Methods of Preventing and Correcting Mistakes

If we rely on the self-organising brain, it will devise some plan of action to solve whatever problem we are tackling, but it might not always be accurate. This solution will be stored and remembered, and the next time a problem is encountered that pattern will be used. If we make frequent indiscriminate alterations, we will create many trackways which are recognised and stored ready for future use. We can never be sure which pattern will be selected on any particular occasion, unless we take great care we can create innumerable possibilities for error.

There are some procedures that can be followed to help prevent errors.

Inhibition

To C.F. Alexander, inhibition meant the ability to prevent an unwanted habitual response from taking place by deliberately creating a pause. Inhibition is of considerable use in improving our piano playing. The ability to exercise self-restraint by inhibiting an action, and allowing us to think out the next move, is one to cultivate. It takes courage to decide not to have just one more 'go' to see if things come right by itself. It could be pure chance if things do come right.

Thinking Time-Isolation

Isolating a section of a piece of music, working on it slowly and methodically, slotting it back into context, is a method frequently used by piano students for dealing with technical problems. It allows concentrated effort to be directed on specific difficulties without interruption to the flow of a musical work. One of the dangers is that we can slow down the section without realising as a result not matching with the rest of the piece.

The primary consideration for most aspiring musicians is to play the right notes. Timing, rhythm, phrasing, tone and style are all cast aside in the relentless search for the right notes. Playing a wrong note more than anything else will bring things to a halt, so our preventive methods must be directed towards this problem first. Speed is probably the most frequent reason for making mistakes, and it is in the early stage of our practice that it can be most damaging. Even concert pianist would practice at extremely slow speed to ensure accuracy. The proper use of inhibition and thinking time which will enable us to get the right finger to the right note are essential in the initial stages of learning. Here's an outline of procedures that could be established and put into practice. The decision must be made before the action is performed.

1. Select a piece in which you almost always make an error in notes at a particular point.

2. Start playing a few bars before this point.

3. Move slowly towards the point of error, taking one note or chord at a time and allowing a short period of thinking time between each move.

4. In each gap of thinking time tell yourself: Which notes you are going to play; Which fingers you are going to use; how long and how deep each note or chord will be

5. It is important to keep rhythm correct even at this very slow speed.

6. Don't simply try to avoid the mistake. That's negative thinking. Think positively about what is necessary for you to play the notes correctly.

7. As you approach the error, be aware of any feeling of doubt or confusion which will tell you that you are near the point at which the mistaken decision is made.

8. Keep pushing beyond this point until you reach the note at which the error is usually made

9. Stop at the actual note which is usually wrong, hold down the notes and check exactly what you have played

Even the notes are correct, don't assume you have solved the problem as faulty practice will have created many options of memory tracks the brain can select. Repeat the sequence and gradually reducing thinking time between each step. Focus is key to build reliable and competent movement. It is vital to find the real fault, and find out precisely what was wrong with the instructions in the original message. Eliminate the error until you leave only the correct one, keep practising until all feeling of doubt are replaced by consistent quality control.