AMSF had its first special event of 2026 on January 4th, and it was delightful to have Dr. Molly Gebrian grace the occasion!
Dr. Gebrian shared research and practical techniques on variable practice for musicians. She explained how introducing variability in practice, such as different rhythms, dynamics, and emotional expressions, can enhance learning and performance skills. She demonstrated various exercises, including opposite dynamics, different emotions, and impersonating different musicians. Participants tried these techniques themselves after the lecture, sharing their experiences with the exercises, noting the insights gained and the fun of exploring new ways to practice. The discussion revealed that these techniques can help musicians deepen their understanding of music and improve their performance by challenging and expanding their cognitive and physical skills.
Benefits of Variable Music Practice
Dr. Gebrian presented the science of variable practice in music. She explained that while traditional practice focuses on perfecting a single ideal version of a piece, research shows that variable practice, which involves practicing different aspects or variations of a piece, can lead to better performance skills. She presented several studies demonstrating the benefits of variable practice, including one where children who practiced throwing beanbags at multiple distances performed better than those who practiced at a single distance. She also discussed a study on tennis players that found those who practiced hitting to multiple targets performed better than those who practiced hitting to a single target.
Optimal Variability in Learning
Variable practice works best when there is a high level of proficiency in the piece. The context of proficiency in this case relates to knowing the piece and not overall skill level as a musician. Lower variability is helpful for those starting to learn the piece; more variability works well for those who are already familiar with the piece but want to strengthen their performance. The discussion highlighted the importance of finding the right balance of challenge in practice and the value of testing different aspects of performance to improve memorization and musical expression. Dr. Gebrian called this “the challenge point”, which means optimal learning occurs when tasks are slightly challenging but manageable.