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Mental Practice

12/27/2013

10 Comments

 
Practising an instrument is very much like bodybuilding, isn't it? An exceedingly physical act that involves warmup, stretching, muscles, tendons, stamina, endurance, agility, etc. All those things related to moving your body and getting stronger. The physical aspect of playing the guitar is undeniable, sure… But the mental aspect of it should not be overlooked. Actually, many will argue that practising is predominantly an activity of the mind rather than the body. Neurologists say that learning is the process by which new neural connections occur in the brain and through practise these connections strengthen and thicken, so to speak. Every time you practise, the brain will add a new strand to the existing group of connections pertaining to the piece you are working on and the physical representation of the piece in your brain will thicken and become more permanent. They also say that the brain doesn't know the difference between the "real" and the "imagined" input. In other words, it doesn't matter whether you are playing the piece with your hands or in your mind - your mind will not know the difference and treat either as actual practice. There are several controlled experiments all over the world carried out with music students to prove this point. Students are asked to decipher a piece and then practise it for a certain period of time without touching the instrument. Then their progress is compared to the one displayed by the students who did the same amount of practice on the instrument. The results are quite exciting. Looks like, practising in your mind is equally and at times even more effective than its physical counterpart.

Why did I develop an interest in this? I did not play guitar for an extended period of time. I didn't have time or energy. Life got in the way. But, one thing that I never gave up doing was playing guitar in my mind - pretty much all the time! Then whenever I picked up my instrument just to noodle on it bit to relax I was quite surprised to see that I was still able to play - some pieces even better than when I actually practised them. I didn't know why this was at the time. Just assumed that I was lucky or that I practised really well when I learned them. Now I think it was due to my constant mental practise. In this context, I highly recommend this book titled The Brain That Changes Itself by Norman Doidge. Excellent treatise about neuroplasticity - how you can change your physical brain simply by thinking about it.

These days probably 60% of my practice takes place completely in my head. Meaning, once I've deciphered the piece I'm working on, I set aside time to practise it in my imagination, visualizing my hands, fingers while hearing the music in my mind. Make no mistake, mental practice is not easy. It is not just playing the melody haphazardly in your head. You need to make an effort to imagine yourself on the instrument performing the piece feeling every single note, every single position - left hand, right hand alike. You have to go over difficult passages repeatedly, play some parts slowly just like physical practice. It's surprisingly effective! Also, you don't have to worry about straining your fingers, disturbing the neighbours, wearing out the strings, and you can pick the fanciest, the most expensive guitar you wish to play on. Give it a try... 

10 Comments
Eduardo Heredia
5/3/2015 03:39:45 pm

It's really quite interesting what are you sharing here. A few days ago, you submitted several questions about the "frustation" related to playing guitar.

I answered the questions with the main idea to figure out what the heck is going on.

One of the things that i realize is about what are you talking here, the mental aspect. In my case, i just only have been wasted hours repeating some stuff to improve my technique. A few days ago i stopped doing that and "thinking" more what i'll gonna play and how i'll gonna play.

To end the story, i agree totally with you to consider to "think" before to "play"

Reply
Orhan
5/5/2015 11:59:40 pm

Thank you,Eduardo. I am glad this makes sense to you.
I've been finding it very useful to do lots of mind work to improve my playing. Especially since I don't get much time to practise physically.

Reply
André Ohren link
11/17/2015 01:51:22 am

Hello Orhan,
thank you very much for sharing your interesting thoughts here about "mental practice".
I've made a similar experience like you … for other reasons though. Let me tell you (and sorry for my clumsy english):
After a heavy intense period of playing and practicing in my twenties I quit playing the guitar after a (lets call it like that) "personal crisis". Believe it or not: I did not play for about 20 years and started again not even two years ago from now.
To my own surprise after only a few weeks I was not only able to play most of the same pretty ambitious repertoire like 20 years ago. I was even playing better then before. I can proof that any time when I listen to the tapes from 20 years ago.
It is mainly about the control of compás and awareness of sound and tones and what you do and how you convert the single elements of your playing into something complete and whole.
Maybe my velocity in picado was a bit better those days but compared to what I do today I would say: 20 years ago I was trying to tame the instrument. what I do today is making music.
How could this happen? Today I think if you are into music you do not stop making music even if you do not play a certain instrument. Of course you neither do not stop listening to music, thinking about and analyzing music.
Also during the 20 years of guitar-absence I did not totally stop making music. I learned other instruments like accordion (on a basic, autodidact and very leisure level) and I enjoyed it very much because compared to a guitar the accordion is a strong and powerful instrument (the guitar i.e. with nylonstrings is not). In fact: Since I learned, what it means to play a strong instrument, I understand the guitar better then before and know what the instrument can do and what not.
So, yes, I think its true. Call it "mental practice" or just "musical maturing" – time can be a great helper when we deal with music. your sense of music keeps growing also without endless practicing of speed and technical skills.

