…ok, so not really … but like many good clickbait titles, there’s an element of truth to it.
Just an observation about my practice I’ve been noticing more recently and I’d thought I’d share in case it got anyone thinking.
I suspect I’m not alone in my habit of collecting little bits and pieces I’m working on - either exercises or sections of songs. Nothing wrong with that, but sometimes I’ll find I’ve been including something in my practice for months with little or no improvement - I’m going through the motions but really not making any impact.
I’ll drop those things now and go and work on a parallel idea instead. Something needing similar techniques but an entirely different thing. As an example I’d been working on the ‘Don’t Fear the Reaper’ riff - quite quick alternate picking on the bass strings. I recently swapped it out for the opening riff to Run to You by Brian Adams.
I think after a few weeks of practicing the same thing daily it’s easy to fall into a rut, not see mistakes and even bake them in. Moving to something new but similar forces me to think more closely about what I’m doing again.
Several times now I’ve seen big improvements on something I’m working on by not practicing it for a while and doing something similar but different and then coming back to it after a couple of weeks or so. A rising tide lifts all boats.
It also freshens up your practice and for me at least makes it more enjoyable.
Probably won’t be for everyone, but if you find yourself hitting a wall after weeks of doing the same thing, it might be worth a go.
same thing for me practice a song to death not much progress leave it for a while go back a few weeks later to find it much easier, actually sometimes I take a break from playing for a week or so in fact due to the heatwaves have not been playing much but when I do get back it does seem easier.
Hi Paul,
It’s normal and how it works so often, I’ve written about it several times and dozens of people with me here. And the teachers have also often talked about it.
So it must be true,
The title should be ‘by practicing something else in the same style-ish’ … although sometimes it can also suddenly click after a day or two of really complete rest…
A lick I’ve put quite a bit practice into but couldn’t get to sound as it should has improved this week without playing it until yesterday.
I’ve practiced other stuff though.
I think this is potentially a slightly different thing. As you say, sometimes just ‘sleeping on it’ can improve things while the brain builds its neural pathways (or whatever it does, that’s biology not real science).
I’m talking about hitting the same thing from a different angle - if you are having trouble with a fast alternate picking run, then perhaps stop practicing that run after a while and try a different fast alternate picking passage - improve the technique rather than the specific exercise.
Not suggesting I’ve invented this idea, but I’m on the obsessive end of the spectrum and likely to collect lots a little things I’m working on - they can become irksome
I`ve had a lot of time off for shoulder injury but recently started again and all of a sudden i can do bar chords-weird. Still cant move quickly between them though
You are right about this. I should have left that part out, it is another thing, but for the rest I notice so often that putting something aside for a while and doing a different exercise or song, but indeed in the same style, gives really good and surprising results.
Especially I and Lieven @LievenDV gives that advice more often… (and i read a lot over this on the forum esp. in the AVOYP if my mind don`t fool me … and can not came up with more names now … ) so it must should be true
I have been having issues with a number of my songs I practice regularly where I seem to not be able to improve them, I have come to the conclusion I need to focus on one or possibly two on one day where I deal with the areas where I am making mistakes, slow them down and practice until right and gradually speed up. Once each part is fixed then try and play it all the way through.
I somehow relate a little too well to the thread title🤦🏻
I love the feeling of returning to something after some time off and first noticing that I didn’t fully forget it, and then that I progress with it again. I think it is a good habit, it is like the recommendations by Justin and other instructors to break practices into smaller bits rather than beat the living daylights out of an exercise for hours. We learn best in short spells broken up by small or even longer breaks.
I can relate to what you describe, often it works for me to practice a certain technique which is required through an easier song, where I can master Rhythm and chords already or that I can easily memorise as well: this allows me to focus on that weak technique only and consolidate it…and it’s as you say, when you get back to your goal song it’s really soon a
yes, same here!
I was a bit surprised, but found this quite a few times,
Mainly when I started. There even working on a different thing and neglecting something else I practiced before. And boom, coming back after weeks it suddenly went easier!
Like you say, Paul, I guess it better has to be related the more advanced you get. But as a beginner, this worked for me across a pretty wide field.
My problem is just - I applied for me the “when feeling a bit stuck, go on and come back later” technique so deeply, and then, I collect more stuff all the time in guitarland, that it’s rare that I get really good at something (or it didn’t even happen yet with anything at all ) and even finishing to learn a song well enough feels really difficult.
Coming back and putting the work in to reach a “good enough” state feels really hard!
Looks like a you’ve already got enough positive replies to validate that this is indeed a common occurrence.
I’ve experienced this phenomenon myself so often. Especially in my work life when I was first learning years ago.
Sometimes it’s best to just leave it alone and walk away for a while. You can’t force growth in yourself. Just like you can’t force a plant to grow by over watering it etc. We get impatient and forget that it takes time. Take a step back and let it percolate. The brain will do its thing. Come back with a new perspective later and you might just have it!
Hi James - this isn’t really what I’m talking about - although I do agree that often this will work. I’m talking about continuing to work on the issue but using an entirely different passage to do it. You might think the problem is “I can’t play this lick”, so you keep playing the lick and try to improve. Perhaps the problem is more generic “I have trouble string skipping while alternate picking” - picking a different passage which needs that technique allows a fresh start and can get me through a barrier.
Hi Paul, this makes sense to me. I’ve also found improvement by working on something parallel,
or a specific fingering or picking “sub” challenge within a bigger challenge. I think I read about this in Molly Gebrian’s book, but can’t seem to recall the name for this learning technique.
There’s an old saying
“A change is better than a rest” and there is so much truth to that. Sometimes you learn more about something by moving on. It like what ever you were working on gets jealous and thing just fall into place.
@stitch O so true, Rick. Sometimes I say screw it, put it aside, but it never really leaves me. It gnaws at my subconscious and bingo! It comes to me and clicks when I least expect it. Not only true of guitar. I’ll have to remember that saying.
… although sometimes it can also suddenly click after a day or two of really complete rest…
be true
guilty…and happy not to be the only one 
