Chopin Op. 25 No. 3: Study in F major: tempo and how to practice it

Chopin Op. 25 No. 3: Study in F major is part of “12 Études, Op. 25” by Frédéric Chopin (1810–1849). Main focus: a rhythmic figure with changes of articulation in both hands. Suggested tempos: start at ♩ = 60 to learn it, practice at ♩ = 92 and work up to the target of ♩ = 120. Difficulty 8/10 (advanced).

What it trains

• A rhythmic figure with changes of articulation in both hands.
• Precision in position changes.

How to practice it

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

Tempo ladder: ♩ = 60 → ♩ = 76 → ♩ = 92 → ♩ = 106 → ♩ = 120. Only move up a step once the take comes out clean; in the app, the progressive metronome does it for you.