Thinking When Practicing

[simeonalojipan]

Anybody follow the following practicing technique?

"Think nine times then play once but not the other way around."

In short, thinking>practice is more highly effective than practice>thinking.

Anybody notice change in this basic rule when practicing? I have, and now I'm improving almost ten times faster (and I now spend more than a quarter of the day practicing more effectively than I used to).

[j_menz]

I'd suggest that thinking>practice>thinking>practice.... is the way to go.

Think about what you are  going to practice, practice it, think about your practice, practice again in light of that thinking and so on.

[chechig]

sorry, but I dont' understand what you mean. can you explain it, please

[piano_vs_science]

I think and practice simultaneously
then I mess up and press wrong notes because I was concentrating on thinking
Then I tell myself to concentrate on playing and after a while of playing my mind starts to wonder and think about the origin of the universe
Then I mess up and the cycle starts again...

[birba]

Tell me about it...only MY thoughts are never so deep.  they're more like "did I remember to buy milk yesterday?"
I don't think you should ever think (!) while playing.  You should only listen.  You're right.  Thinking should be done before - and after - never during.

[chechig]

I understand now. defenitely is a problem when you start thinking in the middle of the practice, I lose concentration and is a mess. most of the times I force myself to think in the notes I'm playing. if this doesn't work I stop for a while.

[keyboardclass]

"Think nine times then play once but not the other way around."

Good one.  A bit like studying a map of the terrain before setting out.

[keypeg]

I think I know what is meant.  You have to know what you are going to play before you play it.  It doesn't mean to think profound thoughts about the whole piece.  It means that when you are about to play this phrase or those four notes, you know in your mind, body, and inner ear, what you will be doing or who you want to end up hearing.  It means that you don't let your fingers play the notes and then discover afterward what came out.  It is a certain "being present" to what you are doing.

Somebody mentioned the importance of "not thinking" while you play.  In the sense of "Hm, what shall we have for dinner?  Oh darn, I flubbed that one.  Where was I?  Hey, there's a fly on my score - and how time does fly." - yes, we don't want to do that.  But if you are present to your music and "thinking" about what you are doing, then you also stop that other kind of thinking.  At least that's what I found.

[birba]

But it's not "thinking" as such.  It's more like you said:  being present.  A little bit like zen meditation.  I find if I start thinking rationally, I lose it.  It's listening attentively to every note and "being there".

[natalyaturetskii]

Here is the link to an article my friend sent me about practice and thinking. The part about 'Mindless Practice' onwards is what you should read. I found that it helped me to prepare for performances better.

https://www.bulletproofmusician.com/how-many-hours-a-day-should-you-practice/

Natalya

[keypeg]

But it's not "thinking" as such.  It's more like you said:  being present.  A little bit like zen meditation.  I find if I start thinking rationally, I lose it.  It's listening attentively to every note and "being there".

No, I did not mean like zen meditation.  I meant being present, having a goal, and consciously reaching toward that goal.  The very end of the article quoted above says it best.

[timothy42b]

I took a lesson from a golf pro once. 
I hit a shot.  He asked me to grade it from 1 to 10.  After i did that, he had me grade my intent before the shot from 1 to 10.  Well, the shot might have been a lucky 6, but the intent was a 1 that time.  It was one of those zen moments.  Focus, concentrate. 

On the other hand, I was at a lecture from a world famous trombone player.  I won't use his name, but you've heard him a zillion times on studio recordings etc.  Someone commented that his life can never be boring, he's always doing some different type of project.  He replied, "well, yeah, but for 45 years I've started every single day with an hour of scales." 

He also said...........sigh...........blew my mind, but he said it..........he often practiced while watching soap operas on tv. 

[28lorelei]

My teacher pretty much describes this as hearing everything in perfect clarity in your inner ear, then willing it into being. 

[steone]

My teacher pretty much describes this as hearing everything in perfect clarity in your inner ear, then willing it into being.  

same here. From my expérience it's hearing/listening > thinking > practice

[birba]

I took a lesson from a golf pro once. 
I hit a shot.  He asked me to grade it from 1 to 10.  After i did that, he had me grade my intent before the shot from 1 to 10.  Well, the shot might have been a lucky 6, but the intent was a 1 that time.  It was one of those zen moments.  Focus, concentrate. 

On the other hand, I was at a lecture from a world famous trombone player.  I won't use his name, but you've heard him a zillion times on studio recordings etc.  Someone commented that his life can never be boring, he's always doing some different type of project.  He replied, "well, yeah, but for 45 years I've started every single day with an hour of scales." 

He also said...........sigh...........blew my mind, but he said it..........he often practiced while watching soap operas on tv. 

Arthur Rubenstein read novels while he was "practising".  Martha Argerich in her biography says she did the same thing to fool her mother that she was practising.  This type of practise sort of cultivates that "auto-pilot" which is good to have, I guess.
There's this good book
https://www.innergameofmusic.com/node/61

https://www.amazon.it/s/ref=nb_sb_noss/280-1391990-0355111?__mk_it_IT=%C3%85M%C3%85Z%C3%95%C3%91&url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=barry+green+game+of+music&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Abarry+green+game+of+music&ajr=0

[essynia]

I tend to think too much and over analyze what I am working on to the point where it's incredibly counterproductive. I would never opt for a "meditative" approach (per se) while working on my rep or even scales/everyday exercises, but sometimes I do have to clear my mind with exercises geared specifically toward a more passive/productive thought process before I begin my practice regimine. I deal with OCD on a daily basis, and have found that running a few miles or engagng in some sort of physical activity before any kind of intellectual/artistic work makes me feel more "connected" to my body and amps up the productivity level of my practice exponentially.

As for thinking about "what's for dinner" and the like.... I've never had that problem personally. If anything I just forget to eat, haha. If my thoughts ever wander, though, I just persevere and think of it as practicing gracefully despite outside pressure/influence/distraction/whathaveyou. ive been in concert halls and have gotten distracted with the thought of the cell phone in the second row, but because I embraced distractions in the practice room I was able to get through it....

Doubt that helped any, but there are my two cents. Haha.

[roseamelia]

I think and practice. And it's helped me a lot!In the beginning of my piece I stop and think what I need to do, look at the time signature if their are any sharps or flats. Then go on doing the song.