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An article in last week’s health section of the New York Times cites research suggesting that people who practice self-compassion have more positive outcomes with losing weight and exercising than those who are more self-critical.
While reading the article, I wondered whether we could look at practicing in the same way.
The researchers found that people do better by engaging in helpful actions rather than criticizing themselves or feeling worse because they slipped.
Most of us have found ourselves in the following situations:
- not having enough practice time due to interruptions or planning to do too much music in the time available
- missing too many notes and dynamics
- playing worse than yesterday, playing under tempo
We have choices
Perhaps we had a maintenance issue at home which took a chunk of our practice time. Is it helpful to get mad? Or can we find ways to use the available time well?
Sometimes we practice when we feel tired, affecting our concentration and stamina. Can we find a way to practice effectively?
Adjustments we can make
We can revise our practice “to do” list for the day. Fighting the situation is not helpful. That causes tension, fast playing to make up for lost time, and learning mistakes.
Just for today, why not choose to practice less repertoire? If we are very pressed for time (i.e. if there is an hour left when we had planned on having two or three), we can choose certain passages or a movement or two. Even a half hour can be useful.
We can look ahead and realize that tomorrow is another day. Our abbreviated practice on one day doesn’t have to ruin an entire week.
From time to time, we will find ourselves too tired to practice at all. It’s important to give ourselves permission to realize that. Forcing ourselves to keep at it will only be frustrating, and won’t result in learning much music correctly. Besides, music often “cooks” on its own between practice sessions.
If we are coming down with a cold, it’s OK to pay attention to that. I sometimes practice when sick, but not with fever. Choosing slower tempi makes more sense than pushing through at all costs.
Example
In my past lives, I was right up there with the self-criticism. Learn the music NOW. No excuses. California or bust!
But during graduate school, I hit a wall.
I had decided to do a recital of Messiaen‘s songs with a faculty soprano. We programmed all but the cycle “Harawi,” an hour and 15 minutes of music.
My plan was to learn all the notes over January break. “Learn” meant knowing all the notes, not necessarily in tempo.
For the first two weeks, my plan worked well. I learned half the program.
And then… brain freeze! No more accidentals!
Obviously, something had to change. I rescheduled the concert for a later date, allowing more time to learn the music. And I started running to clear my head and develop the stamina needed for the performance.
The concert went very well! And I learned something about the “all or nothing” approach.
I have yet to visit California.
Do you practice with self-compassion? Have you experienced brain freeze? What changes did you make?
Please share your thoughts in the comment section below!
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crosseyedpianist said:
I used to be very negative in my practising – cursing myself for errors and getting frustrated if my practice time was curtailed, for whatever reason. Now I try to “accentuate the positive”: if something goes well, or I crack a tricky passage, I congratulate myself. I tell myself I can do it and when things don’t go right, I try to keep calm, figure it out and start again. Sometimes, just walking away from the piano helps. And if I don’t get enough practice in one day, I make it up the next. But I don’t get too worked up about it. Thus, I really enjoy my practising these days and come away from the piano with the sense of a job well done. Thanks for your thoughtful and interesting post (and for adding me to your blogroll – I will repay the compliment!) 🙂
GretchensPianos said:
Hi!
Thanks for your great comments!
A big issue for me used to be learning one thing new, like fingering, then adding dynamics. The fingering was still new, so focusing on dynamics affected my ability to get the fingering right. So I’d get mad at myself.
Now, if I’ve played a phrase with an improved element in it, such as the dynamics, I’ve reached my goal. I almost expect something else to go out the window at first.
It is more fun, isn’t it?
Thanks for adding me to YOUR blogroll! 🙂
Gretchen
mark niemela said:
Yes – practicing smarter, not necessarily harder. Scott Speck, conductor of the Alabama Symphony, counseled taking a passage @ a seemingly ridiculously slow tempo – whatever you need to play it right. String player Richard (Dick) Loomis calls it “your” tempo. Compasssion and validation implied.
GretchensPianos said:
Hi Mark,
Not so easy, is it? I find it harder to remember to slow down when a performance is a day or two away. But guess what? It works!
Thanks for your comments.
Gretchen
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