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Never Settle

June 8, 2016

Each year I ask every one of my new students this question:  “When you graduate, if you get to choose exactly what you get to do, what would that be?”  It’s shocking to me how many times the answer starts with, “Well…I guess it would okay if….”  Before these students have even started, they’re settling.

Let’s be clear: I’m not saying that by saying it out loud, you magically walk out of school with your dream job.  What I am saying is that without having an idea of what your dream job might look like, it’s nearly impossible to get there.

So how do you get there?

First-Choose Something.

 You might think that because you don’t know what you want to be doing forever that you don’t have any decisions to make yet.  This is a dangerous road to travel.  Remember this:

Not Making a Choice is a Choice.

If you choose nothing, you’re making the choice to be stagnant.  I don’t know anyone that enjoys that life.

Second- Give It Everything You’ve Got.

This can be the hard part for a lot of people.  Most of the time the first job you get is not the one you will want to keep forever.  This should not change how you approach it.  One sure way to stagnate is to give the bare minimum.  Treat every job like an opportunity to show how well you can do it.  Be the best person who has ever held that position- no matter what the position is.

If your first choice turns out to be the right thing for you, then keep at it.  If not, then choose something else, and give that everything you’ve got.  Keep doing this…forever.

Keep Asking: What Do I Want To Do next?

To get to the job you want usually takes more work than the job you’ll settle for.  You must be willing to do the extra work, both at your current job and in striving for your next.  And once you have the job you want, you’re in the position of deciding what your future holds.

There Is No Right Answer.

This is the most difficult part to discuss.  It can be difficult to realize that your dream job is one someone else settled for.  Similarly, a job that you might settle for could be someone else’s dream job.  One of the most common, and dangerous, examples is this age old gem:  “You should major in Music Education, so that you have something to fall back on.”  I’d like to officially call for the retirement of this ludicrous sentiment.  Here are just a few of the problems with that statement:

  • There are people that really want to teach…if you’re not one of them, please don’t teach.
  • The last thing students need is teachers who think of their career choice as a “fallback.”
  • You’re now working really hard on something you know you don’t want instead of on something you do want.

Be an Individual

Just because a lot of your colleagues may want similar things doesn’t mean you’re wrong to want something different.  There can be a peer pressure to go a certain direction because that’s what you’re “supposed to do.”  There can also be a certain macho attitude of “I only work in my chosen field” that looks down on anything not directly related to “The Chosen Path.”  All of that is garbage.  Here are a few jobs that I’ve had, in chronological order:

  • Lead Trumpet- Maynard Ferguson’s Big Bop Nouveau
  • Customer Service Representative- America Online (that’s right, the person that answers the phone to help you change your billing info, cancel, etc.)
  • Kindergarten Teacher
  • Education Department- Chicago Symphony Orchestra (a part time office job)
  • Assistant Band Director-St. Joseph’s College, Rensselaer, IN (among many duties, I ran the Girls Basketball Band, which I enjoyed immensely.  Go Pumas!)

Make your own decisions, then work tirelessly to give them the best chance of leading you somewhere positive.

 

Posted in General, Trumpet | 5 Comments »

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Fact Resistance

May 13, 2016

Last week I was perusing my favorite trumpet related internet sites and came across a staggering statement.  I’m paraphrasing here, but what was written stated that all players that have great range, power, and endurance play small equipment.  The person posting went on to write that all of the people that claim to not be able to play small equipment can’t play with good tone, pitch, power, range, or endurance.  This was not just some anonymous person posting.  This is someone who moderates a forum.

So here’s the problem.  All of that is garbage.

There are successful players with amazing range, power, and endurance on all kinds of equipment.  That all people successful in this way play the same kind of equipment is a ridiculous contention.

The bigger problem is this:  People keep repeating silly statements like this with no regard for them being truthful.  When called out on making verifiably false statements, people will often dig in deeper, with such excuses as:

  • “…well, it’s true in MY experience…”- the copout
  • “…that’s what I heard from Teacher A or Player Z…”- the abdication of responsibility
  • “…your facts that disprove my statement are just exceptions..”- the refusal to accept truth

Why is This a Problem?  

