“Experience improves neuroplasticity”

„Neuroplastyczność buduje się z doświadczenia.”
— Rick Hanson, Szczęśliwy mózg (Polish edition of Hardwiring Happiness)

I found this quote at the beginning of one of the chapters in a book I’m currently reading — my first ever book in Polish. And I couldn’t stop thinking about how true and relevant it is to learning the cello.

First of all: what is neuroplasticity?

Neuro refers to neurons, the brain cells, and the connections between them called synapses.
Plasticity refers to the brain’s ability to change, adapt, and reorganize itself.
So, neuroplasticity is your brain’s ability to form and strengthen these connections, allowing you to learn, adapt, and improve your skills over time.

For example: learning a foreign language

When you practice a foreign language every day, you’re constantly adding new experience. This builds and strengthens synapses (the connections) in your brain.

So when you're in a real situation — speaking, listening, reacting — your brain finds the right words faster. You don’t say “that thing that helps”, you say “auxiliary”. That's neuroplasticity in action.

How does this apply to the cello?

Let’s say you’re working on a difficult shift.
At first, it sounds very bad. The pitch is off. The bow feels clumsy.
But after 10… 20… 30 repetitions, things start to change.

Suddenly, that shift feels less scary.
The intonation is better.
You feel like you have more time to control the bow.

If this has ever happened to you, congratulations! That was the moment when new neural connections were forming in your brain.

Build the bridge, then test it

The moment something starts to work is not the finish line — it’s the starting point.

You’ve created a new synapse in your brain, like a small bridge.
Now, you have to strengthen that bridge with repetition until it becomes completely reliable.

Before performing, you should ensure that every bridge you’ve built is strong enough to hold under pressure, under emotion, and in real time.

And that’s the mindset you need for every skill on the cello.

If something doesn’t work, it doesn’t mean you're not talented.
It just means you don’t yet have enough experience.

But there's a catch

You need a teacher (or at least a very clear explanation) before you start repeating something.
Otherwise, you risk building the wrong bridge — a habit that may take some time to unlearn.
A teacher helps you know what to repeat and how to repeat it.

So coming back to the beautiful quote:

„Neuroplastyczność buduje się z doświadczenia.”
(Neuroplasticity is built from experience.)

Every repetition gives you experience, and every experience makes your playing a little better.

Finding motivation to do many repeats — that’s a topic for another post.

Enjoy your practice! 🧡

Source:
Rick Hanson, Hardwiring Happiness (original English edition) — Author’s page
Polish edition: Szczęśliwy mózg — Gdańskie Wydawnictwo Psychologiczne (GWP)