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I found myself skipping a few spots, even though I was worried I might be missing an insight or golden piece of advice between the pages I was jumping over. However, the book is very repetitive and a bit long winded. Good advice for just about any aspect of life, no.
The author pinpoints a few major 'bad' habits that are very common and detrimental to improvement through practice. This book points out what needs to be changed and how those changes can help, and even somewhat guides us through the process of making those changes.I love the idea of making the best of our mistakes - not really learning from them so that we don't make any more, but learning how to use them to improve our own musical experience. Some very useful ideas about how to approach practicing.
Mistakes aren't bad and shouldn't be avoided or ignored, but rather welcomed and integrated into the development process. Some of the name dropping and extended anecdotes I could have done without. He articulates these problems very clearly and offers some interesting--and I think very useful--ways to deal with them and improve efficiency and enjoyment during hours in the woodshed.
Our habits are so ingrained and we have historically been practicing in inefficient ways for so long that it is no longer a matter of employing a quick fix; some changes that need to be made are major and challenging.
I went back to the piece and was able to play it from memory about a week later.I figured I had gotten over a "hump" in my learning music at the piano. Have fun.
I also found the book very engaging to read. William Westney has reopened a door to child like wonder for me and my piano playing.
Ten years ago I was struggling through learning "Trois Gymnepodie." The chords have a wonderful voice on their own so I pulled them out of the score and put them in a drawing. Engage the music creatively, play it backwards, inside out, crazy rhythms, sing it, dance it, draw it.
It was hard for me to put it down which books from the "self help" genre usually don't do for me. I would then look at the drawing and play the chords, looking and listening for interesting cadences and rhythms.
Since reading "The Perfect Wrong Note" I have realized that what I did for "Trois Gymnepodie" is something I should do for my entire repertoire.
I wish to attend one someday. I think I will need to read it again to have a better digestion of his theory. The part of the Un-master class is really interesting.
I gave a copy to my mother-in-law (who's a beginning adult pianist at age 70+, and she loves it too- she's taking notes. Really enjoy this book, cause I'm adult returning to piano lessons and rediscovering some old skills. Love the "psychology of learning" and the looking backward to see why it never worked before.
It gave me a whole new perspective on making (the inevitable) mistake to be able to move past them. I actually enjoy sitting down and practicing again. I found this book to be just what I needed. My playing has improved immensely and I am progressing at a rapid pace now that I am able to use the mistakes as a learning tool. I recommend this to anyone who feels "stuck" or is a piano teacher. For several years now as an adult returning to the piano I found myself stuck and being unable to further my skills. This book was just the ticket as it made me aware that I was so afraid of making a mistake that it hindered me going any further.
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