Learning to concentrate

[altistitar*]

I'm having a problem with concentration while practicing. I can truly concentrate only for very short moments. Is there a way to learn to keep my mind focused on the playing for a longer time? I don't think this is a motivation problem, because it also happens when I'm reading - after a while, I notice I'm thinking about other things.

Any suggestions?

[skiingfiddler]

Make memorizing what you're playing the goal of your practicing, even the simple, routine stuff, like scales and etudes. Trying to play things by memory will force you to think about exactly what the music is. So every day, memorize a new scale or a few bars of an etude or a piece. Once you have an entire etude or piece memorized, go on to another one, revisiting the old, memorized etude or piece on occassion.

If you find yourself playing by memory on "automatic pilot," move on to another piece or try starting, by memory, at different places in the etude or piece you have memorized.

[saggio3of4]

I think that skiingfiddler's suggestion is good. I too have had issues with this. Here are some things that helped me--

One thing I did for awhile was play only when I was totally concentrating on the music. The minute my mind left it, I made myself stop. Of course, this made it hard to get practice time in--I was having to do many, many 5-10 minute long practice stints throughout the day. (Though it was beneficial in other areas, too...helped me get rid of a nagging tendonitis!) Since I was a student at the time it was fine for me, but others may not be able to do this. If this type of practicing isn't practical, you can still mimic it by stopping to regroup every time you find your mind wandering, refocusing on the music, and beginning again where you left off.

I also keep my practice area as free from distractions as possible. Having other people around was a definite no-no--at the first sound of another person's voice, or if they began to hum along, I would lose it.

For sure, my most enjoyable, productive practice time comes when I am fully concentrating on the music and nothing else. If something is bothering you so much that you can't think of anything else, practicing is generally not a good idea. However, on the flipside of that, sometimes when I'm agitated I'm so eager to forget my troubles that I am able to concentrate more easily, and I play better than usual! Go figure...

I hope I've helped a little.

Best,

Saggio

[Kreutzer9]

I also find it hard to focus. But if you think about it, the lack of focus is usually the greatest at the beginning of the practice. After some time, your mind realizes the need for focus and goes in that direction. You get deeper into concentration with the passing of every minute. You may think I am crazy but it's kind of like hypnosis.

It also obeys Newton's first law - the law of inertia. It takes force (in this case time and extended action) to alter one's momentum (focus). I find that my focus is the best in the middle of the pactice. I find it hard to lose focus (law of conservation of momemtum.) Of course, after a few hours, I often get tired and perhaps also a little bit bored and would want a good break, but I will have had an effective hour or two of practice. At that point, it wouldn't hurt much if I have to stop.

That's why I was recently forced to change my practice habit from 15 minutes every day to 1-2 hours three or four days of the week since the first few minutes are best used for warm-ups and getting into the focused mindset.

[altistitar*]

Thanks for the replies! About memorizing, I usually memorize most of my stuff sort of automatically. Often I find myself walking away from the music stand, while still playing the piece and thinking about something completely different. I might try memorizing something I never play from memory, like etudes, though.

I tried saggio3of4's suggestion today. It didn't work out as well as I had hoped, because I was too lazy and didn't stop playing completely - I just took the viola off my shoulder and tried to focus on the music again. When I was playing scales, my concentration was so bad I should have been stopping every three notes . Maybe next time I'll just force myself to really stop and take a break.

All of your suggestions are good, but I was really thinking about some off-instrument concentration exercises, maybe some meditation-like stuff. Preferably something that can be done without the guidance of a guru

[saggio3of4]

Off Instrument, you say? Grand idea. How about trying some yoga, or yoga-like excersizes? They've definitely helped me gain focus and concentration. Try googling "basic yoga" or "yoga techniques" or "meditation techniques"--the net is full of good information like that. One time I even found some downloadable MP3's of guided meditation(which is a lot like the kind of concentration you're looking for in your practicing) and I would post the link but I lost it in a recent computer crash. I think the key to both of these activities is developing discipline--being able to discipline your mind so that when it wanders, you bring it back to where it's supposed to be, whether that's on your notes/intonation/bowing or breathing/stretching/meditating.

Hope this helps!

Saggio

[noahmyviolin]

Sometimes it's difficult to concentrate when playing etudes. take a break in between practice by playing something you like from memory.

