While investigating fascinating snippets that I have read about how taking breaks can help our practice, I came across this gold mine of information about how to practice with much greater efficiency and retention of learning. Dr. Molly Gebrian, a violist and scientist with degrees from Oberlin, the New England Conservatory of Music, and Rice, has put together fascinating videos about the science of learning—practicing—for musicians. Her insights are so vital that in 2024 she was engaged to teach courses on the science of practicing at the New England Conservatory.
She explains why different lengths of breaks in practicing— ten-second breaks, one-hour breaks, and even breaks of many days—work to allow the brain to do the work of learning. She explains that without the breaks, the brain doesn’t have enough time to create the structural changes required for learning.
Watch two of Dr. Gebrian’s videos, Part I and Part II. They are simply amazing. This new information will surely change my own practice habits!
We all have to keep on keepin’ on when it comes to playing in tune. Since we are fallible humans playing with other fallible humans, every note we play has a chance to go a little off. Here are a few thoughts about keeping up with the challenge of playing in tune: Don’t rely just on your tuning app. While tuning apps can be a good reality check about what our ears are telling us,
Musicians are, in general, remarkably unaware of how copyright works. I can say that because, although I consider myself a fairly well-informed musician, I have learned a lot about copyright since I started my music publishing career. Questions that I encounter: Q: If I wrote this arrangement of this copyrighted work, don’t I own the arrangement? A: No. The copyright holder of the original work owns the arrangement. In fact, you should get permission from
When we practice, we are learning to move our bodies in the optimum way to fulfill our musical intention. We improvise, try things out, experiment with this or that musical intention and find the most efficient and effective way to move to achieve that intent. When we practice well, we are rehearsing a sequence of movements that are guided by a series of musical intentions. When we work through a difficult spot, we are intensifying
Woody Allen said, “80% of success is showing up.” But showing up shouldn’t mean simply being in the room. Showing up should mean being present—attending to what’s happening around you. As an orchestral trombonist, my role in the orchestra often meant that I stayed in the background for long periods of time. Entire movements of some symphonies don’t have any trombone at all. It’s tempting to “check out” during those times. However, I found it
In some musical circles and in some eras, transcriptions have been disdained. The current trend in authentic performance practices for music of the Baroque era, for example, is difficult to replicate on some modern instruments. Another concern is that music from other cultures will be “culturally appropriated” if played by Western musicians on Western instruments. But isn’t there some value in transcribing music? Although pianists, violinists, and cellists could live their entire performing lives playing
I’m at a performance of the San Francisco Symphony tonight, with James Gaffigan conducting. Program: Missy Mazzoli: Sinfonia (for Orbiting Spheres) (2014) Samuel Barber: Violin Concerto, Opus 14 (1940), with violinist Ray Chen Sergei Prokofiev: Symphony No. 5 in B-flat major, Opus 100 (1944) Live music is the best music.
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