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A Book on Learning - profoundly changed my practice routine


CaptainUnderpant

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I have been meaning to contribute to some of the recent practice threads but thought it better to start a new thread. Let me first say that I am a practice junky. I have to be, I only took up piano in earnest 3 years ago at age 50. I have a background in sports as a high level national level amateur athlete that played in college and continued with this sport up until 3 years ago when, you guessed it, piano took over sports. So I know how to drill.

 

But after reading this book, I have been very willing to change up my practice routine. The book is, "Make it Stick - The Science of Successful Learning".

 

While I definitely subscribe to the philosophy "Perfect Practice Makes Perfect". The questions is what is the "Best Way" to practice.

 

Yes I have grinded away on scales to a metronome. One note per beat and one octave, then two notes per beat and two octaves, then triplets and three octaves, then 4 notes per beat and four octaves, up and down until I new them backwards and forwards. Same thing with chords, arrpegiating and blocking the different inversions, up an down, Maj7th, min7th, Dom7th. Yes I have done Hanon for 45 minutes everyday for 3 months in a row. Yes I have memorized Charles Banacos's book pentatonic practice. 24 drills in 12 scales equal about 40 minutes to get through. And yes this book is memorized, I don't even need to open it. There is no doubt I have employed what is called "Massed" practice. Drill baby Drill!

 

But this is NOT right, says the author of the above book and I tend to believe him. I won't give you the entire book synopsis, but I tend to believe that I have not been as productive with my drilling time as I could have been. This is why.

 

The author describes my type of practice as "Massed Practice". The reason I like it is that it gives me a structure, and I feel like I master the exercise because I get to spend a LOT of VERY concentrated effort on it at one time. So it feels good, it feels like I have mastered something. And indeed I have. I have mastered that one item in that one moment. But the author points out that real learning occurs when you struggle to learn something either because it is new, or you are coming back to it.

 

So now rather than spend 45 minutes on the same drill, I tend to focus more on all of the drills my teacher has previously put in front of me that are more "Real Life" drills, and then switch the drills up more frequently, possibly playing the drill in a different key, to get me out of my comfort zone. Now, rather that focusing on mastering a drill for 30 minutes until I FEEL good about it, I will be done with it at 10 minutes, and then switch to another drill.

 

This feels less satisfying, like I am never mastering one thing, but rather, learning several things half fast. But the book points out that all of the associated drills, re-inforce learning of the entire discipline, making me a better overall piano player rather than a good practicer of certain drills. I may not be stating the essence of the book in only 2 paragraphs very well, so I highly recommend the book for a further explanation of the material.

 

The bottom line is that this book has changed my practice philosophy significantly. I highly recommend the book for any teacher, or any person who considers themselves a lifelong learner. Fortunately the book is available on audio, so that I could listen while I run my miles. I love audio books!

 

 

Yamaha S90XS, Studiologic VMk-161 Organ

Small/powerful (i7, 32GB, M.2 SSD) PC controlled by 10" Touch Screen

Cantabile, Ravenscroft 275, Keyscape, OPX-II, Omnisphere 2, VB3, Chris Hein Horns, etc.

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Interesting. I'm not sure I follow what you wrote above, but maybe I do.

 

I read this in a review at Amazon.

 

First, many k-12 and college students are taught to (and do) use the 'reread and highlight' method to try and absorb content. Well, while this works to an extent, it leads more to an illusion of mastery than mastery. What works better? Read the content and quiz yourself; information retrieval is the key. Retrieving helps to build stronger connections in the brain that will lock information into memory. What's more - and this is another chapter - the harder the retrieval, the stronger your retention of what is retrieved. (So, writing a short essay recalling the concepts works better than true/false and multiple choice recall.)

Which made me think, "wax on! Wax off!" :laugh:

 

I'll have to put this book on my Wish List and check it out later. I have a couple of other books that I'm in the middle of right now.

