As a pianist, muscle memory is so important. When learn a song, I usually learn the top hand really well because it’s easier for me. When I have practiced it enough, I barely even need to think about that hand because muscle memory takes over. My fingers know what to do without my brain needing to direct them. Then my concentration can be on the bottom hand and other details. To master a song, I want muscle memory on both hands.
This is especially important during performances. I get nervous and this always makes me perform less than my best. If I have muscle memory, this is much less of a problem. Even when I feel distracted, I can continue playing.
I recently started learning more about the organ. I’m working on a duet and trying to learn the foot pedals for the first time. It’s actually quite trippy because my brain is so hard wired to pay attention to 2 lines instead of 3. The easiest hymns sound like a train wreck. For this duet, I decided I need to work on getting muscle memory for my hands so my brain can focus on the foot pedals and the stops. I am not a well-trained pianist, so I tend to be lazy with things like fingering. I’m focusing more on using the same fingers each time.
The patterns of my days and weeks shape my discipleship and my relationship with my Savior. Many days, I’m practicing my discipleship with varying degrees of attention to the details that make it meaningful. The better my muscle memory for discipleship, the more I can focus on things like how much I need my Savior, seeing His hand in my life, and all the other important things. I tend to get distracted by things around me and can perform worse because of it. I don’t have to allow these distractions to completely derail me because of muscle memory.
I love Jesus Christ and I need Him every day. I love that I can build my faith and my relationship with Him. I love that I am a better person because of Him
