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GMC Forum _ PRACTICE ROOM _ Progress On Brain Training

Posted by: tonymiro Nov 14 2007, 01:23 AM

As promised here's my check-in after following the suggested practice routine linked in fkalich's great http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_forum/index.php?showtopic=8258&hl=brain.

I decided to do a 1/2 hour practice session towards the end of my day before going to bed. I followed this up with a 1 hour session mid morning (times varied but usually about 10am). I missed however two days out as I had a stomach infection and several of the 1/2 hour sessions had to stop at odd times and restarted due to interruptions.

OK my findings:

Technique - I'd missed the week previous due to illness and had dropped about 10 bpm on all note durations as a consequence. Following the brain research sessions I've recovered those 10 and added another 10 but have plateaued. Probably coincidence but I was plateaued before I lost the week's playing previously. I'm now in the process of analysing my technique to try and identify the issue - I've found one issue so far.

Musical memory - I set out to learn 'Protocosmos' by Allan Holdsworth (several links to youtube vids of this on the board already so I won't add another). I could already play this from notation - but not without notation - but have never tried to memorise it. I chose this as there are a number of chromatic runs and places that use both upper and lower leading tones in interesting ways. These make the passages awkward to get down as the fingering is complicated and continually changing - well it's difficult to me. I find complicated stuff like this difficult to memorise generally.

Well to cut a long story short I've not finished memorising it but I have about 75% of it down. Interestingly enough I can visualise that 75% in my head as notation as well so I don't think it's just muscle memory.

All in all I've enjoyed and found the experiment largely useful. I'm going to carry on with it but also return to doing more technique work out during the daytime and use the evening more for learning musical passages and theory - albeit I'll doing some technique as well.

So, a big thanks to fkalich from me for posting the original thread and I'd suggest that others try it. Might not work for you but can't see it hurting.

Cheers,
Tony

Posted by: Andrew Cockburn Nov 14 2007, 02:29 AM

As Spock would say ... Fascinating!

Posted by: coffeeman Dec 11 2007, 05:35 PM

Hi Tony,

How is this going? I just want to tell you how this has helped me. I usually don't practice over the weekends becuse I sleep at my girlfriends home, so I decided to brain practice. Last week I was practicing Pavels sweeping and alternate lesson and I couldn't play it perfectly , I was practicing it at 60 bpm. So I brain practiced it friday, saturday and sunday, everyday for 20 minutes. Yesterday when I came home , I started to play it in the guitar, in just half an hour I could play it at 60 bpm , and 15 minutes later I played it at 80 bpm, last week I couldn't play it and now Im playing it at 80 bpm , how amazing is that? So I will keep doing this, its awesome.

So keep us posted on your progress.

Posted by: Bogdan Dec 11 2007, 05:42 PM

Wow this is amazing stuff and great test you put out tony! I'll have to look more into this subject..

Posted by: tonymiro Dec 11 2007, 05:55 PM

Thanks Bogdan but the man to really thank is fkalich .

Coffeeman - I've had a lapse for a few weeks as my wife and I had a brief holiday and then she's been away on business so I've been doing all the domestic stuff including childcare which, for me, kind of takes precedence over everything . She's back now but we're about to go to Seville for a few days to see the lights and the belen. Once we're back I'll get back in to it and let you know - and thanks also for reminding me . Great news about your progress there as well .

Cheers,
Tony

Edit - typos

Posted by: coffeeman Dec 11 2007, 06:20 PM

Great Tony. I think this is a very important subject as well as zour hollidays.

Posted by: mattacuk Dec 11 2007, 06:27 PM

Good work Tony! Who needs gimmicky brain training video games when you have a Guitar and GMC eh !

Posted by: Toni Suominen Dec 11 2007, 09:08 PM

This is very interesting, I have to find out more about this stuff. Nice job Tony!

Posted by: Milenkovic Ivan Dec 11 2007, 09:25 PM

Great effort Tony, Keep rockin`