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How to Become a Master Sight Reader
Sight reading – the thought itself invokes terror among students and professionals alike. This is a crucial skill for musicians to master, yet many are unsure how to approach it. How do you prepare for the unknown? It can be anything – altissimo, complicated rhythms, ornaments, complex fingerings, or all of these combined! The secret to practicing sight-reading is three simple words: Are you ready for the secret? Just do it! (Thanks, Nike!) I am always shocked at how many of my students do not even attempt to practice sight-reading. Like everything else in life, the hardest part is facing your fear. I like to remind my students that sight…
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52 Ways to Practice Your Scales
One New Year’s resolution for musicians that never goes out of style? Scales. Think you already know your scales? Think again. Learning the notes to each scale is just the beginning. Below are several patterns and sequences to build technique and mastery of scales. I’ve included 52 different ideas so you can have something new to practice every week this year. Happy practicing! 1. Written “normal” scale 2. Natural minor 3. Harmonic minor 4. Melodic minor 5. Major pentatonic scales 6. Minor pentatonic scales 7. Octatonic scales 8. Whole tone scales 9. Blues scales 10. Chromatic scales 11. Ionian mode (aka major scale) 12. Dorian mode 13. Phrygian mode 14.…
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New Years Resolutions Every Musician Should Make
It’s that time of year again, when we swear off carbs, late-night Netflix binges, and vow to spend every spare moment at the gym. There’s something magical about a new year and a fresh start, and even if you don’t make resolutions, it’s a great opportunity for you to assess what went well the past year and how you can improve the next. Below are my suggestions for resolutions I believe every musician should make, along with a few tips I’ve learned from making (and breaking) these. Update your press kit. Check your resume, CV, biography, discography, and all other publicity materials for mistakes and add new accomplishments. This is also a great…
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Holiday Themed Warm-up Routine for All Ages
It’s that time of year again – when the fireplace crackles as you sip your skinny peppermint mocha under a fleece blanket and watch It’s a Wonderful Life for the umpteenth time. The air is filled with magic (unless you’re a bah humbug) and a slight chill to the air. For musicians, why not add some holiday cheer to your practice routine? These exercises are great for younger students (or children at heart) to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year. “Joy to the World” scales – Has you ever noticed that “Joy to the World” is just a descending major scale? To get a proper warm-up, play this…
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Overcome Your Practice Plateau With These Practice Hacks
Have you ever walked out of the practice room and wondered what the heck you spent the last few hours doing? Maybe it wasn’t a terrible practice session, but it probably wasn’t that great either, right? Sometimes practicing feels like walking up the down escalator – having to redo passages you’ve already practiced, struggling with the same problems, zoning out or going on autopilot, or not knowing how to take your music to the next level. Congratulations, you’ve reached a practice plateau. Practice plateaus occur when we become complacent with our practice routine. It’s so easy to make practicing just another item on your endless to-do list, but when you’re not dedicating focus…
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How to Cure “Musician’s Block”
Why do only writers get a name for dry spells in creativity (aka writer’s block)? All artists, whether it be painters, dancers, actors, or musicians, are prone to slumps in inspiration. Henceforth, let’s start referring to this as musician’s block (or musician’s Bloch is you like a good composer pun). An unfair advantage writers and other artists have over musicians is that they usually have a tangible stopping and starting point from which to resume. If a writer is stuck on the ending of a novel, their existing work doesn’t vanish. Musicians’ work is dependent on daily practice – a drop in creativity during an important performance or audition can…
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Quick Fix Friday: Better Rhythm in Ten Seconds
No, this won’t be about using your metronome (which is the best way to stabilize and improve rhythm). Today’s quick fix is so simple and fast, but very few musicians are doing it. Ready for the secret? Count off. Mind blown? Before you begin playing anything, count at least two measures in your head. If you’re comfortable tapping your foot, this will also help internalize the tempo. Just make sure you aren’t counting by moving part of your body which can affect any fundamentals – like clarinetists moving the elbow or shoulder, which can disrupt the embouchure….and make you look like a chicken trying to fly. How do you find…
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Ways to “Practice” Without Opening the Case
Hopefully you’re not judging me based on these last two posts. “10 Ways to Become a Better Clarinetist in Under 10 Seconds” and now “Ways to Practice Without Opening the Case” makes it sound like I never practice (not true) or that I’m looking for the lazy way out (I think we’re all guilty of this sometimes). Hear me out – there is much more to practicing than the act of physically playing your instrument. Truthfully, it can be beneficial to take a break from practicing periodically to refresh your mind and body. And let’s be real – there are some days that practicing is just NOT going to happen,…
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10 Ways to Become a Better Clarinetist In Under 10 Seconds
We’ve all seen them – the magazines at checkout counters promising wildly unrealistic results for weight loss (lose twenty pounds in one week!), finances (become a millionaire by next year!), or life in general (be the most popular person in any room!). These are certainly enticing but are based on skewed results, making their promises nearly impossible to reproduce. And for the most part, mastering an instrument is no exception. It is the accumulation of years of dedicated practice, critique, performances, and hard work. There is no substitute for this (and if you find one, please let me know!), but enough tiny changes can add up to make a big…