Taking time with the lute

I'm learning a beautiful new piece of music and as I was going through this learning process, I realised that a problem I sometimes encounter is trying too hard. I forget to take time to learn the piece and be with and inside the music. What I want to do is to be able to play the music well, and as it is intended. But sometimes I mistake this for playing it for how I have heard it being played. This is my own journey, not an imitation of someone else's. Of course hearing the piece being played by a very accomplished musician is a great way to understand the nuances, hear the right tempo and feel the fabric of the music but there's also always a danger lurking. It's like a trap, waiting for the beginner to fall into.

Instead of progressing methodically, at a slow pace to get the fingering correct and the right hand technique in order, there seems to be a rush to hear how it sounds when I play it at the 'correct' speed (meaning the one I heard it played at). And this means compromising on the fingering and ultimately the sound of the music. The positive thing is knowing that this happens. Because I know it happens means I have understood an important part of learning and practice. Get the basics right, play slowly to build technique and your confidence as you go and, importantly, listen to the sound for feedback.