A Framework of Practice: Three Forms of Transformation in Addressing Piano Challenges

Piano practice as a problem-solving process usually challenges pianists with passages that defy easy mastery. To address challenges and climb to new levels of competence, pianists should imbue practice with certain transformations that can generate fresh insights and inspiration. In 1993, pianist Bruce Berr proposed three forms of transformation and coined the term "Transformational Practice Techniques" (TPTs) to refer to practice techniques that are based on transformation. This research paper examines the principles of three forms of transformation with discussions of valuable practice techniques based on these principles.