{"id":203108,"date":"2022-11-04T06:00:39","date_gmt":"2022-11-04T13:00:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/?p=203108"},"modified":"2024-07-22T23:22:08","modified_gmt":"2024-07-23T06:22:08","slug":"avoid-muscle-memory","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/avoid-muscle-memory\/","title":{"rendered":"Why You Should Avoid Muscle Memory (at first)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>You may have been there. Playing a piece we know REALLY well and yet, without warning, we suddenly go blank. Usually at the worst possible time. Like in a performance.\u00a0 We have no idea what comes next.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s the number one way to prevent that sinking feeling.<\/p>\n<p class=\"centerc\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/CrGKfMYM6Yc?rel=0&amp;modestbranding=1\" width=\"700\" height=\"393\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">Don&#8217;t Rely on Muscle Memory<\/h2>\n<p>Of course, we all want to train our fingers to be able to just play a piece. It\u2019s logical.<\/p>\n<p>But\u2026<br \/>\nMUSCLE MEMORY IS A FLAKY FRIEND<\/p>\n<p>Muscle (or tactile) memory \u2013 fingers flying around while we\u2019re zoning out &#8211; is the least reliable form of memory.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s going to let us down just when we least expect it. And that\u2019s most likely to be when we\u2019re under more pressure than usual to get things right \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/stage-fright\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">like in a performance<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>You just can\u2019t trust it.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">There are Other, More Trustworthy Ways to Memorize Music<\/h2>\n<p>You may not be aware of it, but when you start learning a piece, you use a combination of several different memory techniques.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Aural Memory<\/strong>\u00a0&#8211; How it sounds. Melody and harmony.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Visual Memory<\/strong> &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/classical-guitar-visualization\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Images, real and imagined<\/a>. The dots on the page. Fret positions. Finger shapes on the neck.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Theoretical Memory<\/strong> &#8211; Anything named or labeled.\u00a0 The relationships between things.\u00a0 Anything we know with our brains.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Kinesthetic Memory<\/strong> &#8211; &#8220;Muscle Memory.&#8221;\u00a0 When our hand can play without our thinking about it.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>To avoid memory lapses, reduce your reliance on muscle memory by <a href=\"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/memorize-music-classical-guitar\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">focusing on these other aspects right from the start<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>We are human.\u00a0 And repetition, in time, ingrains into habit. It\u2019s only natural. Tactile memory WILL happen.<\/p>\n<p>We just want to delay it.<\/p>\n<p>So how do we stop our muscles from jumping in and automatically remembering?<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">How to Stop Your Muscle Memory Muscle-ing In<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/slow-practice-classical-guitar\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Slow Practice<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Avoid rote repetition<\/li>\n<li>Focus on what you\u2019re doing<\/li>\n<li>Engage in the process<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/focus-brain-dump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Don\u2019t zone out<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">Mindless Repetition is Out<\/h2>\n<p>Slow practice keeps us engaged and focused.<\/p>\n<p>Avoid leaning on your unreliable friend, muscle memory.<\/p>\n<p>Train and be mindful of the other types of memory \u2013 aural, visual, and <a href=\"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/music-theory-guitar\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">theoretical<\/a> \u2013 RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING.<\/p>\n<p>You\u2019ll avoid much of the polishing and fixing that\u2019s often needed further down the road.\u00a0 And your memory will be supported by far more powerful and well-rounded learning.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>You may have been there. Playing a piece we know REALLY well and yet, without warning, we suddenly go blank. Usually at the worst possible time. Like in a performance.\u00a0 We have no idea what comes next. Here\u2019s the number one way to prevent that sinking feeling. Don&#8217;t Rely on Muscle Memory Of course, we all want to train our &#8230; <\/p>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/classicalguitarshed.com\/avoid-muscle-memory\/\" class=\"more-link\">Read More<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":203117,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[61,434],"tags":[347,348,315],"class_list":["post-203108","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles","category-main-content-parent","tag-learning-pieces","tag-memory","tag-polishing"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v25.8 (Yoast SEO v25.8) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Why You Should Avoid Muscle Memory (at first)<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Play by heart and memorize more reliably with this simple tip. 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