“You’ve got to think about ‘big things’ while you’re doing small things so that all the small things go in the right direction.” –Alvin Toffler, author When we veteran performers practice, we begin with objectives and learning methods in mind. If we’re preparing a new...
“If you start with something that’s fake, you’re always covering your tracks.” –Paul Simon, singer-songwriter Is there really a fast track to mastering an unfamiliar composition? I’m convinced that there is. And its use can not only speed up the learning process but...
“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” –Thomas Edison, inventor Parts I and II of this post show that we musicians need inclusive abilities and solid work ethics if we’re to seize opportunities in the new economy....
“If excellence is a habit (which it is), then students must consistently play in ways that are fundamentally excellent nearly all the time.” -Robert A. Duke Whether we’re practicing or performing, all of us musicians are striving for excellence. But do students really...
“When we practice deeply, we can trust ourselves and execute without forcing.” When you confront a technical challenge in your music making, does a voice within you ever say, “Try harder”? I get the impression that many rising musicians believe that trying...
Have you ever experienced pain or discomfort as a result of your music making? If you answered yes, you’re not alone. Musicians and Injuries As I describe in The Musician’s Way, musicians frequently incur injuries, particularly to hands, limbs, backs, necks, vocal...
Many music students believe that if they can get through a piece in practice, they should necessarily be able to perform the piece on stage. Then, when they become undermined by nervousness, they conclude that their performance problems must be caused by psychological...
Let’s say that you’re about to practice a new piece of music: What’s your typical plan of attack? Researchers have observed that expert and student musicians display profound differences in their approaches to learning new material, and those differences lead to huge...
It’s 10:00 a.m., and I’ve already practiced for a couple of hours. I practiced yesterday, too, and I’ll practice tomorrow. Like musicians everywhere, practice is central to the rhythm of my life. What keeps us musicians practicing? Self-motivation is a big part of it....
