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.