When L and I talk piano pedagogy, he often uses the phrase positive control.

(I’m telling you this up-front so that when you see the phrase appear in the project he’s currently working on, you’ll know that I borrowed the term from him and not the other way around.)

For the longest time, I didn’t understand what positive control meant. I kept saying “you mean like the words you think in your head right before you play the notes?” and he kept saying “it’s not words, though.”

And then I’d say “okay, do you mean, like, the image that you call up right before you play the notes?” and he’d say “that’s closer, but I’m not even sure it’s an image.”

“A symbol?”

“Sort of.”

“An impulse?”

“Maybe.”

The trouble is that I have learned, since those conversations, exactly what positive control is—but I still don’t know how to describe it.

I can show it to you, though:

That performance was—and this is the only way I can describe it—positively controlled. It isn’t an impulse and it isn’t an image and it isn’t a series of words; it’s a deliberate action (or series of actions) that yields a desired result.

You may compare the Chopin to my most recent Mozart recording:

There is a lot that’s very good about this recording. You can tell that I’m doing the work—but I haven’t yet done all of the work required to achieve a state of continuous positive control.

There are segments of this Mozart sonata that are controlled, which is to say that there are segments in which I no longer need to think “don’t forget the Ab” or “third finger on D” or anything like that because I know the piece so well that I don’t need to think anything.

There are also segments that are uncontrolled. I haven’t done enough work; I haven’t solved enough problems; I haven’t generated enough consistent, integrated repetitions to establish positive control over the experience.

Because of that, I’m not even sure I can call this recording a performance.

It’s a practice session that I recorded for you.

The next one will be better, of course—but it might take many many many many many more sessions before I have the same amount of control over the 20-minute Mozart sonata as I do over the 4-minute Chopin nocturne.

Which could be frustrating—but in this house we practice what-it-is-ism, and so it is only and ever what it is. ❤️

Here’s where I got published this week!

How does business credit affect personal credit? Bankrate

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How to budget expenses during high inflation periods, Bankrate

We’ve got four strategies to help you combat inflation, starting with tips to help you save on monthly interest charges and ending with ways to save on phone plans. In between, we’ll look at high inflation investments, savings accounts and how to budget in the face of rising consumer spending costs.

What is an excellent credit score? Bankrate

Do you have an excellent credit score? A lot of people can achieve good credit scores by practicing responsible financial habits, such as making on-time payments, but it takes a little extra knowledge—and some credit card savvy—to take your credit score from good to excellent.

How does cash back work? Bankrate

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What is collateral assignment of life insurance? Haven Life

When it comes to lending a borrower money, banks tend to play it safe. If, for example, you request a mortgage pre-approval letter, apply for a business loan, or prepare to take on a significant amount of debt, the bank or lender is going to want to ensure that you have the financial resources to pay off your debt without going into default. In some cases, your lender may request that you offer your life insurance policy as a form of collateral — that is, that you use the value of your life insurance policy as a way of guaranteeing the money you owe on your loan.

How to help kids return to the new new normalcy, Haven Life

Some kids may be both ready and eager to navigate the world mask-free, hugging friends and reconnecting with relatives. Other children, especially those who might have trouble remembering life prior to mask mandates and social distancing, might be afraid of getting sick or anxious about getting too close to other people.