When I read your music-analogy, I smiled. During the time I was copying other artist's work (not Old Masters, mind you), I would sometimes trot out this same analogy. Ultimately, I became resentful of occasions that called for me to "explain myself" and simply stopped (explaining myself).
Allow me a moment of contradiction. In a previous, similarly themed post I said I advocated "no short-cuts", and here is Karin, advocating short-cuts. Hmmm. In my view, those who profit from such short-cuts likely need them. As Karin said, if you didn't have the exposure during your school-days, when your top worry was the number of zits brewing, not making the mortage, you may not have the luxury of the "long and winding road". Are you going to miss out driving the express-way? Sure you are. Will you end up at the same destination? Not necessarily, not even likely, but if you enjoy where you are, that may be enough.
The lure of the easy path is seductive, and I fear too many will be lulled enough that they'll lose the impetus to strive beyond the limits such paths place of your development. I don't know if I'd actually "teach" tracing, but I can see the validity of it's use in an ongoing evolution, providing you DO evolve.
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