# Music Helps Other Tasks



## Pianoforte (Jul 27, 2007)

I've been playing Snooker for as long as piano but like the piano my standard has always been at the 'could do better' mark. I've slaved away for hours practicing and potted every ball from every angle but my downfall is sometimes I lack the confidence needed to be a good break builder and my concentration doesn't last long which in Snooker is always going to lead to a missed pot.

A few years ago I found myself out of work and would always end up at the snooker club en route to the job centre. I would put in 6 hours of solo practice a day and after a few months my game was as sharp as ever. This practice didn't increase my concentration though just my potting ability. I was only pushing myself as far as I wanted so I was never pushing the bounderies.

I've noticed since I started playing the piano again and learning a piece of music in its entirety my concentration on the green baize has vastly improved. I believe its because I'm concentrating for several minutes on the piano and thinking about so much and I've trained myself to focus for longer periods of time. Both Snooker and Piano require accurate hand/eye co-ordination, solid technique and most importantly concentration so I've found that both compliment each other. I've not played much Snooker for a few months in favour of the piano but I discovered that the time away hasn't affected my game that much because my improved ability to concentrate for longer periods compensates for lack of practice.

I wonder if anyone else has experienced something similar?

Two 147's in this years World Snooker Champtionship which is a first. Relating improved equipment and teaching techniques to the ultra high standard of Snooker in todays age and comparing that to teaching methods in music and whether music students today have an advantage over students from 20 years ago is another subject.

Ronnie O'Sullivan's 147 on 28th April 2008 - 




Alistar Carter's 147 the next day! - 




Watching Snooker of this standard is just breath taking.


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## Diogo (Apr 29, 2008)

*Using the left hand*

I really think that if you practice piano, and if you use the right hand to write, to brush your teeth...the left hand will be able to do more things, and who knows if sometime you'll be able to do all you can do with the right hand with the left hand too. 
Anyway, you need to practice piano a lot of time (specially with the left hand). 
A good way to see if you have improved is to brush your teeth not with the right hand but with the left hand. 
For some people it's really difficult, but for me it isn't.
Writting with the left hand needs more and more practice. I can't, but I had a piano teacher that could write with both hands.

You just need practice and more practice...
Diogo


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