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rate of progress, learning faster.
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at_leo_87
Posts: 3055
Joined: Aug. 30 2008
From: Boston, MA, U.S.A
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rate of progress, learning faster.
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out of curiosity, i googled "how to learn anything fast." i found a few good tips that i thought could be applied to guitar so i figure i'd copy and paste them here. the stuff in parenthesis is my idea of how it can relate to guitar. a lot of these are common sense, so common sense that it could be easily overlooked. anybody else have any tips for increasing the rate of progress? - Shake a leg. Lack of blood flow is a common reason for lack of concentration. If you've been sitting in one place for awhile, bounce one of your legs for a minute or two. It gets your blood flowing and sharpens both concentration and recall. (Tap your foot while you play.)
- Food for thought: Eat breakfast. A lot of people skip breakfast, but creativity is often optimal in the early morning and it helps to have some protein in you to feed your brain. A lack of protein can actually cause headaches.
- Food for thought, part 2: Eat a light lunch. Heavy lunches have a tendency to make people drowsy.
- Reduce stress + depression. Stress and depression may reduce the ability to recall information and thus inhibit learning. Sometimes, all you need to reduce depression is more white light and fewer refined foods.
- Take a break. Change physical or mental perspective to lighten the invisible stress that can sometimes occur when you sit in one place too long, focused on learning. Taking a 5-15 minute break every hour during study sessions is more beneficial than non-stop study. It gives your mind time to relax and absorb information. If you want to get really serious with breaks, try a 20 minute ultradian break as part of every 90 minute cycle. This includes a nap break, which is for a different purpose than #23.
- Change your focus. Sometimes there simply isn't enough time to take a long break. If so, change subject focus. Alternate between technical and non-technical subjects. (An example would be switching between technique and falsetas.)
- Change your focus, part 2. There are three primary ways to learn: visual, kinesthetic, and auditory. If one isn't working for you, try another. (Try learning from tabs, sound only, or video.)
- Focus and immerse yourself. Focus on whatever you're studying. Don't try to watch TV at the same time or worry yourself about other things. Anxiety does not make for absorption of information and ideas.
- Give yourself credit. Ideas are actually a dime a dozen. If you learn to focus your mind on what results you want to achieve, you'll recognize the good ideas. Your mind will become a filter for them, which will motivate you to learn more.
- Motivate yourself. Why do you want to learn something? What do want to achieve through learning? If you don't know why you want to learn, then distractions will be far more enticing.
- Set a goal. W. Clement Stone once said "Whatever the mind of man can conceive, it can achieve." It's an amazing phenomenon in goal achievement. Prepare yourself by whatever means necessary, and hurdles will seem surmountable. Anyone who has experienced this phenomenon understands its validity.
- Think positive. There's no point in setting learning goals for yourself if you don't have any faith in your ability to learn.
- Organize, part 2. Learning is only one facet of the average adult's daily life. You need to organize your time and tasks else you might find it difficult to fit time in for learning.
- Every skill is learned. With the exception of bodily functions, every skill in life is learned. Generally speaking, if one person can learn something, so can you. It may take you more effort, but if you've set a believable goal, it's likely an achievable goal.
- Prepare yourself for learning. Thinking positive isn't sufficient for successfully achieving goals. This is especially important if you are an adult, as you'll probably have many distractions surrounding your daily life. Implement ways to reduce distractions, at least for a few hours at a time, else learning will become a frustrating experience.
- Prepare yourself, part 2. Human nature is such that not everyone in your life will be a well-wisher in your self-improvement and learning plans. They may intentionally or subconsciously distract you from your goal. If you have classes to attend after work, make sure that work colleagues know this, that you are unable to work late. Diplomacy works best if you think your boss is intentionally giving you work on the days he/she knows you have to leave. Reschedule lectures to a later time slot if possible/ necessary.
- Constrain yourself. Most people need structure in their lives. Freedom is sometimes a scary thing. It's like chaos. But even chaos has order within. By constraining yourself — say giving yourself deadlines, limiting your time on an idea in some manner, or limiting the tools you are working with — you can often accomplish more in less time.
- Think holistically. Holistic thinking might be the single most "advanced" learning technique that would help students. But it's a mindset rather than a single technique. (Think of how a falseta fits into a whole piece.)
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Date Oct. 28 2009 3:18:34
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gj Michelob
Posts: 1531
Joined: Nov. 7 2008
From: New York City/San Francisco
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RE: rate of progress, learning faster. (in reply to at_leo_87)
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quote:
By constraining yourself — say giving yourself deadlines, limiting your time on an idea in some manner, or limiting the tools you are working with — you can often accomplish more in less time. First rule of management, isn’t it, “tasks expand to fit the time allocated to them” ‘loved your post, At_Leo. I couldn’t agree more with the philosophical approach to the ever elusive pursuit of growth, accomplishment, happiness and the never-ending learning curve we ride. I am quite an oddity when it comes to learning, but fit your bill squarely, I set increasingly difficult goals and stress until I accomplish them, per aspera ad astra, after all.
