What Are You Thinking?

What are you thinking about?

I’m often asked the question “what am I doing wrong?” or “why am I not doing this right?”

Those questions are usually in reference to a student’s apparent lack of progress.  I usually ask the obvious questions about practice time and what they understand about the lesson given the week before...the usual things.  If everything seems to be in order then I usually follow a different line.

There is a habit of thought that most students follow and it is a natural process.  When you are learning an instrument and the progress is not coming as fast as you would like,  the normal reaction is to look at what you are not doing...what it is that your playing lacks.  

So, the student focuses on his or her unsatisfactory playing and it becomes foremost in mind.  

I will usually ask a few questions that ferret out answers that relate to the above issues.  The reason for this is that there is a often misunderstood universal rule that works this way:  If you are focusing mostly on the things you are doing wrong, you will undoubtedly get more of that and therefore less of what you want...which is success.

It’s really pretty easy actually.  Instead of thinking about all the mistakes and hardships that you are having regarding your playing, you should be thinking about what you want it to sound like when it’s learned.  That might sound either quite obvious or it might be a revelation to you.

As an experienced musician,  I am constantly thinking about the goal of the piece I am learning and not thinking about the mistakes or missteps along the way.  Believe me....it is the better method.  

For that reason it is a good idea to get a recording of the music you are learning and it should be done at a speed close to what you are capable of playing.  

Try it....it works!!!

Until next time...Stick to Picking

-Robert

Posted by Robert Bowden at 9/4/2010 4:46 PM
Categories: uncategorized
Tags: sacramento banjo teachers sacramento mandolin teachers sacramento fiddle teachers music learning fiddle teacher banjo teacher mandolin teacher
 

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