A few months ago, I made an observation while teaching one of my new students. In her free trial lesson I was able to teach her several exciting things about music, which is normal operating procedure. At the next lesson, however, she was able to recall everything we had covered with very minimal review. This was surprising, because we had covered a lot of ground in my attempt to remove fears of the unknown. The key difference was in how I instructed her, and how this style impacted her mind in a profound way.
When most people hear “the scientific method,” their faces glaze over and memories of middle school chemistry class and dissecting frogs come to mind. There is certainly no one in my inner circle who associates the phrase with music! But if we seek its principles in music, then we find an amazing connection because music is filled with logical thought processes! For example:
“If we are in the treble clef, and the selected note is on the third line, then the note must be “B” because Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge!”
OR
“If a song has killer guitar solos, crazy high, scratchy male singing, a thick texture of distorted sound, and a catchy melody that my parents love, then the artist must be ACDC because their musical style encompasses all of these elements.”
OR lastly:
IF I practice for 10 minutes everyday, THEN my piano skills will improve much faster than once or twice a week BECAUSE that is the best way for my brain to learn something.
In order to best relate with my students, I decided to try this out on myself. Whenever I had to “practice” life, I would think through the scientific method. As a result, I have found it easier to do otherwise mundane or even painful tasks. Paying bills, doing chores around the house, prioritizing my tasks in the AWSOM office, etc., have all become simpler to achieve because they are so undeniably logical to do when you stop and give yourself a moment to think about it.
How can you apply the scientific method in your life?