Dyad practice facilitates motor learning in music

Abstract Practice conditions that replicate performance environments can enhance motor learning. Dyad practice, where learners alternate between physical practice and observing a partner, offers a promising approach to music training by combining motor learning principles with collaborative strategies. This study examined whether dyad practice enhanced motor learning in novice marimba players compared to individual practice. Seventy-three university-trained musicians, who were naïve to marimba playing, were assigned to one of three groups: individual practice, dyad-full (physical plus observation), or dyad-half (reduced physical plus observation). Participants completed acquisition, retention, and transfer tests using mallet endpoint error as the primary measure. Acquisition analysis revealed that only the dyad groups improved right-mallet accuracy, while the individual group showed no such gains. At retention, performance advantages were observed only in the dyad-full group, likely due to greater overall task exposure. Critically, both dyad groups outperformed the individual group on transfer, indicating superior generalization of motor skills. These findings extend dyad training principles to musical motor learning and highlight its potential to improve training efficiency and promote equity in music education by enabling shared resources and collaborative learning environments.