Amelia Kearl-Coyle-Chapter 3 and 4

 Amelia Kearl-Coyle-Chapter 3 and 4

Vocab:

Oligodendrocyte: a cell that helps create and fortify the myelin sheath

Comparisons: broadband to myelin, installers to oligodendrocyte

Summary: Our genes don’t prewire for certain skills like playing the flute or painting a masterpiece. Instead, myelin wraps around and fortifies the most important signals, the ones that are used the most. This is much more beneficial for the human race as a whole because the most important things for our survival and our lifestyle are strengthened. It’s beneficial for individuals too because everyone can choose what they are interested in and focus on the things we want to get better at. 

Application: When I was reading about the skateboarders that would practice in pools which made their practice harder than they needed to perform, I thought about what I could do as a singer to mimic that. I was reminded of how when I was in a musical. I would practice blowing my music through a straw while exercising on an elliptical. Doing this helped me expand my breath support and use all my air as efficiently as possible. It really helped me sing while dancing. Now when I sing that song standing still it’s a really easy because I have so much air to use and my body knows how to use it efficiently. I think adding things like that to my practice could be very helpful to learn to practice harder than I need to perform.

Vocab:

Cognition: the process of learning, understanding, and thinking

Chromosomal rejiggering: reorganizing the chromosomes in a cell

Virtuoso: someone incredibly good at performing music

Summary: People in talent hotbeds know how to look at the big picture as well as divide it into tiny chunks. Part of what makes their practice so effective is they focus on small chunks and perform actions at different speeds (which helps them know that action inside and out). Particularly, going slow and focusing on tiny sections works wonders because it helps eliminate mistakes. People in hotbeds also spend a lot of time watching and listening to whatever it is they want to excel at. But nothing beats practice. If your circuits aren’t firing then you won’t get any better. It says in the book that the best way to ensure a star in any area diminishes in performance is to not let them practice for 30 days.

Application: I definitely want to remember that (not that I could stand not singing for 30 days!) but for other relevant skills like practicing the piano and IPA and such. I also want to integrate practicing in chunks better into my practice time. I think especially if I focus on something specific each time I practice (like the language, technique, emotional connection) and then break it up even further (IPA sounds, specific notes or phrases, emotional changes) I can get the most out of my practice time.