Access to information is more easily accessible than at any time in history, but there is no built in truth filter.  When there is no filter, all information- true, false, misleading, outright lies- can be treated equally.  So what happens when people go looking for information?  They get bombarded with all kinds of information, and sometimes don’t know how to differentiate the facts from the garbage.

Too often, people that want to convince you that their way is the right (and sometimes only) way are the loudest voices, working hard to drown out any that disagree.  There seems to be an idea that if something is said loudly enough and often enough, it must be true.

People who know better are often unwilling to engage in the discussion.  Imagine a street corner that you walk past frequently.  Now imagine there is a person there who is screaming at the top of their lungs, “All great trumpet players are lefthanded!”  Most people, even knowing this to be false, would opt to ignore the rantings of a lunatic on the side of the street.  Now give that lunatic an internet connection.

I’ve read “serious” posts discussing why:

  • To be a great lead player, you need to be overweight (with listed examples of overweight lead players)
  • To be a great lead player, you need certain dental structure (with listed examples of lead players with said dental structure)
  • To be a great lead player, you have to be tall (with listed examples of tall lead players)

These are real examples of things that people actually believe.  Why?  Because it’s been said so often, so loudly, with so little opposition that it becomes accepted.

Imagine me saying:

  • To be a great trumpet soloist, you must be a European blonde woman.  It’s obvious!  Look at Alison Balsom and Tine Thing Helseth.

Although I believe Ms. Balsom and Ms. Helseth to be fantastic, I don’t believe where they were born, their hair color, or their gender have anything to do with why they play the trumpet so well.

It’s time to stop it.

How Do We Stop It?

We must be willing to engage in rational conversations with people with whom we disagree.  It’s interesting to me that with all of the information available to us, people seem to gravitate to what it easy, comfortable, and familiar.  It’s harder to learn if you’re not exposed to new and challenging information.

We must realize that words have meaning.  Choose your words wisely.

We must realize that opinions are not facts, and facts are not opinions.  Facts are verifiably true, whether you like them or not.

An Example

So let’s go back to the beginning of this post, with the idea put forward that all trumpet players with good range, power, endurance, tone, and pitch play small equipment.

First, beware of all encompassing statements.  All I need is one trumpet player to disprove this statement.  Hmmm……can I think of someone who has made a living as a lead trumpet player- playing in the bands of Maynard Ferguson, Woody Herman, Glenn Miller, the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, the U.S. Army Jazz Ambassadors, who doesn’t, and can’t, play on small equipment?  You know what- I can.  Me.  I won’t bother mentioning others, as if they want to enter the discussion on their own, they are more than welcome.  I’ve also been teaching for a while now, and have seen students succeed on all kinds of different equipment.

Now it will be easy for someone to say that they didn’t know anyone personally, or that’s just what they heard from someone else, or that I don’t really count because I’m an exception.

But now we all know the truth.  The truth is that the original idea was garbage.  No matter how loudly, forcefully, or often it was spoken- it was never true.

 

 

 

 

Posted in General | 7 Comments »

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The Power of Mental Focus

May 13, 2015

In the time I’ve been teaching trumpet lessons, I’ve worked with students of all ages, interest levels, and experience- beginners getting their horns for the first time, high school students, professionals, come back players, and of course college students.   For the long term growth as a musician and trumpet player, one of the most important concepts (and sometimes the most difficult to teach) needed is mental focus.

When I first started teaching beginners, this is what I told them:

“If you practice everything I give you, the stuff you are responsible for in band is going to be pretty easy.  You’re going to sound really good in band, and your director will be very happy with you.  Your director and the other kids in band will think you’re very good.  But we’ll know the truth.”

