This article on how musicians should practice captured my attention the other day. For those who love podcasts as much as I do,
check this podcast with the writer of the article,
Dr. Christine Carter, interviewed by Andrea from
TeachPianoToday.What are we talking about?
More often than not, musicians (me included!) find that after a grueling practice session of repeating a difficult passage many times and finally making progress, all the progress disappears the next time. Even worse, you look like you didn’t practice in front of your teacher. What Dr. Carter talks about mainly, is the
difference between block practicing, and random practicing.What is Block Practicing?
Block practicing is
repeating a difficult section over and over again, until improvement is obviously evident. Sound familiar? This technique is the most standard way to practice a tricky part. More commonly, it is heard in this way:
“Do this section 10 times correct in a row”
What is Random Practicing?
Random practicing is
repeating the first difficult passage a couple times, then switching to another difficult passage (even if the first passage has not been perfected). Return to the first section afterwards, or skip to another difficult passage first. For example:
Practice bar 1-4 three times. Practice bar 8-12 three times Practice bar 1-4 three times again Practice bars 16-20 three times Practice bar 1-4 three times again
Which is More Effective?
Based on Dr. Carter’s research,
students who do Random Practicing experience better results than students who do Block Practicing.Why?
Although
block practicing reinforces muscle memory, and shows evident improvements during the practice session itself, it does not promote learning efficiently. This means that the
progress made with block practicing is often temporary. Our brain also becomes “bored” of repeating the same passage over and over again, which
negatively effects our focus, patience, and overall productivity. Random Practicing allows for more variety in practicing. Practicing different sections randomly means a more interesting practice session. Because
our brains must reset each time we approach a new section ,this promotes more learning, and more long term results. According to Dr. Carter’s research,
random practicing is twice as effective as block practicing, even though the time spent practicing is the same. Let’s get to random practicing then! Take Piano lessons with Mr. Eric Learn More about Piano Lessons Eric Ng (B.Mus, A.R.C.T , ECE ) is a piano teacher based in Richmond, B.C. Mr. Eric has taught in a variety of early childhood education styles, including Reggio-inspired, Montessori, Play-based, and Outdoor-based settings. Along with his formal classical music training from the RCM curriculum and the University of Victoria, Mr. Eric brings a unique perspective to teaching music to young children today. 
