“The single most important goal for performing artists is to see how they are doing.” –Itzhak Perlman The Musician’s Way, p. 202 Suppose that you’re practicing a new piece. How do you know that one portion is learned securely enough for you to tackle another? Later...
“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...
“Even the greatest virtuosos practice the fundamentals, because they are the basis of all playing.” –Wynton Marsalis Marsalis on Music, p. 124 Scales, arpeggios, exercises . . . boring stuff. Right? I don’t think so. In fact, I find the practicing of such basics to be...
“Like sensuous opening ceremonies, warm-ups prepare the body, mind, and spirit for making music.” – The Musician’s Way, p. 37 I always take pleasure in my daily warm-ups. As I open my guitar case, tune, and play my first notes, I feel inspired and...
“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...