[Karla]

totally agree with the meditation thing. It is the single biggest contributor to my ability to concentrate. The other really, really big helper to me is to make a precise schedule with all my objectives and times. Here is mine from last week that serves as a template for me.

http://www.kfisherx.com/Guitar/HowTo/Violi...%20Schedule.doc

When I get better I intend to make it more and more detailed to keep up with my studies. This is my schedule for guitar practice. I've been at it for 1.5 years now. http://www.kfisherx.com/Guitar/HowTo/GuitarPractice.doc

[Tropicalfruitmom]

Learning to play using one's sub-conscious is not a bad thing. Sure, my concentration is pretty high when I'm just beginning a new piece and have to learn the notes, but once I get the notes under my fingers, my conscious mind does something else while my sub-conscious follows the music. Believe me, when I play a wrong note or rhythm, I snap right back.

I teach my students to use their sub-conscious while playing so they don't over-analyze the music. The more advanced players play much better when they get out of their own way!

one of the things you an do, however, to increase your concentration abilities is to learn the sport of archery. It takes a singular force of concentration to put the arrow in the x. Since I began in the sport, my ability to concentrate has increase significantly, as has my upper-body strength. Now I find that my stamina for playing has increased as well as my ability to concentrate.

For more information on archery and to find a club near you, go to www.usarchery.com

[Tropicalfruitmom]

BTW - that archery site can also give you links to other countries, or just look it up in your web browser for your country. Just about every country has one.

[maryl]

Here's my 2 cents on this topic. This is an area of music education of particular interest to me. Because I've had the same problem! AND also because I used to have a teacher (now deceased) who thought teaching 'how to practice' essential. So that is why I started thinking about it.

In no particular order, here are things that have helped me to keep my concentration longer.

Practicing in the morning. There is less on my mind at this time. I'm more naturally relaxed.

Relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, relaxing my body starting with my head on down to my toes. Say for five minutes or so before starting a practice session.

Try to practice the minimum. What I mean by this is I take a small item to work on. Say a couple measures of a piece or exercise that is challenging for me. I spend a practice session just concentrating on that. This helps me with the feeling I have sometimes that there is "so much to practice" I was getting overwhelmed by it.

There is a book that was helpful to me called "Effortless Mastery". It's by Kenny Werner. It includes a CD of meditations for musicians and lots of information applicable to developing good practicing habits.

[crazy jane]

There are so many good suggestions on this thread.

I'm like altistitar* in that memorization is pretty effortless but concentration can be difficult.

So, to add to the list:

--Sightreading is very helpful, particularly in a small ensemble of good players who don't need to stop. You are forced to count, attend, and listen.

--You might allot a limited time for the practice of each item (each scale, etude, or piece) and gradually increase the allotment with each practice session. Use a timer to enforce the time limit.

(When my oldest started with her present violin teacher, he used this method and actually wrote down a weekly lesson plan with imposed time limits, including a limit on total practice time, which he did not allow her to exceed. I know that this encouraged her to focus and to practice very efficiently.... Daughter #2's cello teacher is similar in his disapproval of "overpracticing")

Good luck.

J.

[DR. S]

Ah yes Grasshopper, another sesame street/sound byte trained brain. I had this problem, and here is what worked for me. The trick is to learn to clear the mind, to quiet the thought processes. This is what a lot of eastern meditation rituals are about. If you can keep stuff out of your mind, then you can control what comes in. My teacher gave me a book and tape called "Super Learning" (I think). It was about how much better we can learn if we can control and relax our mind. Much of the book was about relaxation techniques and included exercises that helped me learn to relax both the mind and body in ways that I had no idea were possible (which led to me overcoming chronic back pain from playing the viola). Some of the exercises deal with laying in a dimly lit room and just concentrating on your breathing - the sensations of the air flowing in and out of your nasal passages and lungs. Another was to sit quietly and observe a burning candle. Then you learn how to carry out elaborate visualizations which require very controlled concentration abilities. It'll change your life.

[altistitar*]

Quote:

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--You might allot a

limited

time for the practice of each item (each scale, etude, or piece) and gradually increase the allotment with each practice session. Use a timer to enforce the time limit.

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Wow, so many great replies! Of all the things everyone said, this one interests me the most. If I told myself that I'm only allowed to spend x minutes on a passage, I might actually get something done.

I think I'll print this thread out and take it with me when I leave for a music camp tomorrow. There I'll have lots of time to think about my practice habits and concentration issues. Again, thanks for all the suggestions!