Then I would explain to them what I meant by “the truth.”  The truth is that our playing is always changing.  Done right, our playing is always growing.  In the big picture we need to do two things:

  1. Practice how to play the horn. In other words- fundamentals.
  2. Practice what to play on the horn.  In other words- music.

(There’s a lot of overlap here, as fundamentals should be played musically, and playing music can certainly inform our technique and spur fundamental growth…but that’s a discussion for another day.)

So “the truth” is that there is always work to be done on our playing.  Always.

There are two reasons I told my beginners this.  They are:

  1. to give them confidence when playing in a group, whether in a performance or rehearsal, that they have the tools necessary to do a terrific job.
  2. to stave off the stereotype of the “cocky trumpet player” by letting them know that there’s always more work to be done.  When things go well, it’s a result of good practice, and not because they were anointed by magic fairies at birth with a special potion that made them the greatest players the world has ever heard.

This worked well. Since I started teaching college, it has surprised me how many students get this backwards.  I hear how their thought process in rehearsals and performances focuses on what is lacking, and the thought process in the practice room focuses on how good everything is.

I found this troubling.  So, like always, let’s start with the easy stuff:

Everyone has strengths and weaknesses

This seems like a simple enough statement.  Here’s why I bring it up.  When in a group, it can be easy to focus on someone else’s strengths, especially if they are your weaknesses.  This is a quick road to Insecureville, which is right next to Underconfident City.  Once you arrive there, it’s very difficult to play your best, as you will be telling yourself how much you can’t do.  Similarly, there are those that like to focus on someone else’s weaknesses, especially if it matches their strengths.  This is the express lane to Conceitedton, which borders Cockyberg.  Once you arrive there, you are so sure of yourself you don’t play your best because, no matter what comes out of your horn, you’ve already convinced yourself you’re the greatest thing since the invention of nachos (mmmm….nachos).

These are bad places for your mind to dwell.  Here’s how mental focus can help.

When practicing, focus on your weaknesses

Again, this may seem simple.  For a lot of people, closing the door to the practice room and really admitting to and working on a weakness can be very difficult.  Once you really commit to this kind of focus while practicing, you’ll see the benefits.

Which brings us to:

When performing, focus on your strengths

When it’s time to play with others, your mental focus needs to shift. Finding the mental place of being confident without being cocky can be a challenge.  Your mental focus will be most beneficial if it is focused on what you bring to the performance.  If you’ve been practicing well, this can help, as you’ve built a habit of playing the instrument well fundamentally and musically in the practice room.

The Circle of Growth

If you can take charge of your mental focus, you can build a circle of growth.  At the top of the circle is practice.  Since you’re focusing on your weaknesses in the practice room, you’re getting better and better at the instrument, building your confidence in what you’re able to do.  At the bottom of the circle is performance.  Since you’re focusing on your strengths in performance, your performances become better, building upon the good habits you’ve build in the practice room.  After your performance, you take what didn’t go as well as you’d like in the performance into the practice room and treat it as a weakness to be worked on.

Keep doing this.  Forever.

Posted in General, Trumpet | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment »

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How To Pick a College

April 8, 2015

While at the National Trumpet Competition a few weeks ago, a young woman asked me:

“Does it matter where you go to college?”

My answer was:

“It depends.”

Here’s what I meant by that:  Going to a school with a great reputation doesn’t guarantee success.  That’s one of the reasons choosing a college can be so hard.  Since there are so many factors that go into choosing a college, and every person is different, let’s get the easy stuff out of the way:

  • There is no best school
  • There is no one school that is right for everyone
  • Great players come from all over the place

Knowing this, choosing a college becomes a very complicated and personal decision.  Even the variables that go into the decision making process are not the same for each person.  With all of that being said, here are a few helpful hints on how to go about choosing a college.

It’s a Two-Way Street

The process of applying to college can be overwhelming.  As an applicant it’s important to remember that although schools are certainly looking for what they perceive to be the best students, you are also looking for the best school for you.

