"Everyone starts out in music as a listener. As young children, we hear music with freshness and delight. We fall in love with it and are entranced by the simplest song. But when we start practicing an instrument, we stop listening intently. We become so involved with producing sound that we forget to take it in. Instead of sitting back and enjoying the sound, as we would listening to a good concert or recording, we get caught up with trying to make the instrument do what we want, and trying to make the music sound as we think it should. In directing our attention toward these desired results, we take it away from the sound that could give us pleasure in the present moment.
This approach becomes a vicious circle. The less pleasure we receive, the more we try to force the instrument to give it to us, gripping it tightly instead of moving simply and comfortably. This excess tension impedes the flow of musical vibrations through the body, further reducing our responsiveness to sound. We thus deprive ourselves of the joy of full-bodied engagement with the music.”
This is an excerpt from "The Art of Practicing", thoroughly written by pianist Madeleine Bruser. I often find myself struggling during my practice sessions as she describes it. The drive to become better can be counter-productive and lead you to an unhealthy way of experiencing music. We become frustrated because we tell ourselves that we have to get something done right on the instrument, especially if there is a due date such as a lesson, performance, or rehearsal, that all come with expectations. Not only do we want to improve our practical abilities, but we sometimes practice to meet certain requirements outside our own judgments. This being said, the pressure to play music can get to us and make it seem like practicing an instrument is a hassle, when it should be the complete opposite. I can’t get anything done whenever I feel uncomfortable or frustrated in a practice room.
The best thing to do in these kinds of situations is to simply remember how happy music makes us and how lucky we are to be able to share it with others. For the aspiring musician, it’s easy to feel pressured by due dates, performances, and the like. Through purposefully working too hard and thinking about the competition, we can easily get tired of playing. Whenever a musician feels overwhelmed by the expectation of others in the middle of practicing, it’s best to pack up the instrument and take a relaxing break from everything for a bit, whether it’s by reading a new book, playing video games, exercising, etc. I personally like to leave my current practice location and take a walk or drive somewhere to clear my mind from the stress I unload on myself, which is in the end unnecessary. “I’m not good enough” is the thought that mostly occurs, instead of “I love music” or “Listen to what I can do”. Just like any other activity outside music, we can absolutely destroy and get rid of the fun by focusing all our intention on why we don’t get any better. This vicious circle will never end if we don’t know how to handle it. Forcing something to accomplish a short-term goal (in terms of instrument technique) will never work, as that is not the essence of playing music during a performance in the first place. The goal is to play a piece or etude with ease while enjoying the thrill of it. The worst thing to do is to play out on frustration and internal struggle of the music. The performance will sound different and the audience will notice the difference in the musician’s energy on stage and how they handle their instrument.
That being said, try to remember the time you first learned how to play. You didn't care or know enough theory to criticize what sounds you made, or whether you exercised the correct technique. Instead, you had FUN simply playing this beautiful instrument because it spoke to you in a language you could connect to and because you realized you could make these kinds of sounds in the first place. Music is there to be excited about, it's called "playing" for a reason!
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