[Pauline]

Hi Noa

Thanks. No, sorry, I don’t know any aural skills teachers. My piano teacher didn’t understand when I told her my problem, so that’s why I thought you would be able to help. Never mind, depending on the 4 bar tune in my exam, if I remember 2 bars out of the 4, for each of the singing and clapping the rhythm, then I’ll get half the marks which is better than no marks at all!

Pauline

[Pauline]

Hi Noa

It’s been a while since I last wrote about my problem with nerves and focusing. I’m pleased to say this has improved, although I still have to continually work on it.

My problem now is that my cognitive memory is not as good as it used to be. I have an exam soon and whereas I used to be fine with remembering 4 bars of music (played twice) in the aural test and singing, or clapping the rhythm back, I can now only remember the first 2 bars. It sounds simple to say only 4 bars of music, but I am now finding this difficult. I don’t mind the singing as I sing with a Choral Society. The strange thing is that I don’t have a problem in memorising music if I learn a piece. Is there a way of improving my aural function, as above, please? Your advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

Pauline

[Pauline]

Hi Noa

Thanks for the clarification in your first paragraph which is very helpful. Your second paragraph is spot on, so grateful thanks, as seeing your explanation has had a interesting two-fold effect in that initially I disassociated from it by going blank in trying to find the words to reply to you. It had a powerful impact on me and I had to keep reading the paragraph to internalise its effect. The more I focused on the words, my blankness gradually evaporated. WOW Noa, you are a magician! I can now work on what I need to do to improve and to strengthen my focus.

Pauline

[Pauline]

Hi Noa

Many thanks for your helpful reply. Although my teacher notices my tension at times, sadly, she is not forthcoming in knowing how to help me. I don’t mean to sound critical of her; but she focuses more on the musical side rather than technique in piano as she doesn’t attach much importance to it up to the intermediate stage. I disagree with this view and I hardly get any technical exercises from her, so I do my own from the workbooks that I have accumulated. I get tight in my shoulders at times, but it is mostly in my wrists and my head! Although I practice wrist rotation exercises separately, I need to find a way of lessening the tension in my head so that I don’t lose focus and/or go blank.

Sorry, I didn’t understand the first two lines of your 3rd paragraph: “Although the more we converse…….attention in the first place”. Can you please explain this. In the meantime, I will go through the Focus module again. What you say about having a clearer mental target to hang on to when I get nervous makes a lot of sense and may lessen my tension. I will work on this and some of the other modules using your helpful advice until I feel able to relax sufficiently and focus without sabotaging myself.

I have signed up for Rob Knopper’s mini course and I am now waiting for the 2nd video which sounds more practical preparation than explanation.

Thanks and I will let you know how I get on.

Pauline

[Pauline]

Hi Noa

Thanks. I don’t play violin, but I can understand your concept and the video example, as I play classical guitar and the same principle of how much pressure to use applies to both hands. But I need to understand it in playing piano, as it’s a different technique and I’m not advanced like I am on guitar. With piano I tend to lose focus when I’m tense or nervous, or I make silly errors, and I can freeze by going blank when under pressure. So how do I learn to release tension both in my lessons and in exams? Please help. Thanks.

Pauline

[Pauline]

Hi Noa

Further to my question above and your helpful reply, I have been trying to overcome my inability to maintain focus when I am nervous, or tense. I am wondering what you mean by being too loose and floppy in your first paragraph? And how to apply your second paragraph in practice so that it is effective.

Also, could you delete my surname from my questions, please. Many thanks.