Hello ,

Have you ever had the experience of playing something well at home, and then it fails when you play for someone else? I think we’ve all been there.

As a teacher, I hear this multiple times every week: “But I played it better at home!” And I believe the student is 100% telling the truth. At one point I even had a pillow that said this in my studio.

This phenomenon is so common it even has a name: it's called the mastery illusion. It’s a pitfall of blocked practice – repeating something over and over again many times.

🧱While blocked practice does improve your execution in the moment, the retention isn’t great. You get the illusion of mastery, but when it’s time to perform for someone else – where you don’t get multiple attempts to get it right – things can fall apart. That’s because blocked practice doesn’t prepare you for nailing it on the first try.

But don’t worry! There IS a cure.

👉 Keep reading for a practice technique precisely tailored to overcome this challenge. 💪

First off, I heard back from several of you about last week’s practice technique - repeating a short section 3 times, taking a micro break, then doing three more repetitions. It’s great to hear you’re applying it to various skills, from basketball to artwork. Keep it up!

Now, some new ideas from yesterday’s class with Molly Gebrian. We learned about the power of random practice versus blocked practice. Instead of practicing one thing ten times, then moving to the next, and so on, you mix it all up.

For example, practice the first thing twice, the second thing once, the third thing three times, back to the first thing once, and so on. There have been many studies showing this method is much more effective for long-term retention. It doesn't feel effective as you're doing it, but the results are well proven. 🔀

⏲️ Molly shared one technique to use when you are learning repertoire:

1. Set a timer for 3-5 minutes and practice one section or piece until it goes off, then switch. Use whatever technique you like (for example, slow practice, 3 repetitions + micro break + 3 more repetitions)

2. Pick 3-5 short sections, give each a number, create a sequence of random numbers, and practice the sections in that order.

We also explored an interesting method for testing performance readiness.

👉It’s the cure for the mastery illusion I mentioned earlier.

1. Choose 3-5 short sections of something you want to perform soon.

2. Play each section as if it’s a performance and evaluate its success.

3. Successful attempts get a check, unsuccessful ones don’t.

4. If unsuccessful, you lose all previous checks for that section (sudden death!). 🎭

This method helps you learn what you need to focus for effective performance of that particular section. It’s also great practice for getting it right on the first try – exactly what you need for real performances. Molly recommends doing this for 4-6 weeks before a performance.

Speaking of which, I have a performance today! I spent an hour and a half practicing this way last night, so we’ll see how it goes. I’ll keep you posted in next week’s email. 🎉

😺 Oh, and remember that cat wake-up trick I mentioned? Well, I’ve got an update!

After throwing cat treats out the door for Marie and shutting it three times, she’s stopped waking me up for food in the mornings. Fantastic, right? I think she really didn’t like being locked out with me and my other kitty on the other side. So, fellow early morning cat alarm sufferers, give it a try!

Until next time, stay tuned and happy practicing!

Rebecca

P.S. Let me know if you try any of these techniques - I’d love to hear how they work for you! 📣

​