"I'm so crazy, I don't know this is impossible! Hoo hoo!" - Daffy Duck

 

"The good news is that once you start piano you never have to worry about getting laid again. More time to practice!" - MOI

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I used to spend a lot of time playing scales and arpeggios and chords. Not so much these days. The trouble with concentrating on scales and chords is that you still do not learn how to play songs and do solos.

 

These days I do a couple of scales and Hanon-like stuff to warm up, and spend a lot of time playing IV-II-V-Is. I do VI-II-V-I in major, in all keys, VI-II-V-I in minor in all keys, and VI-II_V-I in dominants in all keys. I play right-hand lines over the changes and left-hand chord voicings and bass-lines under the changes. And then I spend time playing song melodies, bass-lines, and playing (slowly) thru an entire song to get the changes from verse to chorus, etc. The scales and hand exercises make up only a minor portion of my practice time.

 

It was easy for me to master scales, and I felt like I was progressing. But when it came time to play a song, all I knew how to do was play scales. My current practice demands more from me, but these days I don't fear when someone calls a song in 5 - 6 flats.

J.S. Bach Well Tempered Klavier

The collected works of Scott Joplin

Ray Charles Genius plus Soul

Charlie Parker Omnibook

Stevie Wonder Songs in the Key of Life

Weather Report Mr. Gone

 

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Joe, I can certainly tell that my one post does not convey the depth of what the book presents. I can say that the book is written very well and is quite interesting. The researchers hired a professional story teller and the research points are made with stories which make it easy to grasp some of the concepts. Here are a couple of stories that help illustrate some of the points.

 

The bean bag toss. Two groups of people practiced a bean bag toss into a can. The first group only practiced a 2 yard and a 4 yard toss, while the second group only practiced a 3 yard toss. The final test was a 3 yard toss. The group that performed best was the group that never practiced the 3 yard toss, but only practiced the 2 and 4 yard toss.

 

A second example can be paraphrased by this story. (similar to your bolded quote above).

 

One group of students read a 2 hour text 3 times. The second group was given a 5 minute quiz on the material they had not yet seen, given only 30 minutes to scan the material, and then again given a 5 minute quiz. Both groups were then given complete tests on the material.

 

The group that only spent 40 minutes (5 + 30 + 5) on the material performed significantly better in understanding the material than the group that spend 6 hours reading the material.

 

There are bunch of great stories that really illustrate how the human brain works best for long term learning. What I got from the book is that my method of Massed Practice (ie beating a dead horse) and working the same drill over and over is not the most effective use of my time. Yes it works to a point, but to truly create mastery I have to change these drills up much more frequently with drills that more closely simulate real playing.

 

I need to consistently get my self OUT of my comfort zone. Trying to remember a drill that I worked on 3 months ago, and then work on that drill for 10 minutes is more valuable than doing my Hanon book day after day. Redoing something that is already "Top of Mind" is not as valuable as doing something that you have to dig deep for. Plus the variety of interconnected drills will help build a thorough web of mastery.

 

I hope that these extra stories help build a picture.

Yamaha S90XS, Studiologic VMk-161 Organ

Small/powerful (i7, 32GB, M.2 SSD) PC controlled by 10" Touch Screen

Cantabile, Ravenscroft 275, Keyscape, OPX-II, Omnisphere 2, VB3, Chris Hein Horns, etc.

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I recall reading somewhere fairly recently about the effect that sleep has on learning. I'm paraphrasing obviously, but the basic point was that it was much better to try to learn (or practice) something for 15 minutes/day over the course of a week as opposed to one 105 minute practice session. Even though the total net number of minutes spent "learning" would be equal, learning something, and then literally "sleeping on it", greatly increased the brain's ability to retain.