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gj Michelob
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Date Oct. 28 2009 7:21:44
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gj Michelob
Posts: 1531
Joined: Nov. 7 2008
From: New York City/San Francisco
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RE: rate of progress, learning faster. (in reply to val)
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quote:
gj - what does "per aspera ad astra" mean? I've never heard it before. I assume it's Latin, but I didn't study that at school. I thought you were talking about Aspidistras at first. Val A famous and recurrent motto, Val, at least here in the US [Kansas State seal, Marines etc.]: "through adversities to the stars" Incidentally, I had to search your word "Aspidistras". You did not study Latin but my ignorance of botanic is unparalleled. When my wife sends me on a mission for grocery, I have to ask which is Basil or Thyme, which is Sage and which Rosemary…and still do not get it!!. Ricardo, you gave us that advice before. I took it seriously [as I do all your suggestions], and found the “singing” very helpful. While infirm after my hand surgery, singing my melodies kept them close and sharp and when I resumed playing they seemed to flow even more coherently.
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gj Michelob
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Date Oct. 29 2009 5:46:28
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Wannabee
Posts: 131
Joined: Jan. 13 2007
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RE: rate of progress, learning faster. (in reply to at_leo_87)
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I can't speak for anyone but myself, (obviously) but more and more I'm coming to the conclusion that I need to get in contact with a real live teacher and work with him for 6 months to a year or so. Books and videos and on-line lessons are nice, but they can't replace a living, breathing teacher. I think partly, it has to do with motivation; I get a lot more motivated when I know I'm going to see the teacher every day than if I just watch a video. Another part is that a teacher can see right away what I am doing wrong and correct me, whether it be timing, technique or what have you. I learned more in the month I was in Spain than in the 5 years preceeding it or in the 3 years since. One problem I'm having is that I tend to "half-learn" a lot of stuff but never really learn any one thing. I think having one on one lessons would make me more focused. (as it did while I was in Spain) I am not trying to be critical of anyone, I am indeed thankful for all the on-line sites that offer lessons these days. I am just saying that I learned faster, better with a real teacher in person. One question I have to those in the know, Do you think that all the resources now available (internet, videos, books) have made things better or worse for real-live teachers? Has there been an increase in the numbers of personal students or has this had the opposite effect? What I am getting at is, I wonder if all the videos and things have made people more likely to just study on their own rather than with a teacher. Anyway, just some thoughts. Thanks in advance, Cheers
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Date Oct. 29 2009 16:36:51
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at_leo_87
Posts: 3055
Joined: Aug. 30 2008
From: Boston, MA, U.S.A
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RE: rate of progress, learning faster. (in reply to burnsbyrne)
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quote:
I set the metronome at a pace that is just slightly challenging and set the timer for 5 minutes. this is a really interesting method. i do similar thing except instead of using a timer, i just wait until i get bored. in the book "stick control," which is a book for drummers but i think the theory still applies, the author states that it takes a minimum of twenty perfect repetitions for something to be ingrained into muscle memory. i like to keep that in mind while working on technique. quote:
I was going to do SO much in my retirement, but now the pressure's off i manage one task a day if I'm lucky. It has to fit in around my siesta. I'm working hard to get where you are sooner! You should enjoy it! quote:
When my wife sends me on a mission for grocery, I have to ask which is Basil or Thyme, which is Sage and which Rosemary…and still do not get it!!. Gj, i was just at the grocery store. and i found an herb called.... "fish." ??? quote:
Drinking half a litre of coffee really does the job. But be cautious! Never drink half litre of coffee at once without milk, it'll disable your concentration. i always drink my coffee black. is that why i always spazz out? quote:
learn to "sing" whatever it is you are learning so you can do it in the car are where ever. excellent tip. i was having a hard time grasping the seguiriyas compas. then i heard my dance teacher sing it and i immediately got it. i'm going to start humming along like you hear those jazz pianists do. quote:
I can't speak for anyone but myself, (obviously) but more and more I'm coming to the conclusion that I need to get in contact with a real live teacher and work with him for 6 months to a year or so. Books and videos and on-line lessons are nice, but they can't replace a living, breathing teacher. but having a living, breathing teacher won't replace all the money i'll lose. lol. i know some students who have teachers but still progress very slowly.i think it really comes down to the student. some learn better without structure and vice versa.
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Date Oct. 29 2009 20:21:29
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