Interesting. I found your explanation of masking easy to relate to. Maybe it's the brain's way of using its function for what it considers to be vital. As far as repetition, how well I know. When I was growing up, I wanted to take music lessons like my older sister - she got the guitar lessons and I was stuck with the accordian. It, like the piano, took a certain amount of dexterity which my father claimed I would never have, being a lefty. Nevertheless, it did afford me the opportunity to learn to read music even if I never was very proficient at playing.