Unlocking the Music Within: Practicing with Purpose
Unlocking Your Musical Potential
As musicians, and specifically as clarinettists, the path to discovering the music within us begins with practice. So go practice! But first, let’s talk a little about practicing with purpose.
More Than Just Repetition
Practice is more than just time spent; it's about focused learning or development. It's about hearing ourselves, paying attention to the nuances, and establishing a deep understanding of the instrument we play and its tendencies. Ultimately, practice is the process of slowly working towards achieving a strong awareness of our technical proficiency, ability to solve problems and and most importantly play expressively with ease.
“How do I do this?”, you might ask. Well, it begins with building a personal library of tools and methods to identify issues or challenges. Implement these tools to resolve them and repeat the desired outcome or approach to reinforce trust in our ability execute under pressure.
the ability to Expanding on the everlasting feedback loop Experimenting with different approaches and seeing what sticks/feels most natural or appropriate.
How we criticise or talk to ourselves in the face of adversity or frustration.
The Necessity of Regular Practice
Consistency is key. We know regular practice is crucial for progress, but the manner in which we practice holds the real transformative power.
A Mindful Approach
Purposeful practice begins with crafting a thoughtful plan. Identify what you need to work on, and break down the challenge into a series of small, achievable tasks. This plan will look different for everyone. So, take a moment now to jot down your current goals or aspects of your playing that you’d like improve.
Maybe you want to finesse your technique, nail that upcoming recital, or even master a steady practice groove? Whether it's learning a new work, or simply getting those scales down pat, these goals can be anything you like:
Once you have completed your list now it’s time to design your practice session to align with these goals.
For me, I like to organise each practice session into 4 key areas - Tone, Articulation, Finger Fluency and Repertoire. Generally, you’ll find any one of your goals will be achieved by improving these pillars of your playing.
Discuss this plan with your teacher who can provide the necessary materials, exercises and technical work to help you hone your focus and remember to write down and incorporate the tools and techniques learnt in lessons to help you identify and resolve the challenges you’ll face. Commitment to the Process.
Commit to the journey and process of practicing rather than worrying about immediate results. Real progress is often a gradual unfolding.
The Path of Continuous Growth
Unlocking the music within us is a continuous and evolving journey. By practicing with intention, making a plan, listening intently, and committing to our progress, we can truly connect with the instrument and craft the sound we dream of making.
We all face different challenges in our playing that demand focused training and problem-solving. And, it’s these challenges that drive our want to improve and play with greater expression and ease. This is the beauty of playing music! If it was easy everyone would do it. So, find the moments you love and hold on to those feelings!
For more ideas on ways to practice effectively head over to “On Making Progress with Intentional Repetition.”