What happens when you play a wrong note? Do you freeze, or keep playing?
Learning the guitar is not just about moving the fingers. We sit down to practice, but the mind is often occupied with other things.
Our fingers don't move on their own. They follow motor instructions given by the brain, which requires steady attention. When the mind drifts toward other things, the connection between the brain and the hand breaks. The focus wavers, the map disappears, and a bum note follows.
The reaction to that note is immediate.
One may stare blankly at the fingers, or slide a hand up and down the fretboard in an attempt to erase the mistake, while others may shake their head, feeling too disappointed to try the phrase again.
When a note sounds out of place, it is simply a signal that the mind has momentarily moved to something else.
It is a sign to bring attention back to the guitar. The aim is to develop a state of mind where one can make a mistake, acknowledge the distraction that caused it, and let it go.
When we stop trying to erase the past note, we become free to play the next one.
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