Ability Development And Pattern Recognition*

There are many resources to validate that music lessons of varying types increase intelligence. If you Google "music and cognitive development", there are no less than 4,000,000 articles.
Websites I found ranged from sites which want you to buy a listening CD, to research papers at various Universities including the MIT research site where I found 1,830 articles on music and cognitive development.

The question then is: How can we optimize music learning so that core ability is developed?
What is the link between learning music and cognition? After thinking upon this for a long time I have come to the conclusion that the most basic link between music and cognition as well as the link to physical and emotional learning is pattern recognition.
A very good explanation of pattern recognition is from the Intelligencetest website:

"Out of all mental abilities this type of intelligence is said to have the highest correlation with the general intelligence factor, g. This is primarily because pattern recognition is the ability to see order in a chaotic environment; the primary condition for life. Patterns can be found in ideas, words, symbols and images and pattern recognition is a key determinant of your potential in logical, verbal, numerical and spatial abilities. It is essential for reasoning because your capacity to think logically is based on your perception of the logic around you. Your pattern recognition skills are expressed verbally through your long term exposure to language and your mathematical and spatial abilities are based on your perception of numerical data and 3D objects."

Learning piano through the Suzuki method uniquely develops pattern recognition. This is done first aurally, then physically, and then through making the visual connections to the sound and the tactile sense. Additionally through repeated listening, "understanding" develops of the smallest pattern which is repeated in many variations as well as the a sense of the larger patterns such as whole pieces, movements and larger works. When Suzuki students memorize the aural patterns and connect them physically and mentally they are internalizing patterns in a very different way from students who learn to read symbols and depend on the visual cue to "know" which notes to play. So, in addition to developing the ability to recognize patterns, music study develops the ability to understand the relationships between those patterns, and to be able to create from this level of understanding.

As students are learning the melodies of the pieces in Suzuki Book 1 they are learning the pattern sequences of the notes - going up/going down/repeating the same sound. They are learning the similarities and differences of these patterns for the phrases in a piece, and also the form of the whole piece. They can play many different pieces. As they internalize the patterns, they are working on the quality of the sound and how to use the body to get the best sound. This way, the knowledge from the repetitions becomes ability and the *implicit learning about the patterns becomes actualized. This is important to note, because it is the self-discovery and experience of playing the patterns that develops the ability.

Through this process the framework is developed for the more advanced pieces. It is much better to take time to develop the solid basics and then the children can progress naturally with ease and ability. This is truly what Dr. Suzuki meant when he said these two important phrases:

"Knowledge plus 10,000 times equals ability"
"Raise your ability on a piece you can play."

In Daniel Pink's book "A Whole New Mind", he proposes what he considers to be the necessary qualities to be successful as society changes from "the information age" to "the conceptual age":

"Symphony, as I call this aptitude, is the ability to put together the pieces. It is the capacity to synthesize rather than to analyze; to see relationships between seemingly unrelated fields; to detect broad patterns rather than to deliver specific answers; and to invent something new by combining elements nobody else thought to pair.

Psychologist Daniel Goleman in his book "Working with Emotional Intelligence" writes about a study of executives at fifteen large companies:

"Just one cognitive ability distinguished star performers from average: pattern recognition, the 'big picture' thinking that allows leaders to pick out meaningful trends from a welter of information around them and and to think strategically far into the future."

I firmly believe that all students who begin piano at a young age and with the right environment can learn to perform a full piano concerto by memory in collaboration with an orchestra and at the same time have an individual expression before they finish high school. I already have seen many students do this. By setting these aspirations for the children and giving them the steps to achieve these goals over each week, each month, year, and ultimately their childhood, we are creating patterns of work, dedication, enjoyment, and success that will enable them to be adults who envision and create their life.

Piano Ability is Life Ability!
Children are so wonderful,
Leah Brammer


Implicit Learning: This kind of learning has been called various names including ‘learning by osmosis’, ‘thinking without thinking’, ‘the adaptive unconscious’, and also 'natural learning'.

