Practice Tip 14: Sleep On It
Why do sleep habits have anything to do with music practice? Is there a practice tip for a music passage that you just can’t master, and are ready to give up on? What are good recommendations for practicing hard music?
When all other practice tips for mastering a hard musical passage fail, like practice slowly, practice backwards or vary rhythm patterns, “Sleep on it” is a great valid recommendation! Neuroscience has proven it’s value. I have proved it’s worth personally over and over. Practice the passage carefully in the evening before going to sleep. Your brain will work on the passage during sleep; and when you wake up, your ability to play that passage will be improved, if not perfected! It’s magic!
It's been proven with neuroscience that your brain goes over and over and over what you learned in the day during sleep. Dr. Molly Gebrian, DMA University of Arizona, presented a session on memory at the February 2020 American String Teacher Association conference, and recommended the book, Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker. You can find a summary discussion of what scientists have learned about the brain (and sleep) in her writings page of her website.
My personal experience is this:
I can practice something diligently late at night, and can’t master it for anything. I wake up and play the next morning and I can play it correctly. It’s so magic!
I have practiced a difficult passage in the evening - about 5 measures slowly over and over for 20 minutes. I have been playing the particular piece for months, so it is not the first time at all to practice this passage. I have a long way to go to increase the speed to the required tempo. After 20 minutes, I feel no improvement. I am so frustrated that I can’t even look at my flute for 3 days. I pick up my flute and can play this passage perfectly; and the first time I retry this section up to the required tempo, I can play it. So magic!
Please try this practice concept and send feedback in the comments below. And by the way, I have had a life long struggle with sleep. I highly recommend the book, “Why We Sleep” mentioned above. It made me take another stab at getting sleep, and I am doing better because of the scientific description of just how important proper sleep is.
