Major Essays and Lectures

Elements and Organization of Efficient and Secure Learning of Musical Works

Although learning a musical work for performance shares many skills and processes with learning in general, the former has a series of specific difficulties that one does not encounter in other cases.  For example, in learning subjects that require only comprehension—and perhaps partial memorization—coupled with verbal or written exposition, one can generally present the subject with different words, different order, and with pauses or round-abouts to think, remember or clarify what is going to be presented.  In addition to the above, one can make corrections on the fly without greatly affecting the resulting quality.  At the same time, the technical difficulties of writing or speaking are relatively straightforward once one has learned the language.  On the other hand, in the performance of a musical work one generally must interpret it to the letter (or note), in a set order, without the possibility of pausing to think, remember or correct and with a level of difficulty that can be considerable.  However, compared to physical activities, as is the case with most sports, although in these the requirements of physiological capacity can be considerable, the intellectual and the manual skills required to play an instrument with virtuosity can be much more complex, the amount of data or steps much greater and the acceptability of failures much lower.  Finally, although in any presentation before an audience the factor of fear and tension also exists, given the greater complexity and magnitude of the problem, this has a greater impact on the performance of a musical work than on a verbal or sports presentation.

Given such complexity and magnitude of the problem, it is not surprising that there can be a great difference between diverse methods of musical learning in relation to efficiency and effectiveness, that is, both in terms of the results obtained and the time required to cover the objective.

Many of the methods commonly employed in learning musical works are extremely primitive.  Examples of such cases and their serious consequences are the following.  Learning with initial mistakes creates mental confusion and wastes time and effort.  Initial mechanical execution may foment or cause inexpressiveness.  An unnecessarily initial slow tempo might distort the character and it allows the application of fingerings, processes, and approaches that will not work at the required speed.  Learning single notes, not sets, does not help the learning of subsequent works, especially if they are longer and more complex.  One may apply excessive repetitions, and this fosters insecurity and waste of time.  Once a certain level of mastery has been reached, one can tend to perform it without the active participation of the mind, and this creates insecurity and forgetfulness of the conscious aspect of what has been learned.  Finally, the processes themselves may be static, not progressive or developing, and this may make it impossible to learn or perform works beyond a certain level of difficulty or complexity.

From the above we can see that a poor method can not only be limited, inefficient and ineffective, but also dangerous.  There are three serious dangers in poor methods of learning, and these must be avoided at all costs.  First, allowing mistakes as an inherent part of initial learning. Second, performing in a mechanical, expressionless, and inattentive manner.  Third, performing with a slower tempo that is incompatible with the expressive character of the passage and that does not represent an achievable challenge for the learner.

The first two are dangerous since they can cause or foment insecurity, coldness, and inefficiency; they could lead to mediocrity by tolerating mistakes and inexpressiveness.  A much slower tempo is not only inefficient, but can prevent the development of important learning skills, such as mental agility and coordination.  When we perform slowly, a slow mind as well as almost any fingering or focus might work.  However, a slow, uncoordinated focus or many of the procedures might not be adequate in a faster tempo. A slow tempo might be one of the ways to control and ensure quality and accuracy: indispensable attributes in learning. However, it is a very primitive way that might not be useful in public performance of most of the fast and complex passages.

While people with great learning talents can achieve excellent results even with the least effective methods, this will not be possible for beings with less outstanding talents.  That is, for most of us who try to learn musical works for public performance, it is vitally important to seek a scientific and systematic method of learning that develops learning-skills themselves.

Now, any scientific and systematic method of learning has two basic objectives.  First, to optimize learning efficiency, at whatever actual level of development one is.  Second, to develop, in a dynamic way, the capacity for learning itself—analytical and intellectual skills; the knowledge and discipline to carry out a systematic process, and the ability to master increasingly larger and more complex fragments, this with greater speed, security and permanence as well as with a similar or less effort.

Analytical and intellectual skills include several categories.  First, the ability to analyze, classify, relate, organize, reason, understand, and evaluate.  Second, the ability to group, reduce, simplify, and clarify content data.  Third, the development of the skills of perception, concentration, retention, and recall.  Fourth, the development of reaction speed and manner.  Finally, the qualitative elements of a process, including learning, are of two types.  On the one hand, we have precision, stability, and flexibility (versatility).  On the other hand, we find the speed and ease of execution.

Apart from these skills, we must include those that are necessary for successful public performance.  That is, we must be prepared and habituated to react appropriately to eventualities such as fear and negative attitudes, on the one hand, and mistakes, forgetfulness, and distractions, on the other.  Finally, we must develop the knowledge, attitudes, and habits to bring all of this to fruition.

Therefore, the method we present seeks to develop all these aspects.  That is, it not only avoids the aforementioned shortcomings, but also perennially seeks both to optimize efficiency and effectiveness and to dynamically develop the learning skills themselves; that is, analytical and intellectual skills; the knowledge and discipline to carry out a systematic process; the ability both to control tension and nervousness, and to master increasingly larger and more complex fragments, with greater speed, security and permanence, and with similar or lesser effort.