How to Become a Better Musician: 5 Tips and Habits to Try
Establishing a career in music is no walk
in the park. As with any other industry, you need to invest time and effort
(and, yes, money) in it.
During the process, it is expected that you will make mistakes. However, you have to make sure that you learn from them and seek continuous improvement.
Whether you’ve already started in the music industry or have just recently purchased a new musical instrument you want to learn to play, there are ways that you can improve your craft. After all, there’s always room for improvement.
If you want to take your skills to the next level, here are five tips and habits you can try to become a better musician:
1.
Set Realistic Goals
Although it won’t hurt to dream big, setting
realistic goals is still the best way to become a better musician. This should
be applied to every opportunity, regardless of whether it’s learning a scale in
a single practice session or mastering an entire song in a specific period.
This is because when you accomplish your goals, you’ll get a sense of achievement in each milestone you reach. This will then transform into self-confidence, which is crucial for your success in the music industry.
Seeing your efforts bear fruit can also help you develop a more productive attitude towards practice sessions and other tasks that may otherwise feel labored.
When setting goals, remember that there’s no single formula that applies to everyone. You have to reflect on what applies to you best and determine whether that specific goal can fit your lifestyle and learning needs.
2.
Know How to Improvise
In music, learning improvisation is a must.
In fact, many professional musicians tend to improvise more than playing from
the music book.
But while necessary, knowing how to improvise is a daunting skill to learn for most amateur music artists. This is because there’s no specific set of rules for this. Different musicians do it in various ways, so you would have to find a method that’s suitable for your specific style.
To do so, it would help if you seek advice on improvisation from several musicians. Try out what worked for them. Remember that you might need to do this more than once to find the right one for you.
3.
Keep It Fun
Practicing playing an instrument can feel a
bit forced at times. Because the process is repetitive, you may find yourself
feeling obligated to do what you do, rather than enjoying it.
This shouldn’t be the case. Practice sessions that are enjoyed almost always yield better results compared to those that aren’t.
To help you maintain the fun, here are some suggestions you can try to effectively transform what was a tedious chore into a highly enjoyable activity:
4.
Maximize Downtime
Commutes, traffic jams, lunch breaks – no
matter what type of downtime it may be, you have to make sure that you make the
most out of it. Use these moments to practice music in your head, and you’ll
get an additional 15 to 20 minutes’
worth of practice.
This is very useful for people who are learning a new piece. Simply download the music sheet or a recording on your phone and start humming it out.
5.
Learn Everything There Is to
Know About Your Gear
Professional musicians who successfully
made a career out of their passion have a deep understanding of their gear.
After all, there’s no way you can become a great music artist if you don’t know
how to use your instrument properly.
For this very reason, you have to make sure you learn everything there is to know about that new Yamaha instrument on sale online before clicking “Buy Now.” There’s no point in splurging on a state-of-the-art instrument if you cannot make the most out of it.
There’s Always
Room for Improvement
Experts or not, musicians always need to
allow room for improvement. Aim to follow one or more of these tips and habits
to become a better musician and, ultimately, achieve your long-term goals in
the music industry.
AUTHOR BIO
Amrit Shivlani is the Founder and CEO at Music Majlis, a community-driven e-commerce platform that offers a wide variety of musical instruments and equipment for every musician and sound professional. The company's goal is to make music-making, recording, producing and mixing accessible and available to everyone.
Oct 26 2019
During the process, it is expected that you will make mistakes. However, you have to make sure that you learn from them and seek continuous improvement.
Whether you’ve already started in the music industry or have just recently purchased a new musical instrument you want to learn to play, there are ways that you can improve your craft. After all, there’s always room for improvement.
If you want to take your skills to the next level, here are five tips and habits you can try to become a better musician:
1.
Set Realistic Goals
Although it won’t hurt to dream big, setting
realistic goals is still the best way to become a better musician. This should
be applied to every opportunity, regardless of whether it’s learning a scale in
a single practice session or mastering an entire song in a specific period. This is because when you accomplish your goals, you’ll get a sense of achievement in each milestone you reach. This will then transform into self-confidence, which is crucial for your success in the music industry.
Seeing your efforts bear fruit can also help you develop a more productive attitude towards practice sessions and other tasks that may otherwise feel labored.
When setting goals, remember that there’s no single formula that applies to everyone. You have to reflect on what applies to you best and determine whether that specific goal can fit your lifestyle and learning needs.
2.
Know How to Improvise
In music, learning improvisation is a must.
In fact, many professional musicians tend to improvise more than playing from
the music book. But while necessary, knowing how to improvise is a daunting skill to learn for most amateur music artists. This is because there’s no specific set of rules for this. Different musicians do it in various ways, so you would have to find a method that’s suitable for your specific style.
To do so, it would help if you seek advice on improvisation from several musicians. Try out what worked for them. Remember that you might need to do this more than once to find the right one for you.
3.
Keep It Fun
Practicing playing an instrument can feel a
bit forced at times. Because the process is repetitive, you may find yourself
feeling obligated to do what you do, rather than enjoying it. This shouldn’t be the case. Practice sessions that are enjoyed almost always yield better results compared to those that aren’t.
To help you maintain the fun, here are some suggestions you can try to effectively transform what was a tedious chore into a highly enjoyable activity:
● Practice
to the tune of a genre or song you enjoy listening to. Don’t worry.
Almost every type of music you learn can be transferred to different
styles.
● Practice
while listening. Listening to
music while practicing will make the session feel more fun.
● Give
yourself an incentive. Whether
it’s a tub of ice cream or new gear, giving yourself a treat when you
accomplish your goals can keep you motivated.
● Have a
jam session with friends. Soloist
or not, having jam sessions with people with the same passion as you can be
beneficial for your music. Not only does it help with your technique, but it
will also help ensure that
you get to balance music with your social
life. It is also a great avenue for getting useful feedback on your playing
style and acquiring new methods and ideas.
4.
Maximize Downtime
Commutes, traffic jams, lunch breaks – no
matter what type of downtime it may be, you have to make sure that you make the
most out of it. Use these moments to practice music in your head, and you’ll
get an additional 15 to 20 minutes’
worth of practice. This is very useful for people who are learning a new piece. Simply download the music sheet or a recording on your phone and start humming it out.
5.
Learn Everything There Is to
Know About Your Gear
Professional musicians who successfully
made a career out of their passion have a deep understanding of their gear.
After all, there’s no way you can become a great music artist if you don’t know
how to use your instrument properly. For this very reason, you have to make sure you learn everything there is to know about that new Yamaha instrument on sale online before clicking “Buy Now.” There’s no point in splurging on a state-of-the-art instrument if you cannot make the most out of it.
There’s Always
Room for Improvement
Experts or not, musicians always need to
allow room for improvement. Aim to follow one or more of these tips and habits
to become a better musician and, ultimately, achieve your long-term goals in
the music industry. AUTHOR BIO
Amrit Shivlani is the Founder and CEO at Music Majlis, a community-driven e-commerce platform that offers a wide variety of musical instruments and equipment for every musician and sound professional. The company's goal is to make music-making, recording, producing and mixing accessible and available to everyone.
Steven Gullotta
info@brutalresonance.comI've been writing for Brutal Resonance since November of 2012 and now serve as the editor-in-chief. I love the dark electronic underground and usually have too much to listen to at once but I love it. I am also an editor at Aggressive Deprivation, a digital/physical magazine since March of 2016. I support the scene as much as I can from my humble laptop.
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