Instrumental music practice has been conceived and investigated from the perspective of self-regulated learning (SRL), i.e. how students acquire the tools necessary to take control of their own learning. SRL processes depend on variables such as ways of studying (method), time invested in practice and behavioural and social/cultural factors. Thus, this paper examines ways of thinking throughout the piano repertoire learning of three undergraduate students at different academic levels in a Brazilian academic context. Using a phenomenological approach, four research techniques were employed: a semi-structured interview, observation of the recorded performances, a non-structured interview about the repertoire being prepared, and a recall-stimulated interview to follow the repertoire learning process during an academic semester. The data analysis demonstrated that the degree, nature, and quality of the interaction between each undergraduate student and his respective repertoire learning were distinct and dependent on their personal disposition for coping with his repertoire learning. The nature of this musical thinking was creative or involved learned actions. In this study, the actions were shown to be related to previous experience, including prior academic training. On the other hand, activities that are independent of the students' academic level seem to result from individual dispositions for solving problems faced during repertoire learning. This result helps argue in favour of the need to promote a student's awareness of the role of activities that promote problem-solving thinking, in combination with learned actions, during the musical practice. Through this combination, students may be able to better prepare their musical repertoire according to principles of excellence in artistic expression.