learned something. do you concur?

[BoliverAllmon]

I was working a certain piece and it was killing me to get it up to speed. I took a few minutes and went to a new piece. I had some fun and tried to play this other piece as fast as I could. Now, my brain was now having to work at a faster rate of speed and when I went back to my previous piece my brain was still working at a faster speed and therefore was able to think quicker and react quicker to the piece. In turn, my piece improved tons by playing something else.

what do you think? or is this something that everyone knows already?

boliver

[Antnee]

Breaks are extremely beneficial. No matter what kind. Yes. Sometimes, when I practice a piece, I will play through it once, not to my satisfaction. I will put it aside and play something else. Later, when I come back to it, It sounds much better. A similar situation to yours Boliver. Sometimes, your brain needs to get into its 'mode'. Have you ever had those special practice days, where you play everything at speed exactly how you want it? I think this is a similar situation. Your brain just needs to sort of activate itself. But I think the main factor, was the break you took.  Whenever I start playing and get really into it I stop and take a short break, and then come back and everything is better than before. It keeps you fresh and doesn't let your brain fry sitting by at the keys for hours straight.

[liszmaninopin]

I know exactly what you mean.  It isn't uncommon at all for me in a serious practice session to take breaks, because it is taxing on the concentration. 

[mound]

the practice methods Bernhard describes has you taking a 5 minute break every 20 minutes or so.

[faulty_damper]

I was working a certain piece and it was killing me to get it up to speed. I took a few minutes and went to a new piece. I had some fun and tried to play this other piece as fast as I could. Now, my brain was now having to work at a faster rate of speed and when I went back to my previous piece my brain was still working at a faster speed and therefore was able to think quicker and react quicker to the piece. In turn, my piece improved tons by playing something else.

what do you think? or is this something that everyone knows already?

boliver

It's something some people know already.

Using weights as an analogy:
lift 1 pound.
lift 5 pounds.
lift 1 pound.
1 pound weight feels lighter than before!

This is motor unit recruitment.  The same happens to your brain when you use it!

[Shagdac]

Not only does switching to a different piece sometimes make all the difference, but i've also noticed that sometimes...a day or so break from a piece can make all the difference in the world.

S