At any stage of playing a musical instrument, it can be challenging to persevere with the high demands of practicing your instrument and consequently lose interest. While the player might be fully aware that the key to success lies in determination, circumstances, and certain situations might cause them to lose focus and motivation to continue practicing.
Should a musician arrive at this point at any given moment, there are ways to revive the desire to practice and rediscover the joy of making progress in music.
Many factors can cause this state and affect the instrumentalist with emotional distress. How can an instrumentalist increase their motivation to turn things around? It is then essential to take measures to aid in recovery. If this has happened to you, asking yourself questions will help you determine your action or path. Here are the things you should consider.
Review your goals.
Recall your practicing habits. Do I need to make changes?
What are you trying to achieve?
What is important to you?
What type of challenges are you facing?
Are there stressful situations that take your focus away when you practice?
Am I getting enough appropriate feedback for my playing?
What are some demotivating factors in my life?
Do I make use of an ample amount of resources to help me improve my playing?
Which resources do I use to improve my playing?
If one is only interested in playing an instrument as a hobby, then it is not that important to them to practice every day. However, when someone wants to achieve more, they must make different decisions about their commitment to their chosen instrument. It is a commitment to practice daily so that the acquired skills remain intact and develop, thus helping the player make progress. This element is necessary for talent to bring about success.
It all depends on how you would like to proceed. Therefore, it is recommended that you try out different ways to remedy the situation. You can make these adjustments in your practicing routine yourself.
If you are facing technical challenges, you should address them with your teacher. If you need additional help, there are many resources, both online and otherwise, you can use to research your specific issue.
If you feel your practicing period lacks in any way, then you must vary your routine. When you change your practicing strategy, that alone can be very helpful. The time of day you practice is too stressful because of other responsibilities. For example, in my personal experience, when I know that I need a reasonable amount of time to achieve a specific goal, it becomes difficult for me to do that activity when there are other pressing issues in the back of my mind to be taken care of right away. You should adopt strategies that help you emotionally and physically to persevere.
Practicing an instrument requires a person to get out of their comfort zone. This factor alone should not create unnecessary tension; music should be played in a content state of mind. Review your day and your personal goals in life. Determine what makes you feel stressed and what needs to be eliminated.
You can also spread out your practice throughout the day. For example, you might want to play in half-hour increments in the morning and then do the same in the afternoon.
Also, consider looking into the literature or repertoire you are playing. If your teacher thinks you should be playing a piece that does not resonate with you completely, don't allow that to demotivate you. They probably feel that work is necessary for your technical and musical development. You can study it for a period and then move on.
Try to recall the times when you felt absolutely excited about playing. Also, listen to the performances of prominent musicians and read about them. We learn a great deal by reading about and listening to their music and that in its turn will motivate us.
One way to increase motivation is to attend masterclasses; your teacher should be able to provide you with some information. You can look into masterclasses to receive further feedback from musicians. Searching online can also yield results in discovering where masterclasses are being held. Seek out professors and musicians who are outstanding in their fields and learn from them.
Even though I had been studying music since the age of six, I fell in love with music when I was 12. My teacher introduced me to J.S. Bach's Cello Suites as part of my study repertoire. At the same time, I listened to one of the suites played by a well-known French cellist, Paul Tortelier. This was a huge motivational factor in my career as a cellist. Listening to prominent musicians motivates us and even helps us play better.
I also recall hearing from many cellists for inspiration and to acquaint myself with the instrument-appropriate sounds daily. This was extremely helpful in my development as a musician.
There is a vast body of literature and resources for aspiring musicians to explore. One has to actively pursue the information available and make it a part of them. All these activities can promote your success and aid your musician's journey.
How do you ensure that you stay motivated in your daily practice? Please share in the comments below.
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