Links to Music Learning and Cognitive Ability informationHere is a short one from Science Direct:
The Effect of Early Music Training on Child Cognitive Development
This article mentions the studies being done on students at a Suzuki School in Canada:
Effects of Music on the Brain
Here is another one:
"Higher Intelligence through Music"
The idea of listening to music to increase spatial reasoning was popularized as the Mozart Effect:
Wikipedia on Mozart Effect

*Reprinted from the studio blog -April 2010

Recital Affect

Dear Parents,
It was wonderful to see the twinkle students at the recital.  I noticed this week that all of them came in very eager to come to the piano.  This is the power of environment!
It is good to have "recitals" at home too so they can practice taking a bow, playing, bowing in a fun way.  You may enjoy making a video of them doing this. 
The upcoming holiday is an especially good time for them to put on a recital.
At the Christmas party they may be ready to come and take a bow.  Since the party is in the studio it will feel familiar to them and we can practice it each week until the party.

In practice, please continue to focus on the ready position, on each note in twinkle, and at the beginning of each piece, phrase, or spot.  This is where the most essential learning is taking place.  Please make sure that there is no tension in the ready position.  If they are overarching their back, or holding their arm to high it will be difficult for them to hold the position, stay still, or play with good tone.  So, in a balanced position the body can easily become still, and it feels comfortable.  Children do have to develop the ability to find this balance, but please dont have them over exaggerate by holding in a stiff way.
When the body is in balance, the fingers are flexible and can move easily.  By watching carefully you will see when the body is in the right balance and thus be able to help them find it.

By coming to the recital you are able to see how the students posture creates the balance for them to play well. It's good to observe this, but also to keep this in balance with the joy of watching each child come to the piano and play from their heart.

Have a great holiday!
Leah Brammer

An Integral perspective

Dear Parents,
I recently gave a workshop for teachers on the topic of integral learning and how it relates to teaching young children. Integral learning is especially important for us to remember at this point when the three year olds have been coming to lessons since the last week of August, and we are still focused on the exact same points! 

We are focused on the bow for example. We are developing the sense of balance, the physical coordination, and the knowledge (Mental) of what your are supposed to do at the lesson, but most importantly we are teaching the motivation, connection, and respect (Spiritual) in the bow.  Therefore in the bow we are teaching all four quadrants of Integral learning and thus providing a core learning experience.

We also are developing the aural - physical connection by clapping the rhythms everyday. The finger numbers can now move from the mental identification to a feeling identification when the finger touches the key.   This way they can develop the coordination of moving the fingers without becoming stiff in the body in any way. The singing of the solfege is developing the ability to play smoothly and naturally with breadth.

Most importantly,  please play the disc as many hours a day as possible. This way the sound is being internalized, the songs are becoming familiar friends, and the children can learn to "play by heart".

Dr. Kataoka says:

"Regardless of when a student begins, or what discipline a student is studying, the very beginning is most important."(1)

You are all doing a great job!
Leah Brammer

1. Piano Basics Newsletter, Winter 1991, Dr. Kataoka

Bow, Ready, Tone

The bows are improving.  As the bow becomes better, the child becomes earnest, wholehearted, committed and  focused.  Through working on the physical expression of the bow we are also working on the feeling in the bow, the willingness to learn and take instruction.

The most important point for this week is to make sure there is no tension in the ready position on each finger. Ready position teaches each separate finger to be balanced over the key with a relaxed hand -"Spaghetti fingers".  However, if we try to teach too much with words, no matter how good we may think those words are,  the result will be unnatural. The children need to feel the balance over the keys with the correct finger touching the correct key. This is simple yet involves physical and mental stamina, as well as motivation and connection to something more interesting yet to come. So, they need encouragement that this process will yield a result. Play the disc and videos and reinforce the concept that the practice they are doing is going to help them play well. This may seem obvious, but they need to hear encouragement often to keep working on holding a position at the piano without playing...

