Thinking and Playing Music

Sheryl Iott investigates the relevancy of cognitive science to musical development and distills the best teaching and learning methods for musicians of all skill levels based on these scientific concepts. Filled with over 100 musical examples, this book imparts practical suggestions and advice that anybody can incorporate into their own practice.

The book is divided into three parts:



the beginning musician and important cognition topics that relate to early music study, such as language acquisition, aural processing, and the development of audiation along with a relaxed approach to the instrument
the intermediate musician and more advanced cognitive processes, including visual processing, chunking, and early problem solving
the advanced musician moving towards expertise, requiring higher levels of knowledge representation and a more creative approach to problem solving, with strategies to tackle the most difficult repertoire

The book includes sample lesson plans, workshop templates, and sample practice assignments.