Learning Musical Multitasking

LessWrong contributor jefftk is a musical multitasker — he plays mandolin with foot drums, guitar with foot bass while singing, and piano with foot percussion. Most people think they couldn't possibly do this, assuming it requires some innate multitasking talent. But he argues it's actually a learnable skill, and offers his method. His approach: practice each action in isolation until it's solid, then deliberately distract yourself while doing it — say, by reading — so your brain learns to handle it without conscious attention. Only once that's smooth do you combine it with another musical task. He emphasizes that learning happens not just during practice, but in the gaps between sessions when your brain consolidates what it's worked on. He also notes that rhythm is easier to multitask with than melody, which is why he recommends starting with something simple like foot stomping in time with your playing.

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