It’s Not Just the Teacher

For years people have been saying that you should choose a school solely based on the private teacher that you believe to be the best for you.  As a private teacher, I appreciate the importance of the one-on-one relationship that should develop between student and teacher, and believe it to be very valuable.  Although I agree choosing a teacher that you believe in is important, it shouldn’t be the only part of the decision making process.  Finding a teacher, program, and environment that are going to provide you with the opportunities to get you where you want to go is vital.

Find the Right Fit

Armed with the knowledge that college isn’t picking you- you are picking a college, and that it’s not just a single variable that should make your choice, how do you choose?  I’m glad you asked.

Finding the right school is like finding the right pair of shoes.  If you choose your shoes based on what everyone else is wearing, you might end up with sore feet.  If you’re a runner, wearing a pair of wing tips probably isn’t the best way to go.  When looking at colleges, look for the right fit for you.  Look for a school that can help you get where you want to go.  It will have the major(s), teachers, ensembles, classes, and opportunities that match your goals.

To get the best information will require some work on your part.  Please ask questions.  Ask questions of faculty.  Ask questions of current students.  Ask questions of former students.  The students will be the people best equipped to tell you what going to school is really like.  The faculty should be your best source of information about what will be expected of you once you’re on campus.  When you’ve made the right decision, going off to college can feel like going (to a different) home.

Commit

Now that you’ve done your research and decided on a college, make a commitment to being a vibrant member of your new community.  Your best chance of getting all you can out of your time is to invest fully in the experience.  Take full advantage of all that is available to you.

Done right, you’ll be amazed at what can happen in just a few years.

Posted in General, Trumpet | Tagged | Leave a Comment »

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Community

March 27, 2015

Last week I attended the National Trumpet Competition.  In addition to judging the Jazz Finals and performing with Tromba Mundi, I spent plenty of time connecting and reconnecting with trumpet players from all over the place (and, of course, trying out new stuff…that was fun, too).  It was striking how good the trumpet community can be.  And how important community is.

Whether we like it or not, we are all part of at least a few different communities.  Professionally, I’m a member of the Brass Department at Indiana University, the free lance music scene in Indianapolis, and the trumpet world- just to name a few.  It’s up to the individual to decide what kind of community member to be, and how involved to become.  This can say quite a bit about the individual, and will result in vastly different kinds of communities.

What I witnessed, and was pleased to a part of, last week was the best kind of community.  For those of you that don’t know, the National Trumpet Competition is an event built around the student experience.  There are several levels of competition, including solo and trumpet ensemble.  The judges are trumpet players and teachers from all over the country.  In addition to the actual competition, there are daily warm-up classes and masterclasses given by professionals.  Each night there are concerts by outstanding groups with top-notch soloists.  There are also exhibits with plenty of horns, mouthpieces, and trumpet accessories.  Although centered around competition, which can often create negative feelings, NTC has created a supportive environment for students and professionals.

How did this happen?  It happens by getting individuals to come together for something bigger than themselves.

Now that we’re all back home, we rejoin all kinds of communities. So here’s the question:

What kind of community member do you want to be?

My hope is to be a positive and involved community member (those who know me also know I have not always succeeded in this deceptively simple statement).  This is not to say that once you try and be a positive and involved community member everything will be rainbows and sunshine.  If you find yourself in a community that, despite your best efforts, remains negative, perhaps it’s time to rethink your involvement.  It is also important to remember that everyone else might not agree with you on how to make things better, and that there is no right way to be involved.  Some people will organize events…some will run organizations…some will volunteer their time…Depending on the person and the community, there will be a variety of ways of being involved available.

These concepts apply to an organization as small as a student brass quintet, and as large as a major symphony orchestra.  How you choose to involve yourself will, at some level, play a part in the success of that community.

Please choose wisely.

Posted in General | 1 Comment »

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Sharing

February 27, 2015

One of the founding principles of the internet was sharing.  I’m not sure that anyone could have foreseen the amount, and kinds of sharing that are now so commonplace that we hardly even think about them anymore.  I don’t know how I lived without so many cat pictures and videos (why is that cat so grumpy?) , quizzes to see which Disney princess I am (I’m Mulan, by the way), or pictures of what everyone is eating (which I know I did last week, but that was for a specific purpose…I’m not Instagramming my every meal).

