3 Ways to Up Your Practicing Game, Backed by Science 

It’s no secret that musicians often practice for hours each day, pushing themselves in new ways to hone their craft. But effective practice isn’t just about sitting down and playing repeatedly—successful practice sessions use strategies grounded in neuroscience to improve playing as efficiently as possible.

When asked why it’s important for musicians to understand what’s happening in their brains during practice, a musician and expert in the neuroscience of practice, Molly Gebrian, explained

 “Practicing is training your brain. It might feel like you’re training your body, but you’re actually training your brain. When you understand how the brain works and how it learns, you can practice more effectively".

Here are 3 ways to level up your practice sessions and improve your performance.

1. Interleaved practice 

Interleaved practice is a powerful strategy that involves regularly switching between different skills or pieces during a single practice session. Instead of spending long blocks of time repeating the same passage or piece (known as blocked practice), interleaving encourages musicians to alternate—for example, moving between a fast, technical passage and a slow, lyrical section, or rotating among several different pieces every 10 minutes.

While this approach might feel more challenging and less productive in the moment, research shows it leads to stronger long-term learning. One study by Carter and Grahn (2016) explored the effects of blocked versus interleaved practice on advanced clarinetists. They found that although blocked practice seemed more effective initially, interleaved practice produced better retention and skill transfer over time.

Interestingly, the benefits of interleaved practice extend beyond music. In an education study involving 350 physics students, Samani and Pan (2021) demonstrated that interleaving study topics significantly improved performance on surprise tests compared to blocked studying. This suggests that the brain’s ability to switch between different tasks or concepts enhances learning in a variety of domains.

Why does interleaving work? Research by Lin et al. (2012) provides insight: interleaved practice strengthens neural coordination by actively engaging attention and executive function—the brain’s higher-level processes responsible for planning, switching tasks, and problem-solving. By constantly challenging the brain to shift focus, interleaving helps build more flexible and durable skill representations. In musical practice, this means that while interleaving might feel harder or less smooth in the short term, it actually trains the brain to be more adaptable and prepared for the unpredictable nature of real performance. Incorporating interleaved practice into your routine can therefore accelerate mastery and deepen your overall musicianship.

2. Sleep 

We often hear about the importance of sleep in the context of physical health or academic performance, but its role in musical development is just as critical. Whether you're preparing for a recital or working through a new piece, sleep is one of the most powerful, yet overlooked, practice tools available.

According to Dr. Molly Gebrian, sleep plays a vital role in memory consolidation—the process by which the brain transforms short-term learning into stable, long-term memories. 

“When we sleep our brain does something called consolidation, which is the second step of making long term memories. When you learn something brand new it goes to the hippocampus, a temporary memory storage facility, and anything new goes into the hippocampus and while you are sleeping that information gets transferred out to the neocortex, the bumpy outer part of the brain, and that’s where it's stored long term. If you don’t get enough sleep that transfer doesn’t happen at all, or the transfer happens incompletely, like a corrupted file in your computer. When you get up the next day (after a good night of sleep) , you will see a big boost in your performance” 

In essence, your brain continues practicing even after you put your instrument down. Prioritizing sleep doesn’t just preserve your energy—it literally rewires your brain to play better. So the next time you're tempted to pull a late-night practice session, consider this: your progress may depend more on your pillow than on your piano.

3. Understanding the 3 different types of memory 

One of the main goals of practicing is not just to play correctly, but to learn, memorize, and perform with confidence. However, memory isn’t one-dimensional—there are several distinct types that contribute to musical mastery. Understanding and actively using all four types of memory can significantly enhance the effectiveness of your practice and the reliability of your performance. Here’s a quick overview of each:

1. Aural Memory: Your inner hearing—the ability to mentally hear the music before or while playing.

To improve aural memory:

• Listen to high-quality recordings of the piece regularly.

• Sing or hum phrases away from your instrument to internalize pitch and contour.

2. Visual Memory: Recalling how the sheet music looks, including note placement and markings.

To improve visual memory:

• Study the score without playing—mentally walk through each section.

• Try visualizing the page while away from the instrument, and then test yourself by writing it out or "air playing."

3. Tactile (Muscle) Memory: The feel of physical movements—your fingers knowing what to do automatically.

To improve tactile memory:

• Practice in small, slow sections with consistent fingerings.

• Try playing with eyes closed or in the dark to focus on physical feel rather than sight.

4. Intellectual Memory: Your analytical understanding—structure, harmonies, rhythms, and key changes.

To improve intellectual memory:

• Analyze the form, chord progressions, and recurring motifs.

• Say note names, rhythms, or harmonic functions out loud while pointing through the score.

Some musicians may have a photographic memory of the sheet music, while others rely more on the physical sensation of playing. Everyone has a natural strength—but in high-pressure situations like performances, even your strongest type of memory can falter. That’s why it’s crucial to develop and reinforce multiple forms of memory. If one breaks down under stress, the others can step in and help you stay on track

Effective practice isn’t just about repetition—it’s about training the brain with intention. By incorporating strategies like interleaved practice, adequate sleep, and engaging multiple forms of memory, musicians can make their practice more efficient and resilient. Understanding how the brain works helps turn practice into lasting, high-quality performance.

References

08/25/2022 07:49:00. (2022, August 25). How to use the 4 types of memory to improve your memorisation: Alexandra Gorski. The Strad. https://www.thestrad.com/playing-hub/how-to-use-the-4-types-of-memory-to-improve-your-memorisation-alexandra-gorski/15287.article

Carter, C. E., & Grahn, J. A. (2016). Optimizing Music Learning: Exploring How Blocked and Interleaved Practice Schedules Affect Advanced Performance. Frontiers in Psychology, 7. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01251

Lin, C.-H. J., Chiang, M.-C., Knowlton, B. J., Iacoboni, M., Udompholkul, P., & Wu, A. D. (2012). Interleaved practice enhances skill learning and the functional connectivity of fronto-parietal networks. Human Brain Mapping, 34(7), 1542–1558. https://doi.org/10.1002/hbm.22009

Samani, J., & Pan, S. C. (2021). Interleaved practice enhances memory and problem-solving ability in undergraduate physics. Npj Science of Learning, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41539-021-00110-x