All of us want to be better musicians. But how can we do that? Here are 10 ways you can become a better musician.
1. Self-evaluate. Be honest.
How does honestly evaluating your musicianship make you a better pianist/singer/violinist/composer/etc.? Good news! You aren’t as bad as you think.
Here’s why.
We are more likely to see our failures. This can be a good thing, because it allows for future growth. Onlylooking at our mistakes hinders our overall musicianship. This can hinder our ability to grow because it encourages negative self-talk that can lead to a loss of motivation to create music and be better.
Remember Making mistakes does not make you a bad player. Instead of looking at your mistakes as a negative, try to find the positive aspects of your playing. You might be able to do certain things well.
However, there are always things to be learned. A part of honest self-evaluation is recognizing areas for improvement. What could you do better next year?
Honesty will help you become a better musician. Find the positives, identify what you can improve on, and then put these ideas into practice.
2. Realistic goals are important.
After you have done an honest self-evaluation it is time to set goals. There are two types of goals: short-term and long-term.
Long-term Goals are those we set for the future, such as completing college or going on vacation. Although these are not easy to achieve now they are essential because they give you something to look forward to. These goals give you something to strive for.
These are some examples of long-term goals that musicians can set for themselves:
- Learn how to make a particular piece
- Perform a recital
- Music teachers can start a business
- Create a YouTube channel that is successful
- Receive a commission to create an original composition
Make sure that your long-term goals are achievable . Your goal should have a deadline. What date would you like to see this goal accomplished? Is there a realistic time frame for you to complete the task? It will take time to build a YouTube channel. Conductors won’t ask for a commission from you if they don’t know much about your music. It takes many practice sessions to learn a new piece.
Here are the short-term goals.
Our short-term goals can be achieved sooner than our long-term ones. Short-term goals are the ones that help us reach our long-term goals. For example, we can take a class to graduate from college or save $10 per week to go on vacation. These short-term goals help us get closer to our long-term goals.
Here are some examples of short-term goals that musicians can set for themselves:
- Every day, practice at least 30 minutes
- Learn multiple pieces
- Learn how to teach music lessons in a class
- Share your first YouTube cover with your family and friends
- Every day, compose a new piece.
Keep in mind that short-term objectives are steps that will help us achieve the long-term goals. The short-term goals must be realistic, just like the long-term ones. Your short-term goals should have a deadline. How do you plan to complete the task within a reasonable time frame?
Setting realistic goals will help you become a better musician. They will keep you on track and push you to achieve your goals as a musician.
3. Practice (a.k.a. Your goals will be achieved
Yes, it’s true. If you want to be a better musician, you need to practice your craft. Keep in mind the goals you have set. It is time to take action on those goals, work towards them, and achieve them. It takes hard work and willingness to make mistakes, but you can become better.
We all make mistakes that is part of being human. We make mistakes. We make mistakes. Then we learn from them. You might make a mistake on your instrument or practice it. This could happen when you are trying to teach children music, or if you learn how to make YouTube videos.
If you are a good musician, you will be able to improve your skills. Set goals, then work to achieve them . You can do it.
4. Take breaks
This is important! Research has shown that practice sessions are the most effective.
It should take 45 minutes. After that, you will need to take a 15-minute break. You need to give your brain a break. Exercising too hard can lead to a negative experience and even a wasteful one.
Take breaks during any creative activity. This allows you to take a break and gives you the chance to return to your project with fresh eyes.
If you take breaks and refresh your mind, you will be a better musician.
5. Continue practicing.
Success is about trying and trying again. Mastering your instrument can be a hard and difficult task but it’s worth it . Instead of making excuses about why you haven’t achieved your goals, get on with it. You will succeed if you are willing to push yourself to achieve your goals.
Practice makes perfect Set goals, then work to achieve them . You can do it.
7. You can listen to the music without leaving your instrument.
You must make time to play the piano or the violin every day. However, many musicians forget to study.
There are many ways to listen to your music without leaving your instrument.
- Learn the score
- Find patterns within themes
- Notice dynamics, articulation, etc.
- Listen to the music
- Play the music in your head
- Visualize the music
- Imagine you are playing the instrument/piece of your instrument by closing your eyes.
While it is hard to mentally study your music, it can be a great practice if you do it correctly. Spend some time away and you will be able to really understand the music.
Studying your music without your instrument will make you a better musician. It will help you memorize the score and learn the piece. You will also improve your ability to hear pitch and your brain.
6. You should listen to lots of music other than the one you’re currently listening to.
It is amazing to see so many incredible music out there. This is one of my favorite aspects about being a musician. YouTube is filled with amazing performances of all types of music, from Medieval through Contemporary, and from classical to hip-hop.
Why is this important?
You can store new sounds in your brain when you listen to music. When you practice, write, compose or teach, you will be able to recall these sounds and ideas so that you can incorporate them into your craft. You limit your creativity by limiting the music you listen too.
You should remember that every time you listen to new sounds you are building your own music library. You will get new ideas by listening to and watching other conductors and performers. Who knows? It’s possible that you will discover a new musical piece or genre that you like!
Listening to a variety of music will help you become a better musician. You will discover new sounds and different interpretations you can use in your music.
8. Live your life!
Being a musician is enjoying the music with all of our being. Without having experienced something in our lives, we cannot be great musicians.
All of our emotions, joys, sorrows, happiness, anger, anxieties, and excitements contribute to the music we make. They can help us learn from our past experiences and strengthen our ability to perform well.
Life is amazing and wonderful, so don’t be afraid to try new things. Try new things. Meet new people! Meet people who are different than you. These things will enhance your musicianship.
Experience life and you will be a better musician. Learn as much as you can about the world, and let that knowledge shine through in your music.
9. Show kindness to others
Life isn’t a contest. It is common for people to believe that we must be the best in order to succeed. But this is not true . It is important to be kind. Trash talk and hatred have never made anyone succeed, but kind words and supportive actions make us better musicians as well as people.
We are all individuals with different experiences. There is a good chance that someone you meet is going through a difficult time. Be kind to them. Encourage them. Accept that their beliefs may differ from yours. That’s OK.
Being kind to others will make you a better musician. Empathy allows for deep, wonderful emotions and helps you build meaningful relationships with others. All of these influences your musicianship and give you perspective and experience that can be used in your life.
10. Rinse and Repeat.
It takes time to become a better musician. It takes time. It requires self-evaluation, goals and experience.
So remember: never stop evaluating your musicianship. Be determined to achieve your goals. Practice is important. Spend some time away. Sharpen your mind. Enjoy new music. Live your life. Be kind.
Then, do it again.
You will be a better musician.