 

More below, if interested:

 

KLONK

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I recall reading somewhere fairly recently about the effect that sleep has on learning. I'm paraphrasing obviously, but the basic point was that it was much better to try to learn (or practice) something for 15 minutes/day over the course of a week as opposed to one 105 minute practice session. Even though the total net number of minutes spent "learning" would be equal, learning something, and then literally "sleeping on it", greatly increased the brain's ability to retain.

 

More below, if interested:

 

KLONK

Yes Dongna - this is one of the points made in the book. In the first 15 minutes you are forcing yourself to "Recall" the information from long term memory. After the 15 minute time frame you are recalling the task for working memory, which is MUCH easier.

Yamaha S90XS, Studiologic VMk-161 Organ

Small/powerful (i7, 32GB, M.2 SSD) PC controlled by 10" Touch Screen

Cantabile, Ravenscroft 275, Keyscape, OPX-II, Omnisphere 2, VB3, Chris Hein Horns, etc.

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I used to spend a lot of time playing scales and arpeggios and chords. Not so much these days. The trouble with concentrating on scales and chords is that you still do not learn how to play songs and do solos.

 

These days I do a couple of scales and Hanon-like stuff to warm up, and spend a lot of time playing IV-II-V-Is. I do VI-II-V-I in major, in all keys, VI-II-V-I in minor in all keys, and VI-II_V-I in dominants in all keys. I play right-hand lines over the changes and left-hand chord voicings and bass-lines under the changes. And then I spend time playing song melodies, bass-lines, and playing (slowly) thru an entire song to get the changes from verse to chorus, etc. The scales and hand exercises make up only a minor portion of my practice time.

 

It was easy for me to master scales, and I felt like I was progressing. But when it came time to play a song, all I knew how to do was play scales. My current practice demands more from me, but these days I don't fear when someone calls a song in 5 - 6 flats.

 

BbAltered, Your experience and description above illustrates the situation well. My teacher had been giving me many drills like you now employ. But it took me reading the book to understand that my comfort level with the Massed Practice style drills (Hanon, scales etc) was the problem. And I needed to practice drills that allowed me more freedom of expression, and forced me out of the comfort zone. There was a time and place for the Massed Practice style drills. They allowed me to move on to the next phase, drills based upon more real world play.

Yamaha S90XS, Studiologic VMk-161 Organ

Small/powerful (i7, 32GB, M.2 SSD) PC controlled by 10" Touch Screen

Cantabile, Ravenscroft 275, Keyscape, OPX-II, Omnisphere 2, VB3, Chris Hein Horns, etc.

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It's always interesting to read about the science behind something you've already been doing for awhile. When it comes to learning tunes - I've almost always taken a combination approach. Initially, I'll spend a block of time repeating whatever it is that I'm working on. However, once I've reached the point that I know I can play it right ... my approach changes. From then on out, I set out to come at the passage "cold" until such time that I can play it right, virtually "on demand". It's not until I reach that point that I feel I've truly mastered it.
The SpaceNorman :freak:
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However, once I've reached the point that I know I can play it right ... my approach changes. From then on out, I set out to come at the passage "cold" until such time that I can play it right, virtually "on demand". It's not until I reach that point that I feel I've truly mastered it.

 

I do the same thing. Once I've 'learned' something I play it through 'cold'. When I walk by the piano I sit down and play it through once, then get up and continue on. If I continue to have problems, then it's back to the drawing board working through the parts that are giving me trouble. I adopted this approach when I was a kid and still taking lessons. I'd find that I'd flounder at my lessons. When I told me teacher that I played something fine at home, he replied that he didn't care. It was what I did during the lessons and recitals that mattered. Playing it cold at home like that was the closest I could get to the environment during lessons and recitals. Minus the nervousness and performance anxiety of course!

 

Jamie

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Wow somebody else was thinking exact the same thing. I've recently got that book, and I've read a half of it. I also thought about practicing effectively, and I tried to come up with the best way to practice. Since I started reading this book, I've started changing my practice routine.