Reply
atrafana link
11/17/2015 02:34:00 am

Thanks for sharing your insights!

Reply
Ayhan Üretmen
12/17/2015 12:20:54 am

I totally agree with you Orhan. I am playing Baglama (long necked turkish lute) since almost 25 years now and there were times where i did intense physical practise but also quite long time spans where i did not play at all. I had same experiences in finding out that these pauses did not do any harm on the playing at all but sometimes even improved it. You proposed to do mental practise what needs to be practised, but there is also one aspect (that was already pointed out by previous writer who said he had learned other instruments too etc.) and that has also great influence on playing: simply listening to (any good) music is also forming the mind and helps to keep ur physical playing in shape (although this sounds weird because at the end real physical practise is necessary too of course to get things complete).
greets from berlin.

Reply
O
12/17/2015 06:15:26 am

Thanks for sharing your insights!

Reply
Lela Caldwell
12/29/2016 08:52:15 pm

Visualize success 👍🏼

Reply
Neven Sakotic
6/12/2020 08:55:15 pm

Thank You maestro Orhan .Your concept is great and best in internet.You are honest and you give all support .This kind of support students or people who want to learn could not find on other online guitar schoos.So Thank You.

Reply
Alberto
12/7/2020 09:09:42 am

I totally agree whith what you say and thanks to the additional contributions which I totally accept as true.

There is an additional insight that let me infer the intense relationship, or influence, of my mind with my hability to play. Have any of you experienced that when playing alone, just for the joy of simply practicing and listening your own music you play much better than when you try to perform in front of an audience, right?.
When I try to please other people with my play, my mind gets in the middle and my attention turns to the audience and not to the music and sometimes I forget complete parts of the piece that I supposedly know very well. Why is that?. It's frustrating that I even know in advance where in the piece I am going to fail.

Reply
Jonathan Williams link
10/31/2022 01:10:04 am

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  • Home
  • Join atrafanaSchool
  • Total Training
  • Beginners
  • STORE
  • e-learning
  • Skype Lessons
  • Techniques
    • Flamenco Guitar Techniques: Picado
    • Flamenco Guitar Techniques : Tremolo
    • Flamenco Guitar Techniques : Alzapua
    • Flamenco Guitar Techniques : Arpeggio
    • Flamenco Guitar Techniques : Three - Finger Picado
    • Flamenco Guitar Techniques: Pulgar
  • Repertoire
  • Youtube Flamenco Guitar Lessons
    • Youtube Flamenco Guitar Lessons - Punta del Faro (Buleria)
    • Youtube Flamenco Guitar Lessons - Reflejo de Luna (Granaina)
    • Youtube Flamenco Guitar Lessons - GitanosTrianeros (Solea)
    • Youtube Flamenco Guitar Lessons - El Tempul (Buleria)
    • Youtube Flamenco Guitar Lessons - Barrio La Viña (Alegria)
    • Youtube Flamenco Guitar Lessons - Mi Inspiracion (Alegria)
    • Youtube Flamenco Guitar Lessons - Punta Umbria (Fandango)
    • Youtube Flamenco Guitar Lessons - Llanto a Cadiz (Tientos)
    • Youtube Flamenco Guitar Lessons - Gloria al Nino Ricardo (Solea)
    • Youtube Flamenco Guitar Lessons - Cepa Andaluza (Buleria)
    • Youtube Flamenco Guitar Lessons - Aires Choqueros (Fandango)
    • Youtube Flamenco Guitar Lessons - Plaza de San Juan (Alegria)
    • Youtube Flamenco Guitar Lessons - Recuerdo a Patino (Alegria)
    • Youtube Flamenco Guitar Lessons - Celosa (Solea por Buleria)
    • Youtube Flamenco Guitar Lessons - Callejon del Muro (Minera)
    • Youtube Flamenco Guitar Lessons - Aires de Linares (Taranta)
    • Youtube Flamenco Guitar Lessons - Generalife Bajo la Luna (Granaina)
    • Youtube Flamenco Guitar Lessons - Buleria by Paco Pena
    • Youtube Flamenco Guitar Lessons - Rumbeando la Milonga by Paco Pena
    • Youtube Flamenco Guitar Lessons - Riomar (Fandango)
    • Youtube Flamenco Guitar Lessons - Granada En Flor
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