How to Practise Organ When Everything Feels Difficult

In this episode of the Total Organist podcast, Vidas and Aušra discuss what to do when learning and practicing a challenging organ piece feels overwhelming and frustrating. Drawing from their current practice on Bach’s Preludes and Fugues (BWV 541 in G major and BWV 547 in C major), they share practical advice on balancing repertoire difficulty, avoiding physical strain, applying music theory to streamline learning, and knowing when to step away from the bench to prevent burnout and injury. Topics Covered: • Why challenging pieces cause frustration and how to work through it • Balancing your repertoire: easy, moderate, and stretch pieces • Why Preludes often feel harder than Fugues • The importance of understanding music theory and structure • Knowing when to stop practicing before getting tired or injured Remember: When you practice, miracles happen! Video Chapters 00:00 - Introduction & Dealing with Practice Frustration 00:25 - Practicing Bach BWV 541 and BWV 547 01:45 - Why Are Preludes Often Harder Than Fugues? 03:15 - Balancing Repertoire to Prevent Burnout and Injury 05:00 - The Physicality of Practice: Pushing Limits vs. Overdoing It 06:40 - Polyphonic Clarity vs. Prelude Textures 08:20 - Pedal Entries and Structure in Bach’s Fugues 09:30 - Slowing Down & Overcoming Technical Obstacles 10:00 - Why C Major Can Be Deceptively Difficult 11:15 - Why Music Theory Makes Learning Faster and Safer 12:45 - Crucial Advice: Stop Before You Get Tired 13:28 - Thank You & How to Support the Channel BWV 541 score with fingering and pedaling: https://secretsoforganplaying.com/pro... BWV 547 score with fingering and pedaling: https://secretsoforganplaying.com/pro... Total Organist - the most comprehensive organ training program online: https://www.organduo.lt/total-organist Secrets of Organ Playing Mug: https://www.zazzle.co.uk/z/ywbhd071?r... Our scores (free for members): https://buymeacoffee.com/organduo/mem... My compositions: https://secretsoforganplaying.com/col... We support Ukraine: https://www.blue-yellow.lt/en If you like what I do, you can buy me some coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/organduo PayPal: https://PayPal.Me/ausramotuzaite My Hauptwerk setup: https://www.organduo.lt/tools.html Secrets of Organ Playing - When You Practice, Miracles Happen! https://organduo.lt Listen to my organ playing on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2pXxZ...