 

I used to practice a lot of scales and arpeggios, and after I did that, I was already tired of practicing something else because I forced myself to practice those things and was mentally tired.

 

Anyway, I started taking notes from the book and I started changing my practice routine. It's so much more inspiring and fun to practice.

 

A couple of things the book says,

 

"Practice like you play, and you'll play like practice"

 

"You need to change it up in practice because too much repetition is boring"

 

He also points out that "Practice at least a day in between session is good", so I think if you work on the certain materials, you can practice the same thing at least a day in between session. I started doing this. Also, he says testing is good for you to burn things into your memory, so in stead of testing, I make some transcriptions of my favorite plays' licks like flash cards and try to use them with songs which called something in the book, and it helps even more.

 

Anyway, I will finish reading the book, and I will change my practice routine even more. So far, it's working.

 

I had to memorize some songs and I practiced them a day in between my practice, and indeed it was easier to memorize that way. I think people generally need time to digest things. Also, he points out sleep is important.

58 Hammond B3, 74 Leslie 122, 64 Hammond, A100, 61 Leslie 45, Hammond XK-5 system, Hammond SX Pro, SKX Pro, MAG P-2, etc... owned many others...

 

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Interesting.

I have never learned technique nor how to sight read/play.

I have not had a teacher and wouldn't know a scale if it dropped on my head.

I should also say I am not really a piano player.

But I practice every day playing the songs I am going to gig for 2 hours.

 

I do get comments (mainly from our sound tech) who says "you should learn scales or do this or that fingering) and sometimes I will pick up on the fingering.

 

Am I doing something wrong?

I don't hear any complaints from the audience.........

Yamaha CP70B;Roland XP30/AXSynth/Fantom/FA76/XR;Hammond XK3C SK2; Korg Kronos 73;ProSoloist Rack+; ARP ProSoloist; Mellotron M4000D; GEM Promega2; Hohner Pianet N, Roland V-Grand,Voyager XL, RMI
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Recently started a pretty strict regime going through modes (up one key, down the semitone above, etc), arpeggios, major, minor II-V-Is, pentatonics, etc, and while my technique has without a doubt improved I'm finding that I have to force myself to practice because I know that before I get onto the good stuff I have to spend an hour doing the excercises. Even if focusing on a different key every day, it's a bit of a slog.

 

Music is a discipline as much as anything else, but the result is that I'm practicing less than I previously did due to lack of motivation, even though I have so many things I need to be practicing this very second.

 

Gonna have a look at that book OP, thanks for sharing.

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Interesting.

I have never learned technique nor how to sight read/play.

I have not had a teacher and wouldn't know a scale if it dropped on my head.

I should also say I am not really a piano player.

But I practice every day playing the songs I am going to gig for 2 hours.u

 

I do get comments (mainly from our sound tech) who says "you should learn scales or do this or that fingering) and sometimes I will pick up on the fingering.

 

Am I doing something wrong?

I don't hear any complaints from the audience.........

I dont think anyone can answer that question. I - like the majority here I suspect - started out with a classical piano or organ education.

 

My classical education was based on moving through the grades which included theory, scales arpeggios etc. plus a selection of set pieces. You could not pass the exams without playing the set pieces well no matter how well you did your scales or answered the theory questions.

 

Those got the highest marks not only demonstrated technical proficiency they played the piece with feeling. The highest grade exam was all about performance in front of an audience. All the technical stuff is to develop the skills you need to connect with an audience.

 

Most of the guitarists, bass players and drummers I have played with since I was a teenager in my first band were self taught. Rock music, with some notable exceptions, is the domain of the self taught so there is no reason that keyboard players should be otherwise.

 

Like you today I just practice what is on our setlist, new stuff soon to be added, plus one 'challenge' piece that I like but have yet to master.

