It is that time of year when piano studios are waking up from the summer slumber.  A key to success is teaching students how to practice. In fact, I think this is one of the most important things we teach students as this skill can be transferred to all areas of life.

As you teach those young students how to practice, here is an interesting article with new research that suggests rather than playing the same exact thing over and over that “changing thing up” slightly may help students learn faster.

“What we found is if you practice a slightly modified version of a task you want to master, you actually learn more and faster than if you just keep practicing the exact same thing multiple times in a row,” said Pablo Celnik, an author on the study

Check out this article:  How To Learn New Skills Twice As Fast

The researchers caution that it’s important not to change things up too much. If you’re trying to improve your golf swing and spend 20 minutes a day shooting hoops, you’re probably not doing yourself any favors. “If you make the altered task too different, people do not get the gain we observed,” Celnik said. “The modification between sessions needs to be subtle.”

If you are looking for piano method books — check out the Matlock Music Works Products Page where I have compiled a convenient list with links to purchase.