But sometimes the sharing is fantastic.  Last week Clark Terry died.  Although I didn’t know him, like everyone who ever heard Clark Terry play, I have immense respect for him.  For the past few months, people close to Mr. Terry kept us up to date with his deteriorating condition, and finally, his passing.  As the news spread, the sharing that happened included pictures, stories, videos, and recordings.  And all of it was positive.  It was amazing to watch a community come together to share their memories of how Clark Terry touched their lives.

This got me thinking about what, and how much, we share online regularly.  I’m not here to tell you what, or how much to share online.  What I’d like to do is get you to think about it.

What you post can dictate how people think of you.  

Posting can sometimes serve as a method for venting about negative experiences.  Done too often, you can become that person that no one pays attention to, because all you do is complain.  There’s an old joke that goes like this:

How do you get a musician to complain?

Easy- give him a gig.

If a lot of your online activity is spent complaining, you’re creating a reputation of being difficult.  Soon you’ll have plenty of time to post about how no one hires you.  There’s definitely a time for complaining.  It’s usually behind closed doors with people you trust.

Having seen how good the online interaction can be makes me want it to be more like that all the time.  You get to choose what you share online.  Whether you like it or not, what you choose will say a lot about you.  Too much of our online activity has become thoughtless.  Take the time to do more of what I saw in response to our loss of Clark Terry- be thoughtful.

Posted in General, Technology | 1 Comment »

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Pizza

February 20, 2015

Although I spend most of my time writing about trumpet/music related matters, there will be times when other topics are worthy of discussion.  This is one of those times.

A few weeks ago, Giordano’s opened a store in Indianapolis.  For those of you that don’t know what Giordano’s is, first of all- shame on you- it’s a Chicago based stuffed pizza restaurant.  If you haven’t been to Chicago and tried the stuffed pizza, my advice to you is simple: Go!  (you’re welcome).  There are several terrific places around town, but if you’re looking for a recommendation, try Lou Malnati’s.  One of the specials is The Malnati Chicago Classic.  It’s a sausage pizza with extra cheese on their special Buttercrust.  In a city full of great pizza, this is my favorite.

Okay, back to Giordano’s.  With a store opening in Indianapolis, I was curious to see if it was a real Giordano’s, or a franchised version that would only serve to remind me what I’m really missing.  My hesitancy is based on experience.  There is ONE other Chicago based pizza place that opened up franchises around the country that didn’t quite hit the mark.  This ONE place has great pizza in Chicago, but the franchises just don’t live up to the original.  I certainly won’t mention the name here, or give even ONE clue.

Last Friday I was playing two concerts with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra; one at 11:00 a.m. and the second at 8:00 p.m.  This left me plenty of time to get some pizza.  The place was packed, but after a few minutes I was able to get a seat at the bar.  I ordered my favorite- a sausage pizza, and waited.  Deep dish pizzas take a while to cook, so I had my iPad out reading Jim Gaffigan’s new book, which is very funny.  About 50 minutes later, my pizza came out.  Here it is:

Giordano's Sausage

It was fantastic.  It’s good to know that it’s a real Giordano’s.

This got me thinking about one of the best parts of traveling- eating the local food.  I’ve been lucky enough to play trumpet on six continents, so I have plenty of experience.  Too many times people default to what they know, in large part because it feels safe.  I know there are times when convenience can dictate choice, but I have found that the extra work for something special is usually worth it.  When away from home, ask for a recommendation.  If you ask someone for their favorite pizza place, and the answer you get is the name of a national chain, ask someone else.  If that someone else gives you the name of a national chain, get a new town.

