First, working memory: I didn't know I am Autistic and an ADHDer then, but now I'm a lot more familiar with my issues around working memory. With how lessons and practice typically go, I am trying to incorporate way too many elements into my playing at once, and I crash out. I literally play worse.
Then, I'm practicing worse technique overall. And because I'm generally dedicated and will keep throwing myself at a passage for hours at a time, this can actually be so counterproductive—practicing errors just makes those errors unavoidable. It is a deeply distressing cycle.
2. I don't think many people are very good at breaking down and teaching the principles of practice. For instance, you might say, "record yourself playing and listen back for areas to improve." I did this SO MUCH, but I think that I was just trying to account for way too many things.
It was impossible for me to hold all of the things I noticed in my head at once. I would forget things that I noticed in tone, or dynamics/expression, intonation, as I encountered new things to note. Instead of trying to incorporate every note at once, I needed to focus on one thing at a time.
So, I have been experimenting with listening to a recording multiple times and focusing only on a specific element for each listen and taking notes on that. Then practicing just those notes, recording again, repeat. This would work without recording as well—same principles of focus.
It's 500 more steps and 1000 times more work. Practicing is a lot more tiring and takes a lot longer for the same amount of play time. I'm still playing the solo piece I am working on right now worse—after all, I spent three weeks throwing myself at it, overwhelmed. But I think it is getting better.
And, I guess, bonus. It still got memorized over that time. XD But truly, I think that there are ways to break down practice into a more precise science that can be taught much more effectively, and I would like to work on breaking it down further. Thank you for coming to my TED talk.