Out of the woodshed

While there can be no question that the power of a shared experience with an audience is unparalleled, or that music is an essentially social phenomenon, I answer this question only after considering what it would be like for me to never play at all. It would be unbearable. And when it’s not all about getting gigs and keeping students I can play whatever I want. It’s entirely about improving my playing and my musicianship.

It’s not a good idea to never practice finishing things. A repertoire, a set list and a piece or two at the ready are important goals and benchmarks. Practice can be designed to establish and maintain these things.

My personal form of practice has to include a significant amount of time for breathing and relaxation, especially at these early stages. I’m also a big believer in building up “practice loops,” from one or two measures to ever longer chinks. But doing just loops and never just playing a piece or song from beginning to end is no better for your musicianship than it is for the sanity of family and neighbours who may be subjected to it!

So if you’re your only audience for a while then play yourself a concert! Don’t think twice about it or let yourself feel self conscious over it. Keep your eye focused on the prize, which is improving. For any musician, improving musicianship is the most direct form of self-improvement.

Breathing and relaxation

I was always in a seated position at neurofeedback sessions, but I learned more about diaphragm breathing lying on my back. My guided meditation often suggests sitting, and letting go of breath control, but for serving the creepy crawlies of anxiety their eviction notice, it’s been my experience that some hyper-focus is in order.

“practice loops”

The new rule, for my ADD is: add a visual element. This can be a variety of strategies, but I like to involve reading standard notation or watching the display of my metronome, that I may from time to time set up in special ways. Technology can certainly enhance one’s ability to distill powerful knowledge from hands-on/ears-on lived experience. I use at least 3 or 4 apps regularly. My metronome, Audacity, Drum Genius, MuseScore, my DAW (Reaper), plugins within my DAW…