RESPIRO E MOVIMENTO®

DISCOVER YOUR REAL POTENTIAL

MUSIC

Why Practicing Too Much Can Lead to Worse Performance

By · Follow us: Facebook · Twitter · Instagram · YouTube

Repetition, repetition, repetition

In general, getting more practice repetitions is a good thing that leads to greater learning of a skill (as in this article on overlearning). However, there is such a thing as too many repetitions. Because at some point, we begin to get fatigued (mentally and/or physically), which can lead to a drop in the effectiveness of our practice sessions.

A recent study sheds some light on this issue.

A group of 32 college students were recruited to learn a finger tapping task (which you’ve done something similar to, if you ever practiced a tricky passage away from your instrument by tapping out the fingerings on your thumb or arm).

Participants in both the 80-repetition group and the 160-repetition group increased the speed of their performance from the first test to the last. But when it came to accuracy, participants in the shorter 80-repetition practice session made significantly fewer errors when tested 24 hours after their training session.

Participants in both the 80-repetition group and the 160-repetition group increased the speed of their performance from the first test to the last. But when it came to accuracy, participants in the shorter 80-repetition practice session made significantly fewer errors when tested 24 hours after their training session.

And the magic number is 37! No, seriously, I hate to disappoint, but I don’t think it’s about counting repetitions or recommending half as many repetitions for students with ADHD as those without. I also don’t think the study suggests that folks with ADHD only need practice half as much (or that they can’t practice more).

(via)

The 3 Biggest Mistakes Independent Artists Make

By · Follow us: Facebook · Twitter · Instagram · YouTube

1. What’s your motive? Are you passionate about music or fame?

The first and biggest mistake artists make is not understanding their MOTIVE. In other words, I mean DO IT FOR THE MUSIC!

A lot of times our motive changes and then we put our first love on the back burner. Sooner or later the actual sound of our music takes a hit. Not being passionate about the music we create shows and sticks out like a sore thumb.

2. What’s the quality of your audio?

Since technology has put the power of reaching audiences at the fingertips of any individual, it is important to understand that you are in the same ocean with every other artist in the industry.

The quality of your music is imperative and may just be the one key to your success or failure.  We are now in the era of DIY and home studios.

If we cannot create the music quality we desire ourselves then we should look to work with other musicians, engineers ,and producers. The Internet has also made it possible to work with online engineers and producers if you cannot find one locally that suits your style of music.

3. Is your online branding working for or against you?

This is a very broad topic, but I want to touch base on the issues I see a lot. First, the website! Think of your online presence like a physical mall — and your website is a store. If you are in the same mall as one of your favorite artists, your store would have to look presentable and be able to compete with the other store. Well the same goes for online branding. Too many artists just use the links to a music site (Bandcamp, SoundCloud, etc.) or their social networks to represent their brand.

(via)

A Clever Practice Technique To Get A Tricky Passage Up To Tempo

By · Follow us: Facebook · Twitter · Instagram · YouTube

Short-term vs long-term development

These results suggest that in the early stages of learning a skill, emphasizing accuracy can absolutely lead to more accurate results in the short term – but this may come at the expense of long-term development.  Which actually makes a lot of sense.

Because whether you play the harp, guitar, piano, or harmonica, when you play a passage slowly, the efficiency of your motor movements doesn’t matter so much. You can still play pretty accurately even if you’re doing things with your hands/fingers/arms that won’t work at faster tempos. Maybe that means you are using excessive finger pressure, or lifting your fingers higher than necessary, but either way, you may be developing “slow habits” that will hold you back as you begin to increase the speed. Habits and mechanics that will eventually have to be discarded or unlearned, in favor of more efficient and speed-friendly mechanics which do work at the final tempo.

But…only engaging in fast practice and missing all the notes can’t possibly build great habits either, right? Indeed…being able to play something super fast is great, but not if it sounds like a hot mess.

So what are we to do?

Well, musicians have actually had an answer to this for some time – and it’s quite clever.

Rhythm practice – or note groupings

Sometimes this is called rhythm or dotted rhythm practice, but trying to explain it in words makes it seem way more complicated than it really is.

So rather than listening to me fumble my way through it, I’m going to defer to Nathan Cole, the First Associate Concertmaster of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, who will show you how it’s done.

(via)