Chopin Op. 25 No. 2: Study in F minor: tempo and how to practice it

Chopin Op. 25 No. 2: Study in F minor is part of “12 Études, Op. 25” by Frédéric Chopin (1810–1849). Main focus: continuous, feather-light right-hand figuration. In our transcription it is in F minor, in 2/2 time, and 70 bars long. Suggested tempos: start at ♩ = 112 to learn it, practice at ♩ = 176 and work up to the target of ♩ = 224. Difficulty 8/10 (advanced).

The pattern and its fingering

First bar of our transcription, note by note, with the fingering the app shows.

Right hand	C
Left hand	E–G–G–C–B♭–G–C

■ right hand (finger above) · ■ left hand (finger below)

What it trains

Continuous, feather-light right-hand figuration.
Polyrhythm: the left hand groups notes differently from the right.

How to practice it

Work on the technical problem out of context (for example, thirds as a scale) and then go back to the piece.
Rest your hand often; quality matters more than the number of repetitions.
Listen to the color: pedaling and voice balance are part of the technique.

Tempo ladder: ♩ = 112 → ♩ = 144 → ♩ = 176 → ♩ = 200 → ♩ = 224. Only move up a step once the take comes out clean; in the app, the progressive metronome does it for you.

Composer	Frédéric Chopin (1810–1849)
Work	12 Études, Op. 25
Difficulty	8/10 · Advanced
Key	F minor
Time signature	2/2
Bars	70
Suggested tempos	learn ♩ = 112 · practice ♩ = 176 · target ♩ = 224
Where the target tempo comes from	composer's metronome mark (half note = 112 (equals ♩ = 224)), from the first edition of the Études Op. 25 (Chopin)
Transposable	no
Status in the app	Available
Copyright	public domain: Chopin died in 1849