u/Ok-Improvement5390

I’m starting a new piece and wanted to see how you all approach the initial learning phase. We all know playing from start to finish is a trap, but I’m curious about your specific mechanics.

• How many bars at a time? Do you stick to full phrases (4–8 bars), or go micro with 1–2 bars at a time? I usually do tiny chunks but always practice into the downbeat of the next measure so it's easier to stitch together later.
• When do you move on? To what level of polish do you bring a section before learning the next one? Do you grind it until it's fluid and memorized at 80% tempo, or do you just get the finger choreography down super slow and move on? I struggle with trying to make one part perfect and losing momentum.
• Linear vs. skipping around? Do you start at bar 1 and work through to the end, or jump ahead? I've been trying to tackle the hardest parts first so they get the most weeks of muscle memory built up.

How do you handle this?