2010 September | Part Time Musician . com

Practice – how much is enough? Too much?

Practice. It can be fun and therapeutic at times…and it can be pure drudgery at others. We all want to play well, but how much practice is enough? How much is too much? Can there even be too much?

Well, yes. According to a paper published in the Journal or Neuroscience, practicing is important to developing skills of a cognitive and/or physical nature…but “osmosis learning” – or as Professor Harold Hill referred to it in the classic musical The Music Man, the “think system” – contributes greatly to mastering a task. In fact, actual practice time can be reduced greatly if the reduction is accompanied by an equivalent increase in passive learning (listening to relevant material, etc.) – which is quite effective, even if the passive learner is doing something else at the same time!

The practical upshot is this: make your practice sessions focused and effective, and listen to musical selections that contribute to your musical growth as well. Rather than try to find an hour every day to practice, accept that some days you’ll be lucky to find 15 minutes of available instrument time…and fill in the rest with selections from your iPod. As a trumpeter, listen to Wynton for 45 minutes. Or Maurice Andre. Or Al Hirt. Violinist? Itzhak Perlman, Joshua Bell, or Hillary Hahn? Or maybe David Garrett. You get the idea. :-)

While there are no shortcuts to playing better, there is a difference between “working hard” and “working smart”. We shouldn’t be afraid to put effort into becoming better at something we love, but we should do what we can to enjoy the journey as well. If it happens to be a more effective way to learn, all the better!

Keep playing (and listening)…

Mark

For more information, please see:
How Much Should We Practice?
The Journal of Neuroscience

Quote of the Day: Picabo Street on Success

Some people just seem to have a bead on the truth – and be able to clearly state it – better than others. Today’s quote is another good one from Picabo Street, skiing great and (apparently) performance philosopher and psychologist.

“There’s a saying: ‘If the love of what you do exceeds the effort of doing it, success is inevitable.’”
Picabo Street, American Alpine ski racer

Note that she didn’t say success would be easy or that it would come quickly. She said it was inevitable – unavoidable. It may take time, and it’s almost certain to take a great deal of effort, but if you love what you do, you will succeed.

The next time you hit a rough patch, get handed a ridiculously difficult chart, or just feel you may never play as well as you’d like, ask yourself if you still love to play. If the answer is yes, you can’t help but succeed. Just keep playing… :-)

All the best,
Mark

Joke of the Day: Banjo Players

To the banjo-playing PTMs (Part-Time Musicians) among us, I must apologize in advance. The banjo is a fascinating instrument, combining elements of various other stringed instruments (frets, bridge) and percussion as well (head/membrane)…but its uniqueness makes it somewhat of a target. That said, since we (usually) choose which instrument to play…deal with it! ;-)

Q: Why do some people have an instant aversion to banjo players?
A: It saves time in the long run.

Whatever you play, may you do it with relish!

All the best,
Mark

Three Secrets to Dealing with Criticism

People often fall into one of two categories: those who are blind to their weaknesses, and those who overestimate them. When criticized, though, every one of us suffers the same struggles. How does one deal with the criticism that is bound to come our way? Here are three secrets to not just accepting criticism, but benefitting from it.

Secret #1: Determine if there is merit to the criticism. If it’s accurate – even if it hurts – move past the bad feelings it may have caused and begin to fix whatever is “broken”.

If the criticism is particularly harsh, this is often quite difficult to do. But if there is much that is wrong, that means that there is much potential for growth. Try to view it from that perspective, determine how to address the key points of the criticism, and begin working toward bettering yourself. You’ve just been handed a golden opportunity to improve…so make the most of it!

Secret #2: If there is a nugget of truth wrapped in an unhealthy dose of venom, separate the delivery from the useful information and “take out the trash”.

Sometimes this is more difficult to deal with than the above scenario of 100% accurate (but rather harsh) criticism, because it’s easy to lose the useful-to-you information in the noise of the unfair remarks that came along with it. Try making a list of the key critical points and striking through those without merit; whatever is left is all you should consider from that point forward. If it helps to make a new list (so you aren’t constantly rehashing those items you’ve eliminated as unfair or untrue), do so! Make them your “to do” list, determine how best to address them, and start reaping the rewards for your efforts.

Secret #3: If there is no merit to the criticism – none at all – flush it.

This is tough for those who tend to overestimate their own weaknesses…and is often used as an escape hatch for those who are blind to them. Don’t immediately dismiss criticism; give yourself enough time to really consider it. But if you do determine it is baseless bashing, forget about it. Every one of us has been, and will be, unfairly criticized by others. Don’t waste time and brain cycles rehashing what someone says out of ignorance or spitefulness. Finding a more constructive outlet for your time will not only make you better, it will also make you feel better – a win/win.

In summary, take a moment to determine just how much weight to give criticism before you spring into action or worse, fall into depression. If the criticism is accurate, act on it; if it’s partially correct, distill it; and if it’s baseless, flush it. Whatever you do, though, don’t absorb it or ignore it. Use it to your advantage. In this case, it really is “all about you”. :-)

Keep playing,
Mark

Quote of the Day: Mary Kay Ash

While not a musician, Mary Kay Ash inspired many, many people throughout her life…and she still does. Today’s quote speaks to everyone really, regardless of pursuit, but its relevance to our “playing obsession” is uncanny.

“Most people live and die with their music still unplayed. They never dare to try.”
Mary Kay Ash
American businesswoman and founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics, Inc.

Live. Play your music. Dare to try! You have nothing to lose but regrets.

All the best,
Mark

This article is not meant as an endorsement of Mary Kay Cosmetics, although we’ve nothing against them. Additional information about Mary Kay Ash can be found here, at Wikipedia.

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Practice – how much is enough? Too much?

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