 

A misguided plumber attempting to entertain | MainStage 3 | Axiom 61 2nd Gen | Pianoteq | B5 | XK3c | EV ZLX 12P

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I'm self taught for years, then I took about 6 months of lessons a couple of years back. The one thing it did was give me a bit of structure with regards to warming up to play, I do 4 octave major/harmonic minor scales at a medium tempo and work through some things like 2 part inventions. After doing this for 30-45 minutes my hands feel more solid and "locked in" to what I want to do than before, when I would just dive in and practice gig stuff...
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It comes down to the type of music you are playing, if it is jazz or classical or solo

Elton John for that matter I would always warm up with scales and arpeggios. More often than not with rock stuff I revert to playing scales when I run out of inspiration. A lot of rock keyboard is not technically challenging.

 

After 10 minutes of scales I am motivated again to go in search of that killer riff or build a better solo.

A misguided plumber attempting to entertain | MainStage 3 | Axiom 61 2nd Gen | Pianoteq | B5 | XK3c | EV ZLX 12P

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Thank you for the info! :thu: I also found that learning different jazz standards is a good lesson in itself. In everyone one of them old tunes is a a lesson of some kind of lesson. Whether it be chordal or phrasing. The biggest cool factor for me is its something melodic. A mountain to conquer. :)

Recently started digging into the meat behind Satin Doll and Caravan. Both tunes I played for years but with a jam aspect. I'm learning alot of fat chords studying the sheet of them tunes. Especially Ellington! What a harmonic genius!! :cool:

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When did scales get such a bad reputation? I cant believe some of the replies I am reading from some of you who are accomplished players. I think people have a bad association with them because they were forced to play them as a kid or something. Do people even know what scales are for? Its an exercise, like push-ups to build dexterity and finger interdependencesuck it up. Who ever said they dont help you soloing is so dead wrong and that is a bunch of shit too. Does anyone really think that they would be able to solo at a high level with no training? The Zen of it is scales inter-directly influence other things you play. The problem with playing keyboards is the entry level skills needed are so much greater than playing say guitar or something, any wrong note is instantly recognizable live. You have to have some kind of concrete skills because unless your wickedly talented you will always plateau and stay at a certain level.

"Danny, ci manchi a tutti. La E-Street Band non e' la stessa senza di te. Riposa in pace, fratello"

 

 

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When did scales get such a bad reputation? I cant believe some of the replies I am reading from some of you who are accomplished players. I think people have a bad association with them because they were forced to play them as a kid or something. Do people even know what scales are for? Its an exercise, like push-ups to build dexterity and finger interdependencesuck it up. Who ever said they dont help you soloing is so dead wrong and that is a bunch of shit too. Does anyone really think that they would be able to solo at a high level with no training? The Zen of it is scales inter-directly influence other things you play. The problem with playing keyboards is the entry level skills needed are so much greater than playing say guitar or something, any wrong note is instantly recognizable live. You have to have some kind of concrete skills because unless your wickedly talented you will always plateau and stay at a certain level.
I think everyone would say that practicing scales is important. This thread takes into account how our brain processes this action.

 

In hindsight, I wish my teachers presented these drills in a way that would be more like playing music.

 

A good example for me is pentatonic scales. There are a zillion ways to practice. I think it's really important to find a way that you can practice and then use it live without just sounding like you're practicing.

AvantGrand N2 | ES520 | Gallien-Krueger MK & MP | https://soundcloud.com/pete36251

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When did scales get such a bad reputation? I cant believe some of the replies I am reading from some of you who are accomplished players. I think people have a bad association with them because they were forced to play them as a kid or something. Do people even know what scales are for? Its an exercise, like push-ups to build dexterity and finger interdependencesuck it up. Who ever said they dont help you soloing is so dead wrong and that is a bunch of shit too. Does anyone really think that they would be able to solo at a high level with no training? The Zen of it is scales inter-directly influence other things you play. The problem with playing keyboards is the entry level skills needed are so much greater than playing say guitar or something, any wrong note is instantly recognizable live. You have to have some kind of concrete skills because unless your wickedly talented you will always plateau and stay at a certain level.
I think everyone would say that practicing scales is important. This thread takes into account how our brain processes this action.

