About the logic behind...
Published: Jan 4, 2019 | Category: Music Learning , Philosophy
..." I' m canceling this lesson because I have not been practicing".
That argument is totally understandable, and you are all free to come in and cancel anytime you see fit.
However, I invite you to ponder a few thoughts:
We can all agree on two things:
Not practicing does not work well.
Not coming to a lesson does not work well either.
Can those two "Wrongs" make a " Right" ? I do not believe so.
From where I stand, it is a little bit the equivalent for a runner to say: "I wont run today because I have not ran."
As teacher and coach, it is my job to keep you empowered to move forward. However, learning the guitar, and growing musicianship, is not always a straight-forward linear thing, as in cooking rice, or even Mathematics for example,
where if you miss step 2 , you will not get step 3.
The idea is to have a plan that works for you, be it weekly, Bi-weekly, monthly and then stick to it.
In my experience, I'm never ever feel ready enough for a gig. And yet, if I show up mindful, it works out.
That argument is totally understandable, and you are all free to come in and cancel anytime you see fit.
However, I invite you to ponder a few thoughts:
We can all agree on two things:
Not practicing does not work well.
Not coming to a lesson does not work well either.
Can those two "Wrongs" make a " Right" ? I do not believe so.
From where I stand, it is a little bit the equivalent for a runner to say: "I wont run today because I have not ran."
As teacher and coach, it is my job to keep you empowered to move forward. However, learning the guitar, and growing musicianship, is not always a straight-forward linear thing, as in cooking rice, or even Mathematics for example,
where if you miss step 2 , you will not get step 3.
The idea is to have a plan that works for you, be it weekly, Bi-weekly, monthly and then stick to it.
In my experience, I'm never ever feel ready enough for a gig. And yet, if I show up mindful, it works out.
Coming to a lesson without the feeling of having practiced sufficiently can still be very beneficial for a few reasons:
1) You probably have retained more than you are consciously aware : The brain/mind learns, organizes and integrates knowledge unconsciously even when away from the guitar.
I have noticed that on many occasion in my own ( lack of) practice : I take a break from a tune and Boom, here it comes weeks later, better than the last time. Also, I remember during back-to-school September, a teenage students barely touched his guitar for weeks of Summer, but his chord passing had progressed as if he had practiced ! baffling, illogical.
Could it be that the brain had digested and integrated knowledge ? Yes indeed. Science tells us that this happens- mostly during sleep-. While sleeping, the brain is working hard: Knowledge is organized, conclusions drawn and hypothesis formulated.
I have noticed that on many occasion in my own ( lack of) practice : I take a break from a tune and Boom, here it comes weeks later, better than the last time. Also, I remember during back-to-school September, a teenage students barely touched his guitar for weeks of Summer, but his chord passing had progressed as if he had practiced ! baffling, illogical.
Could it be that the brain had digested and integrated knowledge ? Yes indeed. Science tells us that this happens- mostly during sleep-. While sleeping, the brain is working hard: Knowledge is organized, conclusions drawn and hypothesis formulated.
2) Jogging your memory of a "distant' lesson is a great exercise by itself that yields many surprises. (some comes from statement #1), and provides often a fresh rediscovery of the material. It sometimes gives a chance to muscle memory to surprisingly come into action to support cognitive memory. Always a pleasant surprise.
3) I can remember a few perfect lessons that came out of spontaneity. Creating actual music together often reveals that more has been learned than thought. Indeed, an agenda-free lesson can lead to revelatory jams, unexpected lines of questions, and out-of the blue chord progressions. The "unfocused mind" often makes room for creativity and subconscious mind expression. ( Here is a fascinating lecture an that subject)
So on your own time, but keep your rhythm and momentum !
So on your own time, but keep your rhythm and momentum !
ChEars,
Bertrand