441 - How To Learn a Stack o’ Tunes (Dojo Conversations Episode 111)

Have you ever had to learn a bunch of new tunes all at once? This week, Andrew and Jim talk through the best ways to tackle learning a huge stack of bagpipe tunes quickly – while still having fun. A sneak preview – some tips include playing all tunes as daily as possible in order of importance, trying NOT to memorize, and recording yourself to make sure you get it right rather than practicing it wrong. Rethinking traditional approaches to practice can lead to better performance and more fun and satisfaction along the way… Got a topic you’d like us to cover on a future episode? Leave a comment or send us an email: [email protected] Here’s what we cover this week: 00:00 Introduction and New Year's Resolutions 00:25 The Challenge of Learning New Tunes 01:37 Strategies for Efficient Practice 02:53 Personal Experiences and Insights 04:54 Five Principles for Learning Tunes 06:19 Tip 1: Play Through All Tunes Daily 17:18 Tip 2: Never Play By Yourself 29:19 The Power of Subconscious Learning 29:55 The Miraculous Process of Memorization 30:41 Daily Practice and Improvement 31:11 Handling Missed Practice Days 31:35 The Importance of Enjoying the Process 36:26 Prioritizing Tunes and Practice 41:41 Learning Tunes the Right Way 41:57 Vertical and Horizontal Learning Methods 47:32 The Role of Fun in Learning 55:29 Final Thoughts and Encouragement