Here\u2019s a scenario: You\u2019ve been learning a tune. You\u2019re fairly far along with it. You start to get antsy and wonder, \u201cShould I continue with this piece, or move on to another?\u201d<\/p>\n
The lure of the new and shiny is immense. But it would be a shame not to get that last 10% of the current piece\u2026..<\/p>\n
So how do you know when to hold \u2019em and when to fold \u2019em?
\nHow do you know when to move on?<\/p>\n
To answer the questions above, we need a way to objectively say when a piece is \u201cdone\u201d.<\/p>\n
And when is a piece \u201cdone\u201d? In truth, a piece is never truly done. We just get to a point where we feel confident playing it.<\/p>\n
In fact, pieces are either getting better, or slipping backwards. They never stay the same. So there is no \u201cdone\u201d (outside of retiring it completely).<\/p>\n
Pieces either get better, or slip backward. They never stay the same.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Instead of creating a false dichotomy between the current piece and the next, we can view each of our pieces as constantly at some point along an endless path.<\/p>\n
Just because we feel confident with piece doesn\u2019t mean we should set it aside. Quite the opposite. But we do want to practice it differently, and think of it differently in our practice.<\/p>\n