Introduction

The first part of this chapter describes my idea of what a scientific method is and how I used it to write this book. This scientific approach is the main reason why this book differs from all other books on the subject of learning to play the piano.

The other sections cover topics on learning in general, and the equation for the learning rate is derived. This is the equation that was used for calculating the piano learning rates in Chapter One, section IV.5. I also discuss topics concerning the brain because obviously the brain is an integral part of the piano playing mechanism. However, except for the initial discussions on how the brain develops with age and how that development affects piano learning, the other topics on the brain have little direct relevance to piano. Clearly, we need much more research on the role that the brain plays when we learn to play the piano. I have also inserted a discussion on interpreting dreams, which sheds more light on how the brain operates. Finally, I describe my experiences with my subconscious brain which has served me well on numerous occasions.