If so, what did you do next?
Have you ever practiced one thing so much you actually got worse at it?
That’s never happened to me 
If you’re practicing something over and over and over in one sitting then for sure. But over time you’ll be getting better unless you’re practicing it wrong in the first place.
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Yes, for sure. I’ve done this a lot. You burn yourself out repeating something and then you don’t have any freshness left to produce quality. I’ve learned to either take a break at that point, switch to something else, or slow down and really examine the little details of what I’m trying to do (i.e. where exactly is my left hand getting tripped up, etc.). Continuing to drill it when I’m burned out never helps me. Overpracticing can suck all the musicality out of the song.
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It happens, I think mainly for adult learners. You got to slow the tempo down, get the basics (techniques and positions) and offending phrases right, and then get back up on the speed. I try to do that.
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Just an observation of possible encouragement…
It is possible that what is perceived as a “setback” of ability could be masked progress toward the next threshold of improvement?
Take speed as an example. It could be that the repetitions are creating an unevenness to a coordinated ability at a slower speed… but it may be that the next breakthrough is just around the corner at that next higher speed level.
I think we automatically attempt each practice technique with the best intent but tiredness (mental) and/or fatigue (physical) offset from the ongoing skill enhancement.
I do think there is something to slowing down to previous levels achieved to preserve that level of coordination. I know it is generally considered to be encouraged as being true - as we all have heard from the very best players. “The best way to improve speed is to slow down to perfect accuracy”.
Overall, I think there will always be a prevailing arc of improvement over the long run… even if the short runs are ebbing and flowing through peaks and valleys.
Another dynamic of that whole mindset thing… as I have heard Ben talk about it… is that we are generally far more critical with ourselves than others. You “listen” to those mistakes and you subconsciously perceive any small error as more substantial than others: “We are our own worst critic”. Therefore, self-subjectivity naturally eliminates objectivity - so that fact alone is an insurmountable challenge to realize, right? As we learn through experience, we subject ourselves to the difficulties of the process. Others don’t bring that “baggage” into their listening experience.
However, I do believe that improvement is just a reality and best perceived over greater timeframes and probably from others who don’t hear you play regularly… be it the “casual listener” or the accomplished teacher.
I am - by far - not qualified to advise on my (lack of) talent nor progress… in all the instruments I have played throughout my life… but…
I hope that this calms whatever frustrations you may have… to just keep going and trusting in the process with optimism and a sense of encouragement that you always are improving… 
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Funny thing just happened just after I posted my lengthy response.
I heard a new song released by Volume Five called “It’s gonna get better”.
A line in the chorus jumped out to me which was, “It’s gonna get better, just not today”.
Rather fitting taken in this limited context, don’t ya think? 
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It definitely happens. That’s a sure sign it’s time to move on to something new.
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Yep. Move on to something you enjoy for a while. When you feel the urge, come back to it.
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Moving on to something new as others have said and then come back to it is good advice. For me I realize my limitations, so is hard to play these songs as well as Ben is able to play them. Since Ben is a professional musician, it will always be hard to copy him, is why I like the build a break lessons, so I can try and make whatever it is I’m playing my own. I’ll start out to play something as exact as I can, and once I get to a point where I have it down to the best of my ability, then I try and take it in a different direction.
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It’s definitely happened to me when I play the same thing too much in one sitting and I get burnt out, I can’t play it well at that point. I thought you meant getting worse at something over time even though you’re practicing it, which hasn’t happened to me.
@Mason_Crone, we know prodigies and immortals are exceptions! We mortals draw inspiration from our stories of overcoming failures. 
I don’t always improve but I don’t really necessarily get worse at it 
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Yep. Even in other fields like chess, I have noticed that with some youngsters (prodigies). The curve never goes down for them!
Mason, an immortal? Sounds like fake gospel to me!
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Maybe not an immortal yet but he is a prodigy like you!
But, isn’t that true gospel is about immortality??!!
I Cor 15:53
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
quote=“JohnM, post:14, topic:18457”]
. Even in other fields like chess, I have noticed that with some youngsters (prodigies).
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I think you’ve misunderstood me. I am NOT a prodigy. I’d barely consider myself mediocre I was just saying that practicing something doesn’t make me worse at it, practice helps. That’s kinda what practice is for haha.
Agreed
Again, I’m not a prodigy. Because 1. I’ve practiced nearly every day for years and 2. I’m not even that good haha.
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Some prodigies are modest in addition, I like them!
Reminds me of a story I heard about Tommy Emmanuel… a fan told him something like “man, I would give my life to be able to play like you do.”
To which Tommy replied, “I did.”
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I would say you are way above mediocre. Now that you have the internet the bar has gotten very high. Used to be, people would get together and jam with local musicians, where a player of my caliber may be considered ok in my immediate circle, but now with the internet, the pool of players have vastly expanded leaving my status somewhat diminished.
With 8 billion people in the world, many of them congregate on the internet, to where the greatest players in the world now enter your living room. So anytime you click on music videos, great musicians materialize just like that. Even with that you are still very high up there. You got your own style going on, so that alone sets a person apart, so looks like your ceiling is pretty high.
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