“If you have a passion for music, I hope that these pages will be a beacon on your journey toward limitless artistic growth.” The Musician’s Way, p. vi To succeed at university-level music studies, newly enrolled students require skills to practice and perform,...
“Ultimately, your musical progress will depend more on your skillfulness with the creative process than on any talent.” –The Musician’s Way, p. 313 When I teach introductory workshops on The Musician’s Way, I organize concepts using frameworks that musicians can...
“You adapt yourself to the contents of the paintbox.” —Paul Klee, painter The Musician’s Way, p. 121 Like a painter dipping into a limited palette, a musician practicing an isolated part has to adapt to material that’s incomplete. A part played or sung out of context...
“There can be so much to cover in a practice session that it can seem overwhelming.” –The Musician’s Way, p. 6 We all know how demotivating it can feel to have much to do yet not know where to begin. By setting small, specific goals, though, we can ignite our...
“Treat everything you play on your instrument as an important piece of music, even if you are just warming up.” -Wynton Marsalis The Musician’s Way, p. 22 Countless musicians set their instruments aside as their lives unfold, yet their desire to make music remains. If...
“How you shape your practice schedule will in many ways determine the course of your creative life.” –The Musician’s Way, p. 11 Consistent, deep practice is the rocket fuel of musical development. When we live by regular practice schedules we reap countless benefits....
“A musician’s reputation is shaped as much by consistent professionalism (or the lack thereof) as it is by artistry.” –The Musician’s Way, p. 115 Although we musicians spend vast amounts of time practicing alone, professional music-making is largely a collaborative...
“Practicing well is virtually an art in itself – the art of achieving economy of time and means.” –David Soyer, cellist The Musician’s Way, p. 20 When we practice well, we don’t just get great results; we also reach our goals with optimal efficiency. We work...
“What we play is life.” –Louis Armstrong, trumpeter and composer Would many musicians dispute Louis Armstrong’s words? I doubt it. With each turn of a phrase, we performers spin out some of the essence of being alive, and we relish every moment. But we don’t create...
