Musicians everywhere know the agony and ecstasy of practising.
Rehearsal time is precious, useless, essential, wasteful and
indispensable all at the same time - and we've documented the journey.
1. Finding the right spot
Not too warm for brass and woodwind, not too cold for pianists'
fingers, not too far from your house if you're a student, not too big so
the acoustic ruins your sound, not too dry so you can hear all your
mistakes, not too small so you feel cramped and stressed… so, yeah.
Anyone know a room like that?
(via wmich.edu)
2. Tentative success
Hey, looks like that hard work last time paid off! Those legato
passages have finally gained some character! Those sfzorzandi are really
popping! I AM AMAZING!
3. Actual progress
Even better, all the technical problems and pitfalls you seemed to
trip over yesterday are miraculously missing today. Reward yourself.
Take a break.
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4. Break-time
This section of practise can last anywhere between one minute and,
if you're unlucky, several hours. It's imperative that you don't lose
focus.
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5. Procrastinating
You know what procrastinating is, don't you? When you're supposed to
be methodically learning the intricacies of a Kabalevsky concerto,
making sure the runs are sounding just perf-GUYS THERE'S A DOG IN THE
CAR PARK I HAVE TO GO.
(via thepetcollective)
6. Shame-faced return to practising
OK. You were being silly. Time to knuckle down and make sure those tricky passages are consigned to oblivion. It's time for steely determination.
(via babble.com)
7. More procrastinating
Yeah. Still not practising. Take a leaf out of this guy's book and
just muck about with a pencil instead of doing any actual work. All
together: "This is a very good pencil."
8. Food
All that practising can make you hungry. If you're practising away
from home in a practice room, make sure you've either lined your
instrument case with packets of nuts or you have a pizza delivery outlet
in the vicinity.
9. Frustration
Returning once again to your doomed practice session can invoke
feelings of annoyance. Try not to let this become a physical
manifestation.
(via sodahead)
10. Dulling realisation you've remembered nothing from your last practice
Nothing at all.
11. Abject defeat and despair
That's it. That whole session was futile. Anything you may have crammed into your head in the first few minutes has sadly been lost. Maybe crying will help.
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12. A lifeline!
Seconds before you finally throw in the towel and pack your instrument away, you absolutely NAIL that passage you were struggling with. Justice, thy name is fluking a musical breakthrough. Practice! It's all worthwhile! Let's do it again tomorrow!
