Category Archives: Uncategorized

There have been a few reports of studies on musicians’ practice habits that have recently shown up on Facebook. Two that I found interesting were the one about what kind of practice habits are most effective, and another claiming that the much-touted 10,ooo hours or practice is not what makes a musician good. I haveContinue reading “Studies on Practice: Truth or Fiction?”

Have you wondered how professional musicians can play intricate passages and really fast music in a way that looks effortless and sounds smooth? How do they get their fingers to know where to go faster than they can consciously think? Or even to play slower pieces confidently? Think “learned movement that becomes habitual”. With consistentContinue reading “Effortless Musicianship?”

Let’s begin this subject with some definitions and concepts: Your repertoire is your collection of pieces that you know well enough to play in performance, or at least well enough to enjoy playing for yourself.  It’s not necessarily what you carry around in your music bag, unless you know all the music in it reallyContinue reading “Building Repertoire vs. Building Skill”

There comes a point in learning any tune when we need to begin practicing it two different ways. Up to a point the learning process has to be about getting all the notes, timing and tempo precise (and the lyrics if it’s a song). After the point when you’re consistently playing it right, it’s timeContinue reading “Playing Right vs. Playing Well”

Several days ago I noticed that all the photos of the products in my online store (see link above) had disappeared. I don’t know how long it had been that way. For those of you who visited  that page and/or wanted to order a book, DVD, or CD, it may have been a bit confusing. InContinue reading “Online Store has been Updated”

When you hear a performance by a professional whom you admire, it’s likely that part of their allure can’t be described; something about their skills and/or in their demeanor on stage sets them apart from the average musician. Whatever that quality is, it’s not something we can learn as a technical skill, and it’s differentContinue reading “Secrets of the Professionals”

How often have you watched someone play an instrument you play, and wondered how they are doing something that’s beyond your present ability? It’s to be expected that beginners and intermediate players will have this experience, but it happens to advanced players and professionals as well! That’s because almost no one masters all the skillsContinue reading “What are “Selective Skills” – Are They Helpful or Limiting?”

Consider what would happen in a dramatic theatre production if all the actors read their lines from a script, instead of memorizing them. It wouldn’t make much of a play. Learning their lines allows them to express and emote, to live the play. Likewise, memorizing your music allows you to live the music. Memorization seemsContinue reading “So You Think You Can’t Memorize?”

When you decide to learn a tune, it may be because it’s been assigned by a teacher, or because you’re in an ensemble or band that’s playing it, or because you have it in a book and it looks interesting, or because you’ve heard it and liked it. All those reasons are valid. Ideally, you’llContinue reading “Expressing the Indefinable: What You Hear vs. What You Play”

  In Part 1, I wrote about air travel with your instrument. But of course we must take equally good care of our instruments when we travel by car, bus or train, when camping, or when shipping an instrument to your destination. By Car It doesn’t matter where you live or even what time ofContinue reading “Part 2 – Traveling with your Instrument”