 

In hindsight, I wish my teachers presented these drills in a way that would be more like playing music.

 

A good example for me is pentatonic scales. There are a zillion ways to practice. I think it's really important to find a way that you can practice and then use it live without just sounding like you're practicing.

 

If your teacher had I guarantee you would be a different player and may have been better or worse so you can't say that. And no I don't think everyone believes that, that's why I wrote the response.

"Danny, ci manchi a tutti. La E-Street Band non e' la stessa senza di te. Riposa in pace, fratello"

 

 

noblevibes.com

 

 

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I have been meaning to contribute to some of the recent practice threads but thought it better to start a new thread. Let me first say that I am a practice junky. I have to be, I only took up piano in earnest 3 years ago at age 50. I have a background in sports as a high level national level amateur athlete that played in college and continued with this sport up until 3 years ago when, you guessed it, piano took over sports. So I know how to drill.

 

But after reading this book, I have been very willing to change up my practice routine. The book is, "Make it Stick - The Science of Successful Learning".

 

While I definitely subscribe to the philosophy "Perfect Practice Makes Perfect". The questions is what is the "Best Way" to practice.

 

Yes I have grinded away on scales to a metronome. One note per beat and one octave, then two notes per beat and two octaves, then triplets and three octaves, then 4 notes per beat and four octaves, up and down until I new them backwards and forwards. Same thing with chords, arrpegiating and blocking the different inversions, up an down, Maj7th, min7th, Dom7th. Yes I have done Hanon for 45 minutes everyday for 3 months in a row. Yes I have memorized Charles Banacos's book pentatonic practice. 24 drills in 12 scales equal about 40 minutes to get through. And yes this book is memorized, I don't even need to open it. There is no doubt I have employed what is called "Massed" practice. Drill baby Drill!

 

But this is NOT right, says the author of the above book and I tend to believe him. I won't give you the entire book synopsis, but I tend to believe that I have not been as productive with my drilling time as I could have been. This is why.

 

The author describes my type of practice as "Massed Practice". The reason I like it is that it gives me a structure, and I feel like I master the exercise because I get to spend a LOT of VERY concentrated effort on it at one time. So it feels good, it feels like I have mastered something. And indeed I have. I have mastered that one item in that one moment. But the author points out that real learning occurs when you struggle to learn something either because it is new, or you are coming back to it.

 

So now rather than spend 45 minutes on the same drill, I tend to focus more on all of the drills my teacher has previously put in front of me that are more "Real Life" drills, and then switch the drills up more frequently, possibly playing the drill in a different key, to get me out of my comfort zone. Now, rather that focusing on mastering a drill for 30 minutes until I FEEL good about it, I will be done with it at 10 minutes, and then switch to another drill.

 

This feels less satisfying, like I am never mastering one thing, but rather, learning several things half fast. But the book points out that all of the associated drills, re-inforce learning of the entire discipline, making me a better overall piano player rather than a good practicer of certain drills. I may not be stating the essence of the book in only 2 paragraphs very well, so I highly recommend the book for a further explanation of the material.

 

The bottom line is that this book has changed my practice philosophy significantly. I highly recommend the book for any teacher, or any person who considers themselves a lifelong learner. Fortunately the book is available on audio, so that I could listen while I run my miles. I love audio books!

 

 

thanks for the heads up - interested to hear what if any impact your change in practice has on your playing in general? please keep us posted

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Doesn't the "right way to practice" depend on:

1. What YOU want to play and

2. What the people PAYING YOU TO PLAY want to hear?

 

If the music you want to play doesn't depend on dazzling digital dexterity, then why spend lots of time on exercises? (Enough to warm up the hands, sure!)

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After reading all of these comments, I would like to add my most important take away from the book as it applied to my practice philosophy.

