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The Superiority of Intentionally Imperfect Practice
Whether it's manipulating our air, making embouchure adjustments, or learning to use the weight of our arm to produce a beautiful sound, we spend a lot of time working really hard to get things just right.
We ask for feedback and suggestions from our teachers, watch YouTube videos of our favorite musicians, and get tips from instructional videos on the correct way to perform a skill. All of which are invaluable parts of the learning process.
But there's another approach that we rarely (if ever) utilize. Even though it may be even more effective than the traditional approach.
And what strategy is that?
Intentionally getting things wrong.
As in, practicing producing a thin, weak sound instead of a clear, full, resonant sound. Or a harsh, gritty attack, instead of a smooth, velvety start.
As backwards as this may sound, evidence suggests that practicing the wrong way could lead to better learning and enhanced performance than only practicing the right way.
Get all the nerdy details on why and how this works right here:
The Superiority of Intentionally Imperfect Practice
-Noa
A couple things from the archives
- If you're going to do some "wrong way practice," scales are as good a practice medium as any. And if I could go back in time, scales are one of the things I would have taken much more seriously. Here's why.
- And if you've ever wondered why it's so dang difficult to perform a skill exactly the same way twice (like your signature or a tricky shift), it turns out there's a good reason why. And it has implications for how we practice and how we ought to approach performances. More details on what I mean by that here.
Deep thought o' the week, AI Edition
*It can be hard to verify the authenticity of quotes on the internet, so I figured I'd ask ChatGPT to put its philosopher hat on and generate some relevant quotes instead. 🤣
"Perfect practice is like eating the same meal every day. Sure, you'll never get food poisoning, but think of all the other delicious mistakes you're missing out on."
-AI
The Bulletproof Musician
If you struggle with nerves and inconsistent performances, know that you’re not alone! Join 45,000+ musicians and get weekly research-based performance psychology tips that will help you become more effective in the practice room and on stage.
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