Thoughts on learning technique as an adult

[ranjit]

I came up with some new ideas recently and thought I might post.

    Think of it like a set of "wagers": iterate ->
    Try to feel your 'internal state' and make a "bet".

For example:

    I think I can play this passage while focusing most of my attention on the melody while keeping everything else intact.
    -> Pass/Fail? Fail.
    I think I can play the melody and bass while staying attentive without my mind wandering 2x in a row.
    -> Pass
    I think I can play everything at a slower tempo exactly once on my first attempt.

And so on.

Also, I have found that focusing on internal sensation of playing a passage or technique correctly produces the desired outcome more effectively than visually observing said sensation. For example, observe until you can play correctly once -> figure out the feeling or a set of words to condense the thought ("relax shoulders") -> try to repeat it a few times in a row.

Focusing on auditory prediction is also huge. I would recommend, for most people, to listen to the best recording you can find or that suits your taste that you want to emulate. (If you are sufficiently advanced, you can audiate the interpretation you want on your own, but I find this difficult.) Then, try to aim for the sound while not paying attention to the technique you are using to produce the sound. This works better if you have heard the sound live (e.g. played by your teacher) because the fidelity of the sound is then higher. Then, aim to produce the sound while paying attention to certain basic aspects of relaxation that you can keep to at most 2-3 things, preferably just one (e.g. high knuckles). For most of your attempts, do not look at the hands, just feel yourself doing it. But also spend a few attempts observing yourself keenly, and if you notice something off, correct it.

Tying together set of words to describe the sensation with auditory prediction produces some of the quickest and most durable results that I've seen.

I've found this extremely helpful to learn technique quickly and reliably. A corollary that leaves something to think about: it might be better to learn technique through sections of pieces rather than exercises, because it creates a more precise aural image and thus helps with auditory prediction and task motivation.

Also, I know this might sound like voodoo but here goes: While you're learning a new piano technique, you should try to successfully fool yourself into thinking that it is completely doable. Especially as adults, we get into these thought loops where we think that certain kinds of playing are beyond us ("there's no way I can play scales fast", etc.) Successfully fooling yourself into thinking it can be done can go very far. I have a strong but unfounded belief that adults believing that it is objective reality that learning advanced technique is beyond them is the major reason why most don't succeed.