THE WAY OF PIANO • MIND • BODY • SOUL
Written by ANDREW EALES
The Einstellung Effect is a form of cognitive bias which happens when our existing knowledge or habitual ways of thinking influence our approach to solving fresh problems as we encounter them.
Rather than exploring innovative, bespoke solutions, we too often simply fall back on the familiar. This can hinder our ability to find more effective answers, and prevents us from discovering better strategies or ideas.
As the writer Anthony T. DeBenedet, M.D. explains in his bestselling book Playful Intelligence (2018):
“The Einstellung Effect is the development of a mechanised state of mind, referring to a predisposition to solve a problem based on previous experience, even though a better way to solve the problem exists. Einstellung is essentially the negative effect, or influence, of previous experience when solving new problems.”
Ironically, the more expert we become, the less wise and flexible we can actually be when it comes to recognising the value of fresh ideas. We box ourselves in with a belief that ours is the best or only way.
As DeBenedet puts it, we’re stuck,
“If we rely too much on our past experience to solve a problem, we allow the brain’s connections that have always fired together to continue firing (and wiring!) together. This is how we get stuck.”
And because piano playing has a strong cognitive element, the Einstellung Effect can impact our progress here too. Here’s a few of the signs:
- persisting with the same practice routine from one day to the next, even though we aren’t getting the results we hope for.
- consistently following the same lesson routines with students, week after week.
- improvisations that always fall back on the same recurring musical ideas, progressions, and vamps.
Getting out of a rut
If you are feeling stuck, here are some suggestions which might help freshen up your piano journey:
Start a practice journal: evaluate practice sessions, identifying any recurring patterns or habits. Replace stale routines with alternative strategies, always reflecting on their benefits and impact. Find out more about the benefits of keeping your own piano journal.
Change your schedule: practising at a different times of the day can help us tap into the natural ebb and flow of our energy, the body’s cycles and circadian rhythm. Be mindfully alert to how this impacts your focus, the quality of practice, and your creative musicality.
Adopt a fresh warm up routine: try this simple exercise, which brings our focus to the breathing, coordination, and wrist flexibility. Using this as a warm up before piano practice, you may notice that when playing you become more sensitised to hand weight, physical support and release.
Get Creative: introduce more improvisation into your practice routine. Choose either to use scale and chord patterns you are familiar with, or completely ignore established rules to release your inner abstract modernist! Try starting with a descriptive title, or consider how to tell a story using the many incredible sounds of the piano.
Mix it up: rather than sticking to familiar practice methods, however effective you have previously found them, consciously explore alternative strategies, techniques, and exercises.
Spice up your practice!
Recognising and understanding the Einstellung Effect can be beneficial for improving the learning process. By spicing up our practice routines, we can consciously seek to avoid the negative influence of habits that no longer serve us.
We can all develop a more flexible and adaptive approach to practising, playing, and teaching the piano. Embracing variety can lead to improved skill development and musical creativity.
For more ideas to help reinvigorate your piano journey, you may be interested in my book: How to Practise Music.
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