Progress fast or enjoy playing?

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By: Please log in to see tutor details
Subject: Musicianship
Last updated: 08/04/2012
Tags: advice (beginners), musicianship
Musicianship

This is a key question for beginners. Everybody wants to enjoy playing but you need to develop skills before you can play something really well... this sounds like a catch 22 situation!

In my early years I enjoyed free playing and improvising but I was less interested in strict sight reading and composed music playing. This continued until I could really enjoy my own playing. I remember clearly the first time I felt the satisfaction from being able to play a piece well. From that day I enjoyed every minute of practice because I knew it would lead to better playing and more enjoyment and I was able to recognise and value the progress that I was making.

It can be frustrating when you can't immediately play something as well as you would like. Scales and technical exercises are not likely to bring much satisfaction until you recognise how their techniques and principles will, in time, give you access to a much more varied and impressive future repertoire.

So what is the conclusion?

There will be hard days when you will have to make yourself practise in the knowledge that the enjoyment will follow. Setting regular goals for yourself will help you to enjoy every step in your journey as a musician and performer.


George Kovacs Bassoon Teacher (Colchester)

About The Author

I am passionate about music and musicianship. As a tutor I am approachable, patient and enthusiastic. I strive to make my pupils into all round musicians and adopt a holistic approach to preparation, practice and performance.



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