I want to be able to play the fast arpeggios in "To Zanarkand" [#ThingsIWantToLevelUp]

My piano experience spans about four years, from second grade to sixth grade of elementary school.

I didn't learn using the Beyer method, but rather a textbook called the Bastien method from the US, so I'm not sure how that compares to Beyer, but I think I reached about the level of finishing it or close to it. I could play Burgmüller without much trouble.

However, I can play the Turkish March. For Burgmüller, I like Arabesque. I can also play a few game music tracks.
I'm not good at practicing from textbooks, but I never give up on songs I like until I can play them.

Learning piano was an ordeal for me. I was forced to practice songs I'd never heard by people I didn't know, made to repeat dull basic exercises every day while being kicked in the rear to "just do it," and required to control everything from my posture to the touch of my fingertips.

Since I used the Bastien method, it had illustrations and a somewhat fun feel. But it didn't change the fact that I was being made to play music I had no interest in, and on top of that, I suffered from not being able to relate at all to other kids who were learning piano with Beyer. So, with apologies to my piano teacher at the time, I didn't like the Bastien method either.

Ever since I stopped taking piano lessons, I've repeatedly bought an electronic piano every few years whenever I felt like playing, and played the songs I liked.

Since I'm playing "songs I like" rather than "songs of an appropriate difficulty level," I often struggle because I encounter techniques I haven't learned or can't read the sheet music. However, in exchange, practicing isn't painful.

By playing my favorite songs exactly as I want to, I understand and love the music even more.

So, for the past few months, I've been lazily practicing the masterpiece that every FFX player loves: "To Zanarkand."

The sheet music I'm referring to is here.

Just playing the first few bars of the intro makes me sigh at its sheer beauty. True to the story's theme, it conveys the fragility of the things that connect people, and the strong heart that believes in love despite that, with such deep emotion.

But it's quite difficult.

I am poor at reading music. The Bastien page I linked above said that "children who can read music and play will grow," but sadly, I am an example of a bad case that didn't grow.
Like with this song, when there are too many notes on the page or I have to jump back and forth between octaves, I can't read the music while playing. It starts with memorizing the piece.

Honestly, I can memorize it. If I turn a blind eye to the details, I can play it too.

Except for the fast arpeggios at the end.

No, what is this? You've got to be kidding. Humans can't make movements like this.

Even if I play it in slow motion, I don't know what's happening. No, I have the sheet music so I can read it, but why is this movement possible?

I'm starting to lose heart at the sheer difference in skill.
Embarrassingly, here is a video of me trying to play it as it stands.

Can you see my left hand writhing around like a dying spider?

But since I've been playing it every day, I've seen a little bit of progress, so I want to find a way to complete these arpeggios.

My strategy is as follows:

1. Be able to play only the right hand without looking at my hands at all.
2. Be able to play the arpeggios slowly with only the left hand, staring at it intently, without mistakes.
3. Gradually speed up step 2.
4. Once the speed of the left hand catches up to the right, put both hands together. At this time, don't look at the right hand at all. Stare intently at the left hand.

Actually, I should just glance at the right hand to jump and then focus my attention on the left, but while the right hand isn't that difficult in this part, if I take my eyes off the left hand for even a second, I don't know where it will fly off to. Or rather, even though they are my own hands, I don't really know how they are moving even when I'm looking at them.

For this arpeggio part alone, for now, I've set a goal to practice it 100 times a day.I hope to report some kind of progress in June. I would be happy if you could quietly cheer me on.

Dedicated to #ThingsIWantToLevelUp.

Thank you for reading to the end! If you'd like, I'm waiting for your likes/follows/comments. May good things happen to you!

Also, it continued.