| In the world of music, learning to play the piano is a | | | | motor skills as an automatic type of reflex. As one |
| difficult challenge which can be extremely rewarding if | | | | reinforces those movements through repetition, the |
| undertaken successfully. For many, mastering the | | | | brain's neural system learns those fine and gross |
| simplest Bach Two-Part Inventions is one of the main | | | | motor skills to the degree that one no longer needs to |
| milestones to work towards achieving. | | | | think about them, but merely to react. In this application, |
| It has been said that learning to play an instrument is | | | | the muscle memory process is an example of |
| akin to learning to become fluent in a foreign tongue. | | | | something known as the OODA loop. |
| Familiarizing oneself with all the different types of | | | | OODA simply stands for 'observe', 'orient', 'decide', and |
| notes, keys and key signatures is just the beginning of | | | | 'act', and is a concept originally coined by military |
| the journey. Learning how to translate these written | | | | strategist and USAF Colonel John Boyd. The Colonel |
| notations into audible sound on your instrument of | | | | used this term in the context of military operations and |
| choice is quite another thing entirely. | | | | procedures, but it is now also often applied to |
| Among the instruments available to express your new | | | | understand learning processes such as is required in |
| found knowledge are a diverse group which rely | | | | martial arts or anything else involving advanced, |
| deeply on bi-manual dexterity, or complicated use of | | | | intensive training. |
| both hands. And none is more challenging and | | | | As pertains to playing the piano, muscle memory is |
| ubiquitous than the piano, especially for the first time | | | | typically the result of years of practicing and playing. It |
| student. Teaching both sides of your brain to work | | | | is essential that this initially involve basic one-handed |
| independently can be the most difficult part of learning | | | | playing while learning all the scales and proper fingering. |
| to master the keyboard, and coordinating the attack, | | | | Slowly adding the use of both hands and concentrating |
| speed, and fluency of your playing is a large part of | | | | on the points at which they play in unison is the easiest |
| the undertaking. | | | | way to progress to playing a simple piece with both |
| Any decent keyboard player has established his two | | | | hands. |
| handed skill through the process of training both his | | | | The use of a metronome is highly recommended as a |
| brain and hands to perform competently through a | | | | tool to regiment playing and develop the discipline to |
| phenomenon known as "muscle memory". This type of | | | | play in time. Bach inventions are an excellent vehicle to |
| training is a result of repeated movements over time | | | | use to develop basic skills and progress to more |
| which eventually allow the body to treat this group of | | | | difficult work. |