Author Archives: rileylaurie

What’s your musical genre? Have you consciously chosen one? Do you really know all about it? How does it differ from others? Can you describe its nuances? Every genre and sub-genre or style of music is characterized by specific features, some obvious and some quite subtle, without which it just isn’t really authentic. Many nuancesContinue reading “Genre and Style  –  How Much Do You Know?”

Last night I attended a concert of the Victor Provost Quartet, with guest artist Paquito D’Rivera. These are some of the world’s finest jazz musicians (google them for info). I was awed, as I always am by Victor, because his music is so amazing that I can greatly enjoy it even though I have littleContinue reading “Teaching for Passion, Practicing for Joy”

CEO’s of large companies, stars of sports and movies, and professional musicians have something in common: a large majority suffer from something that has come to be known as The Impostor Syndrome. I knew a talented young man who graduated Summa Cum Laude from an important music school, with a major in classical guitar. HeContinue reading “The Impostor Syndrome: do you think you’re not as good as they say you are?”

It’s easy to assume that there’s one definition for musical skill, but in fact there are different sets of skills for different musical situations, and each needs to be defined separately. Some people shine in one skill and some in another, and some are adept at more than one. Let’s look at the most generalContinue reading “Building Repertoire and Building Skill”

It’s assumed by most people that only a few can achieve excellence. That’s why the word exists  –  to excel in something means to do significantly better than the norm. But it’s really more complex than that. If we look, for instance, at what was considered really good guitar playing by well-known folksingers in theContinue reading “Excellence is Not the Exception”

This article is a continuation of the one posted last time, which you can find below this one on this page. As a performer, your demeanor signals audiences how to react; it affects how they feel about you, about your music, and about your instrument, and even how they feel about themselves! The audience willContinue reading “Performance Anxiety – Part 2”

“Stage Fright”, as we often call it, is the bane of many a performer, both amateur and professional. Although some won’t admit it, a majority of performing musicians experience some form of it, from mild jitters to debilitating fear. When it’s mild, the feeling of increased adrenalin can actually help us perform well. When it’sContinue reading “A New View of Performance Anxiety – Part 1”

Although there are many things to keep in mind in making a gig successful, we can think of it in two simple foundational aspects: logistics and delivery. Logistics is preparation and set-up. Delivery is the actual performance. They are of equal importance. Logistics: Naturally, adequate practice is ninety percent of a good performance.  If you’reContinue reading “Elements of a Successful Gig”

Ask any number of musicians why they play music, and you’ll get a different answer from each one, ranging from, “My parents made me,” to “I can’t NOT play music  –  it’s my passion!” Assuming we want to play, what is it that drives us to pursue music? The answers are as diverse as areContinue reading “Why Play Music, Anyway?”

Your audience can’t hear what’s in your head. They can only hear what you actually play, and that could be a good thing, or it could be not so good. What is in your head as you play a piece of music? Is it the “soundtrack” of the first time you heard the piece playedContinue reading “We Can’t Hear What’s in Your Head”