Category: practicing
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How to get better at performing
We practice our instruments, a lot. We know we can play, but once we get on stage, something changes. It’s no longer practicing, it’s performing. Performing is a distinct skill. The goal is not to simply recreate what happened in the practice room (“I swear it was better when I was practicing!”). We should think…
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In defense of taking a break
I am always pooped after a gig. Like, I need to go home now and sleep. I know some people are hyped up and buzzing afterwards, but not me! I am physically, mentally, and emotionally drained. I feel happy and creatively satisfied, but also exhausted. As an early bird, I’m up by 5AM every morning,…
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Preparing to the best of your ability
It sounds incredibly obvious that we should prepare to the best of our ability. However, in reality, things aren’t that simple. We procrastinate, we get sick or need to take care of someone that got sick, or we forget to consider we won’t have as much time to practice during spring break/family visits/etc. Procrastination vs.…
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All about over-practicing
What is over-practicing? 1. Practicing more than usual (your personal usual) as a performance approaches.-Results in mental and/or physical fatigue, and diminishes performance. 2. Practicing to quiet self-criticism and neuroses.-Are you practicing to move forward with a skill or a goal, or to placate fear and self-punishment? 3. Practicing with pain.-Do not ignore your body’s…
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How much do I practice?
Practice time is a prized commodity in our family, since both me and Robert are musicians. We try to make it as even as possible between the two of us and be creative about finding pockets of time throughout the week. I practice 6 days of the week, and 4 of those are while I…