Transferring

 

[Note: It is helpful to read the previous post, It's All (Neuro)Logical, before reading this one.]

In my teaching and in my own practicing, I use a concept called "transferring." It simply means that after you do one physical movement, followed by a second one, some aspects of what you did the first time transfer over to the second time. Perhaps this is because the nerve impulses travel along the same neural pathways. Another way of putting it is: "The body wants to do what it just did." Although I am not a brain scientist, I know from my many decades of playing and teaching that this is the case. The second time you execute a physical movement will be very similar to the first time, the third time will be even more similar, and so on. Clearly, this is how "muscle memory" works. 

Muscle memory will happen regardless and it is certainly a good thing this is so; otherwise we'd have to learn how to do a given movement every time. Muscle memory may be acquired more or less quickly in different individuals, but it will happen. Notice how you brush your teeth or comb your hair; you likely do it almost identically every time.

Because the "body wants to do what it just did," it behooves us to be very mindful of what we just did! (Remember that when I say "body" I am really referring to the brain -- largely the motor cortex -- where it all happens, as I describe in my previous post.) If you make a physical movement that is tense, stiff, or awkward, the body is likely to repeat that. Naturally, you are not going to make those awkward movements on purpose, but nevertheless it happens, and now you have the likelihood of it happening again. This is how we develop habits, and we all know how hard habits are to change once they are ingrained. (See my post "Everything you do has the potential to become habit.") Likewise, smooth, fluid movements are also likely to be repeated. You probably think I am stating the obvious here. If we could just change our habits at the piano by just wanting to do so, we'd all be virtuosos by now. But when it comes to things that are physical, it takes more than just the desire to change how our bodies move. To make a change to the physical will require something physical.

If you've been reading this blog, you've heard me say it dozens of times: "fixing" wrong notes as you play doesn't work. This is because the so-called "fix" is interpreted by the brain as part of the process, and will therefore likely be repeated again the next time. If you play the "wrong note/right note" sequence, the brain assumes this was intended and will do it again. Haven't we all had that experience?

Another example is playing with incorrect rhythm. Many beginning (and not-so beginning) piano students often will play a passage "just to learn the notes," but with incorrect rhythm. They assume there is no problem with this. But the brain will pick up the incorrect rhythm and likely do it again. I have seen this over and over again. You can't outsmart your brain, oddly enough. It will want to do "what it just did."

I have discussed how to "fix" wrong notes and other errors in previous posts. But here I want to talk about how we can use this feature of our brains for our benefit. This is where "transferring" comes into play.

Let's say you are playing a fast ascending scale in your right hand. You don't feel it is fast enough, or fluid enough, or legato enough. You can play it over and over, trying to get it better, but it just stays the same, or maybe improves, but just slightly. Try this: play an ascending glissando. Since there is no finger action involved in a glissando, it is all about the smooth sweep of the arm. Play the glissando and then the scale normally immediately after. Does it feel and sound better? It is because the sensation of the sweep of the arm transferred to the scale. The body automatically copied an aspect of the first movement when doing the second movement. Specifically, it triggered the body to use few finger movements and more arm, which is more efficient -- and therefore faster -- and creates more evenness. (This also works for an arpeggio.)  This can be done for either hand and for either direction, of course.

There are even things you can do that don't involve playing the actual keys that will transfer to playing. Suppose you have a very fast leap that spans a large number of notes. You do it over and over but consistently miss. This may be largely due to fear of hitting the target. Let's say the leap is from a high note in the treble, played with your thumb, to a note a few octaves lower, played with the third finger. Play the first note and then, as fast as you can, flip the arm towards your chest and touch your chest with the third finger. There is no fear associated with this since it is a larger target and there is no chance you will miss it. Do this once or twice and then play the actual notes. I can almost guarantee you will have better accuracy and speed because the body transferred the quick fearless movement to the actual notes.

Almost anything can be used as a transfer. If there is some piece you play that you feel you play very well, play a few measures of that piece and then go immediately to something else you are working on that you want to improve. Some aspect of how your body moves will transfer over. I have dozens, if not hundreds, of processes I use as transfers, and am inventing new ones all the time. 

Please understand that these "transfers" do not mean that the next day or the next week the problem you were having will have disappeared. Doing a transfer once is probably not a permanent fix. But consistently applied, they WILL improve your technique and the new ways of using your body will become your new, more desirable, habits. You are using the power of "the body wanting to do what it just did" for your own desired ends, not just what it does automatically.