next question is where to begin.

A fresh score can feel overwhelming, so a common approach is to dive in, playing it (or parts of it) through again and again, dealing with problems as they arise and hoping things will gradually improve. This can lead to frustration and little sense of direction or progress, while errors and unhelpful habits creep in and take more time to correct later.

Right From the Start offers a practical five-stage blueprint for beginning any new piece. It helps you connect with the music, understand the score, make useful early decisions and organise the first stages of learning before you begin practising in earnest.

Instead of relying on endless read-throughs and trial and error, you can start with a plan, build momentum and make meaningful progress while keeping the music at the heart of the process.

Right From the Start is available as a one-off purchase for £47 and is also included with an Online Academy subscription. Find out more about Right From the Start >>

Share What You’re Starting

We would love to know what you are planning to work on. Whether you are joining Right From the Start or simply choosing a new summer project, you are welcome to share your piece in our Learning New Pieces Facebook group.