Three steps to effortlessly learn difficult passages
In this post I will share with you how to apply the lesson we learned in yesterday's post so you can effortlessly learn the passages you most struggle with.
Today’s three sections are:
How to notice what gets in the way of your ability to learn difficult passages
How to free yourself of these hindrances
Three steps to effortlessly learn difficult passages
How to notice what gets in the way of your ability to learn difficult passages
We’ve all come across passages that just give us a really hard time. We play them and play them, practicing them in all kinds of ways, but we still end up making the same mistakes over and over. Alternatively, we can play the passage just fine in the practice room but then flub it in rehearsal or on stage. What’s going on here?
I’ve found that it’s all about intention. Last week we covered three different intentions that can either hinder or help your music-making. To review, these were:
“I have to do it fast and I have to get it right”
“I can’t do it and I give up”
“I am at ease with myself and I have plenty of time”
Take these in, one at a time, and just notice how each thought affects your body.
Now think of a difficult passage that you’re currently working on. Bring it to mind as clearly as you can or, if it helps, get your sheet music out and take a look at the passage. Visualize playing that passage. Now notice what comes up for you - thoughts, sensations, emotions… What comes up for you?
Which of the three thoughts listed above is closest to your reaction to thinking about the passage?
For many of us, we’re probably thinking “I have to do it fast and I have to get it right.” I’m going to make a bold claim here: This thought, and the attendant tension in your body, is probably the single biggest hindrance in your music-making. There are many other hindrances that could be at work, but this is probably the biggest one. I invite you to become sensitive to your thinking around music, to notice when you’re in “getting-it-right mode.” You may be surprised at how prevalent it is.
How to free yourself of these hindrances
Now let’s try turning this around. Bring to mind that same difficult passage and again notice what comes up for you. This time, once your initial reaction has passed, try visualizing playing that passage with this new thought: “I am at ease with myself and I have plenty of time.” What comes up for you this time? How is that different?
Try this thought while actually playing your instrument. You may be surprised at the difference. The idea here is that you’re noticing how you think about a passage and making a different choice. Here’s how to apply this to your daily practice...
Three steps to effortlessly learn difficult passages:
Find the “critical moment.” A “critical moment” is the precise moment when your body tenses up unnecessarily. It could be during an important transition, a shift up or down the fingerboard, the onset of the out-breath, the leap from one section of the keyboard to another, a sudden shift in dynamics, when you shift between arco and pizzicato, or between two notes that are awkward to play. Find the exact moment - it’s usually in the space between two particular notes.
Now try this method: I call it “breaking it down and building it back up.” When you know your critical moment, play it several times with this thought in mind: “I am at ease with myself and I have plenty of time.” Play it until it becomes so smooth and effortless. Now add the note just before and repeat the process. Now add the note just after and repeat those four notes until they become smooth, all the while thinking, “I am at ease with myself and I have plenty of time.” Do this until you have the critical moment and the measures surrounding it smooth.
Now play from 8 or so measures prior to your critical moment. Notice your thinking while you play - do you go back to trying to “get it right?” or do you stay at ease? Play these 8 measures or so until the whole section is so smooth and effortless that you could do it in your sleep. Go find another critical moment and repeat this whole process
This method works whether you’re learning something for the first time or if it’s a passage that’s given you trouble for years. Of course, it’s best to do this right from the very beginning, so keep this in mind while you approach the next song or scale that you learn.
Conclusion
An essential lesson of the AT is that how you think affects how you use your body. Many of us, musicians especially, approach what we do in a counter-productive way - we think about “getting it right” without noticing that that thought tenses up our body, thus getting in the way of your ability to actually achieve your aim. Instead, try practicing and performing with a different thought in mind: “I am at ease with myself and I have plenty of time.”
See you tomorrow!
Joseph
