Visualize

Can you play the song you're currently practicing in your mind?

Can you imagine every note sounding the way it should? 

Can you feel yourself playing the song in a relaxed and precise manner?

If the answer to any of these questions is "no", you've got some visualizing to do! Visualization, or "mental play" as it is occasionally called, is a very important skill to learn. All of the great composers like Mozart and Beethoven could and often would visualize their compositions as they were writing them. If it's good enough for Mozart and Beethoven, it's good enough for me!

Here are the two main reasons to learn to visualize:

1) It lets you practice away from your instrument

How would you like to be able to practice guitar or bass (or whatever instrument floats your boat) anywhere, at anytime? Visualization lets you do it. You will actually get better just by imagining your practice material.

No more excuses about not having time to practice, since you can practice anytime and anywhere (just promise me you won't visualize while driving or operating heavy machinery - and kids, pay attention to your schoolwork). You can even practice at night without disturbing anyone!

2) You make fewer mistakes when you are actually playing

Yes, the art of mental play or practice actually makes you more effective when you play. Otherwise, point #1 above wouldn't make much sense, since the whole point of practice is to get better at playing your instrument. But what is surprising is that it can make you much better at playing in a small amount of time. This makes sense if you consider that your playing starts in your mind, so if you can picture it clearly, chances are the connection between your brain and fingers is strong enough to allow for proper playing.

I've seen students who couldn't play a passage of music, then after visualizing it once or twice, they could play it. It's almost magical to observe, but it works.

How to visualize

I don't really have any hard and fast rules for visualizing. I suppose your goal is to picture yourself playing the music perfectly - and when I say "picture yourself", I don't mean, "imagine what you look like". I mean something more like, "imagine what it feels and sounds like, and maybe what your instrument looks like to you when playing".

Try visualizing any section of music you're finding difficult. It should make it at least a little easier. I see immediate progress almost every time I or one of my students apply visualizing during our lessons.

Don't worry if it's not perfect at first. I have a really hard time visualizing, as I never really tried doing it in the first 18 or 19 years of playing. You'll probably learn to do it faster than I will! Old habits die hard, after all. But it does get easier with time and practice.

"How often should I visualize?"

Visualize anytime you have an opportunity. Bored while sitting in someone else's car, or on the bus? Visualize (just don't miss your bus stop!). Waiting to meet someone somewhere? Visualize. Can't sleep at night? What a great opportunity to visualize!

Visualizing will greatly improve your ability to play your instrument. Apply it to your practice regimen today.