debitspread
03-07-2004, 03:19 PM
Go here:
http://www.musicalfossils.com/
This site was created by a guy who teaches piano to adults. His comments about learning and mastery apply to everybody, regardless of instrument.
Here's a little taste:
"People consider sports and music at opposite ends of the spectrum but they aren't. The verb itself is the same. One plays football and plays basketball and plays piano and plays violin. In music, only singing and drumming have their own verbs and they are the oldest of all musical activities.
Both sports and music involve endless amounts of practice. The great players of either sports or music practice incessantly. The practice is basic and all consuming. It is vastly repetitive and frequently boring and it doesn't feel like play at all; it feels more like work.
But after all the practice, being perfect in the basic skills is not enough to be a great player. The only thing that really counts is the playing, be it the game or the piece of music. The crowds don't pay to see or hear the practice and they really don't care if someone's form is perfect or all the notes are right. Audiences love these activities because of the end result. Music and sports only come to life in play. That's where the real excitement is.
This is a problem for many of us as adult students and as teachers. How do we move from practicing into play? When do we leave the overwhelming concern with what's "right" for the play of the game. What's the difference? What is the place of each in our musical lives? "
http://www.musicalfossils.com/
This site was created by a guy who teaches piano to adults. His comments about learning and mastery apply to everybody, regardless of instrument.
Here's a little taste:
"People consider sports and music at opposite ends of the spectrum but they aren't. The verb itself is the same. One plays football and plays basketball and plays piano and plays violin. In music, only singing and drumming have their own verbs and they are the oldest of all musical activities.
Both sports and music involve endless amounts of practice. The great players of either sports or music practice incessantly. The practice is basic and all consuming. It is vastly repetitive and frequently boring and it doesn't feel like play at all; it feels more like work.
But after all the practice, being perfect in the basic skills is not enough to be a great player. The only thing that really counts is the playing, be it the game or the piece of music. The crowds don't pay to see or hear the practice and they really don't care if someone's form is perfect or all the notes are right. Audiences love these activities because of the end result. Music and sports only come to life in play. That's where the real excitement is.
This is a problem for many of us as adult students and as teachers. How do we move from practicing into play? When do we leave the overwhelming concern with what's "right" for the play of the game. What's the difference? What is the place of each in our musical lives? "