How to improve as a musician
The progress of a musician can be determined by a variety of things, which extend beyond the amount of time you spend practicing your instrument every day. In the same way that ‘success’ is perceived differently based on the person - your goal might be to become a talented improviser on the piano or to successfully perform concertos as part of an orchestra. Whichever is your goal as a musician, here are some things you should keep in mind as you work on improving your musicianship:
Keep on learning
This should be a given, but when we reach the goals we set, we can often feel tempted to stay in our comfort zone and stop learning new things. Being great at playing a specific genre of music or selected pieces, shouldn’t be the end of our curiosity. Music offers a lot of opportunities to always challenge yourself and explore a new topic. So keep your curiosity alive and never stop learning!
Evaluate your playing
While it’s good to have someone else evaluate your playing, it’s also important to learn how to self-evaluate your progress. We’re often our worst critics, and our clouded judgment can sometimes be all that it’s stopping us from reaching our goals. A valuable thing to learn is how to get rid of negative talk every time we try something new, and also how to accept that perfection does not exist. Mistakes are a normal part of your learning journey, and your playing can always be improved.
Perform in front of others
You don’t have to be a perfect pianist to perform in front of people. The art of performance has a lot to teach to a musician and it’s a great opportunity to remind us of why we play. Whether you are doing it to have fun with a couple of friends or to receive feedback on your playing, make sure that you take time to perform besides just practicing. Plus, the more you perform, the better you learn how to deal with performance anxiety.
Listen to music
This might sound like an obvious tip, but when you dedicate so much time to learning how to play a piece, you might find yourself dedicating less and less time to simply listening to music for the fun of it. Remember to take breaks in your practice to listen to your favourite songs and concertos - you don’t have to learn how to play something to enjoy its beauty.
Take breaks
More importantly, learn to accept the fact that your body and mind will need to take breaks every once in a while. Of course, regular practice is important, but it doesn’t have to become a chore that you end up hating. You should never forget to actually enjoy the act of playing your instrument, and the best way to keep your productivity and commitment alive is to allow yourself to take breaks every once in a while.
I hope that these tips have made you excited to keep progressing as a musician. Ultimately, it’s exciting to imagine your music learning journey as a continuous one that has plenty more great discoveries in store for you, rather than a road with a set end.