 

While I am not inherently lazy, I will drill drill and drill some more, I found that my drilling was mentally lazy, as I preferred to spend too much time on drills that I had already mastered. As I became more proficient with the drill, the less real learning was being achieved. Yet my perception, due to becoming more proficient and comfortable with the drill, was that I was actually learning. But the opposite is true, the more comfortable I am with drill the less actual learning takes place.

 

As a contrast, what I have been working on recently is very awkward for me. I am working on holding down a baseline pattern / rhythm while soloing with the right hand. The right hand then changes up rhythms from 1/2 notes, to triplets and quarter notes. When my right hand speeds up I invariably loose the groove with my left hand. But I can tell that on a daily basis I am getting a little better at this with each successive day. It is slow awkward and painful. I often have to break the drill down into its elements and / or use a metronome.

 

Practicing something I suck at, and struggle at is Not nearly as much fun and doesn't appear to be as rewarding. But I have come to believe through reading the book mentioned, the struggle is the space where real learning occurs.

 

So it is less about what I am practicing, and more about asking myself "Am I learning".

Yamaha S90XS, Studiologic VMk-161 Organ

Small/powerful (i7, 32GB, M.2 SSD) PC controlled by 10" Touch Screen

Cantabile, Ravenscroft 275, Keyscape, OPX-II, Omnisphere 2, VB3, Chris Hein Horns, etc.

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Every book I read has some influence on how I practice. Music is so holographic for me that I don't differentiate in that manner. My "practice" and my composition are almost incestuously close. Any time I try to do a Hanon thing, I end up saving some little snippet that it inspired. Patrick Moraz once asked some Brazilian street musicians if they could read music. The response was "Oh yes, but not enough to hurt our interpretation." I applaud any form of honest musical sweat, because we all come to music by a different route. My plus could be the next guy's minus and vice-versa. Synthesizers have 'democratized' music TOO much, in that you can make a great sound by pushing a button, so you can often hear the lack of serious commitment in things. OTOH, I can partially recreate the real pipe organ I got to play years ago on my table top and that is a visceral experience no book contains. Its riveting to me, in that there is no replacement for the reality of having your @$$ tied to the bench of any real organ, yet I get to surf the odd hybridization of having everything but the moving air and the smell of organ-pipe dust with Jetson-like ease. I'm basically satisfied that I'm in the right sweet spot in the middle, FOR ME. Some of you clonewheelers in particular really impress me, but I'm also happy to be my own type of mutant. You need to know the rules to honor them, but also how to break them where needed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 "I want to be an intellectual, but I don't have the brainpower.
  The absent-mindedness, I've got that licked."
        ~ John Cleese

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As I became more proficient with the drill, the less real learning was being achieved. Yet my perception, due to becoming more proficient and comfortable with the drill, was that I was actually learning. But the opposite is true, the more comfortable I am with drill the less actual learning takes place.

 

Still haven't read the book yet, but what you report above is similar to my experience. Thanks for the reports so far.

 

 

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Doesn't the "right way to practice" depend on:

1. What YOU want to play and

2. What the people PAYING YOU TO PLAY want to hear?

 

If the music you want to play doesn't depend on dazzling digital dexterity, then why spend lots of time on exercises? (Enough to warm up the hands, sure!)

 

Number one yes. Number two really doesn't have anything to do with anything. You don't have to have dazzling dexterity either. I guess it depends on what you want out of it like anything else. You just have to put in work if you want to play professionally or even semi-professionally. There really is no way around it.

"Danny, ci manchi a tutti. La E-Street Band non e' la stessa senza di te. Riposa in pace, fratello"

 

 

noblevibes.com

 

 

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Article written by a guitar teacher, inspired by content from this book (lesson should be applicable to any instrument, except the bits about fretboard position):

 

http://theaspiringguitarist.net/interleaved-practice/

 

Yep. Good article.

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