Thoughts from a recovering perfectionist: commit to the bit
You may have heard of the phrase “commit to the bit” here and there, but maybe haven’t put much thought into it. But whenever I end up in a situation reflecting on performance anxiety as well as finding joy in performing music, or even every day life (in the joy of being), I always come back to that phrase - commit to the bit.
It means completely committing your whole self to whatever thing it is you’re doing, and trusting. No half-measures, no apologies - just your full self. Even when everything inside is going “no, let’s go back to what’s normal, comfortable, what we’re used to and hiding away.”
Thoughts from a recovering perfectionist: don’t forget the good when you critique yourself
When someone asks you to reflect on a performance or playing in a lesson or practice or rehearsal - you go straight to what can be improved, right? It feels so weird, maybe a little boastful to mention anything you liked about whatever the situation was, right? Try acknowledging what went well, because we don’t level up unless something goes well.
Three practice tips for musicians that will break your brain
Do you ever practice something over and over and everything is going well, but then you hit a wall in your practice? Or something throws you off when you’re out of the practice room? Or just bored of the same practice strategies?
I have a few practice strategies for musicians that are definitely character building. In other words, they feel like they’re breaking your brain. What’s actually happening is strengthening the fortress around your skill by building the skill from different approaches and angles than what we’re used to as musically inclined practice room dwellers.
Practice journal reflections for musicians: self-doubt
As musicians, it’s common for self-doubt to creep in about the work we do. It’s totally normal, but let’s reflect on any self-doubt we may have in the practice room and how we can approach it differently when it shows up.
Three different ways to tackle tricky technical passages and supplement slow practice
Having trouble with a technical passage in your practice? Here are three of my favourite ways to tackle them that can use to supplement everyone’s favourite practice method - slow-practice.
Practice Tips: Trills versus Counting - who will win? (spoiler alert: it’s you!)
You’re playing in band, on a really long trill, but suddenly you’ve completely lost count as to where you are in the long high note wiggle - oh no. OH NO.
Keep reading to get some helpful tips to combat this!
Thoughts from a recovering perfectionist: self-recording
Recording my own playing…just the thought gave me the heebie jeebies for a long time. Everyone says we should do it for a whole host of reasons, but sometimes the thought of it gives the eugh.
Well…I hate to say it, but they’re right.
“But I don’t like the way I sound on a recording, the minute I hit record all my skill goes out the window, it makes me nervous, what if someone else hears it, what if someone else hears it and gives unsolicited advice, but I know it’s for practice and improving but I just can’t stop doing takes until it’s perfect.”
Does that sound familiar? I see you (unless you don’t wish to be perceived, I totally get it.)
I too was once very put off by recording my own playing and listening back. Sometimes I still am…but I feel the eugh an do it anyway.
Here’s why…
Practice tips: Late off of ties or rests? Try these.
Late coming off of a tie or a rest and playing the rhythm incorrectly or rushing to get back on beat? Add these to your practice toolbox to help you with these kinds of habits.
Progress is wibbly-wobbly, and sometimes a surprise
Progress isn’t linear and it doesn’t always show up where or when you expect.
Thoughts from a recovering perfectionist: unrealistic expectations part 1
Placing expectations on yourself, because you know yourself best and you know what you should be capable of…right? And then you don’t meet those expectations…and that’s not so nice.
Practice journal reflections for musicians - play and curiosity
Today’s practice reflections brought to you by finding play in our practice and trying things just to see what happens.
Three things I never skip in my flute warm up
Three things I don’t skip in my warm ups. I consider these extremely useful tone exercises for resonance, tone colour, depth of tone, dynamics, flexibility, and more. When I started using these in my own practice, I noticed a difference rather quickly, but that of course came with consistency with using them along with my other warm up activities.
Just as the saying goes, “don’t skip leg day” - I don’t skip these. So let’s get going with a few of my favourite things.
Pre-practice prompts (and things to try)
Some pre-practice prompts and some things to try for today.
Sight-Reading Tips for Musicians
I’ve grown to love sight-reading, so here are some of my favourite tips!
Thoughts from a recovering perfectionist: mistakes
The music lesson is one of the prime places to make the mistake.
Why?
If we don’t hear/witness/become aware of a problem, we can’t diagnose and find solutions that work for you.
My journey finding improvisation (+ a free resource!)
Improvisation used to be scary for me.
Well first it wasn’t, then it was, and now it’s definitely not.
When you’re told to just make up anything, that can instil some major indecisiveness. Such indecisiveness can make you freeze up. This is my journey with/to/finding improvisation, and a free resource with my favourite starter improvisation prompts.
Memorization tips for musicians
My memorization tricks!
These are three tools for memorization that I use that can help with reinforcing memory-work in music, and starting the challenge of memorizing music.
Interleaved Practice: be more effective in the practice room
I’ve got a problem with block-practice.
How I stumbled into changing my practice routine to the interleaved method, and how you can benefit from this style of practicing.
Practice journal reflections (after a break)
Practice reflections to consider when coming back after a super solid break (or any time really)
As I always believed, when coming back from an extended break, take time to be kind and rewind (a la Blockbuster Video)
So here are a few to think about to help get the most out of coming back home to your practice.
The Musician’s Mind-Palace
Creating performance mind-palaces where you feel most powerful.