All of the students can continue to do ready on the thumb with counting.  Please ask them to look at their thumb as this will help them focus.  Be careful when they look that they do not bow their head however and maintain a good balance without tension.  Notice how directly they can find the ready without any extra motions, and at the end of counting notice how they take their hand off the piano.

For the kindergarteners,  please focus on really listening to the sound, and allow them to discover and connect the way they move their fingers to get the sound.  After each note is played we are noticing something - particularly the tone.  Please notice the differences in tone as your child plays, and affirm when the sound is good.  Ask your child which tone they like and be very interested in each sound.  Usually the 5th finger comes along latter, and the tone becomes really good on the 2nd and 3rd fingers first. So, notice each finger separately - the 5th finger takes time so notice when it is moving even if the sound is a little weak.  This is fine as long as it is not tense. As you notice with this kind of focus you will really be able to hear lots of difference in tone that you may not have been consciously aware of before. Also, as you put the focus on the sounds the child becomes engaged too, and the practice is about listening to which sounds they like, rather than about if they are doing it right or not. When the judgement about the child is absent, the child is free to listen and learn.

Please continue with finger recognition every day. This needs to be immediate, and also by touch sense without having to look at the finger.  Please clap rhythms and identify the twinkle rhythms, and also sing solfege on the beginning songs either with the disc, or separately.  It is good for parents to look at the book and listen to the disc while singing.  This will help you to learn the pieces quickly.  You can write the solfege in the book if it will help you.  If you would like me to check the solfege you have written in the book to be sure it is correct just ask me in the lesson.  The children can sing along as they memorize it.  If you are doing this they will learn without any extra "teaching". 

Here is a link to a blog  written in October 2009 about tone with a couple wonderful quotes from my teacher Dr. Kataoka,, and also another video clip from a student in 1998.

 "Focus with the Ears"

I will take pictures of the students in their ready positions next week and can post them in the photo gallery.
Thanks so much for your dedication to the process.
Leah Brammer

Twinkle lessons 9_26_11

Dear Parents,
I am very happy to be working with you and your children this year.  This assignment is general for all the new beginning students this year.  The beginning students range from early three year olds to 5 year olds who have already had other piano lessons.
Following are points for this week:

1. Please make sure you are listening to the disc as many hours a day as possible.  You can make copies of the disc by uploading it to your itunes and then have it in the main room of your house, the child's bedroom, and also the car. Keep the volume low so that it is going on in the background all day. It is not possible to listen too much! This is the way your child will be able to speak all the pieces with beautiful sound easily and without extra explanations or teaching.

2.  The most important point to work on is "ready". This is as true for the students who can play all of the twinkles as well as the younger students who have not started to play yet.
The ready position creates balance in the physical posture, calmness in the emotional center, and one-pointedness in the mental condition. You can bring attention to the feeling of the ready by asking the child if the bench is too high, does your arm feel right etc.

3.   Other activities can include:

• singing "Do a deer",  "twinkle" with words and with solfege/actions, London Bridge and Mary, beginning solfege to Lightly Row
•  Color and cut out the song cards while listening to the disc and naming the songs. Reinforce the names during the week when you hear them come on the disc
• find the Do's, and other notes as well if this is easy,
• clap the twinkle rhythms
• say finger numbers with increasing speed, eyes closed, etc. as done in the lesson

Here is a previous twinkle blog from a similar point in the year that includes some performances of Cuckoo.  One of them is the Cuckoo Folk Song from Book 1 performed from at a  10 piano concert in Japan.  There is another video which is the  "Cuckoo" by Daquin from Suzuki Book 6 performed by a former student.  See if you and your child can hear the Cuckoo theme when Lauren plays (It is in the left hand in the beginning section)
http://coresuzukipiano.blogspot.com/2009/10/twinkle-lessons-5.html


Please bring a microchip each week so that we can record the lesson for your home use.
Please let me know if you need any help figuring out how to use the chip at home, etc.
best,
Leah Brammer