Mental Practice

How is Mental Practice Accomplished?

Try this. Pick a small section of an exercise or a piece.

1. PLAY IT SLOWLY
Play it through physically slowly enough to execute every aspect perfectly. As you play, be acutely aware of all the physical sensations involved in the process. For example: “How did my right hand feel as I reached for the interval of a seventh?” “How did it feel as a finger on my left hand had to lift to repeat the note while the right hand maintained the legato line?”

2. VISUALIZE
Next, mentally visualize yourself playing the section. Hear it in your mind without moving a muscle. Sense exactly how it felt to play it physically.

3. REPEAT 5 TIMES
Repeat the process five times in your mind, and then play it again physically. If it was perfect, repeat these three steps at a slightly faster tempo or go on to another section. If it was not secure, repeat the steps again slowly.