Pizza is one of those foods that seems to be everywhere.  I live in Bloomington, Indiana.  It’s a small college town.  But when you come visit, here are three pizza places to check out:

  1. Mother Bear’s– A student favorite that is right across the street from the School of Music.  Try the Dante’s Inferno.
  2. Lennie’s– Along with really good pizza, a terrific menu, it’s also a microbrewery.  Try the Love Supreme (although I do it without mushrooms).
  3. Aver’s-There are three locations around town that all deliver.  They also have some interesting specialty pies.  Although I was initially hesitant, I do like the Cream and Crimson.

Between now and August, I’ll be in:

  • Naples, Florida
  • Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
  • Boise, Idaho
  • Albuquerque, New Mexico
  • Phoenix, Arizona
  • Dallas, Texas
  • Scranton, Pennsylvania
  • Egg Harbor, Wisconsin

If you’ve got any suggestions on good pizza in the any of these areas, please let me know.

Posted in General | 2 Comments »

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Radical Moderatism

January 29, 2015

I’ve heard all of these:

“Play the biggest mouthpiece you can.”

“Play the smallest mouthpiece you can.”

“If you’re not in New York or LA, you’re not really doing it.”

“New York and Los Angeles suck.”

“Play one mouthpiece for everything.”

“Switch mouthpieces for each situation.”

“You must choose between playing classical and jazz.”

“You have to be able to play everything.”

And my favorite:

“Player X is the best in the world.”

“Player X is terrible.”

We seem to exist in a world of extremes.  In most situations the extreme answer being the most viable solution is rare.  Much like our current political climate, as soon as a discussion begins people must choose one of two sides which are often pushed to an extreme.  So in my continued effort to get the online world to be more representative of the real world, I am starting a new movement- Radical Moderatism.  That’s right, should you join me we will do our best to investigate what questions we want answered, and come to a reasonable solution.  Let’s start with the five polarizing statements above.

1)  Largest vs. Smallest mouthpiece:  It’s an argument as old as time.  You want to play more orchestral literature?  Unless you’re some kind of lightweight that can’t handle it, you need the Macho Mahler 5000.  The rim is slightly larger than a tenor trombone mouthpiece, and the throat is big enough drop a golf ball through.  You want to play lead?  You must get the Double C Express.  The rim is just smaller than a French horn mouthpiece, and the cup is a bit shallower than a contact lens.  It’s the rare player that gets optimal results from an extreme approach.  The best answer is usually somewhere in the middle.  When looking for equipment it’s important to find the balance between the best results coming out of the horn with the right amount of work going into the horn.

2)  If you haven’t made it in a big city, you haven’t made it.  Another worthless statement.  There are great players all over the world.  The difference in the big cities is that there are usually more great players and more live music.  But here’s something I don’t hear talked about a lot.  There are also more bad players in big cities precisely because they’re big.  So being in a big city doesn’t say anything about one’s playing.  Not being in a big city doesn’t mean anything about one’s level of play either.

3)  One mouthpiece vs. switching.  This is one of the dumbest arguments in the trumpet world.  Like most useless arguments, there is no right answer here.  There are world class players on both sides.  The problem is how adamant both sides are about being right.  Here’s my advice- if you’re going to regularly use more than one mouthpiece, you should practice on it every day.  The most common problem I see people have when switching mouthpieces is that they are much more comfortable on one, as it is their main piece.  So whatever they switch to is not nearly as comfortable, which usually results in (at least) sound and tuning problems.

4)  Narrow vs. broad focus.  This is the one that bothers me the most.  There are great and terrible players on both sides of this fence.  It’s amazing to me that, because one player has been successful doing one thing at a high level, that an assumption is made that the only way to reach that level is to do only that one thing. Should you wish to pursue a career doing one thing, that doesn’t mean others cannot reach the same high level while pursuing a career with more variety.

5) Great vs. Terrible. I’ve heard this argument several times- always involving professional players. Just because you are not a fan of a certain player does not mean that person can’t play. And just because you are a fan doesn’t make that player great.

Too often, having a discussion with someone that disagrees with you pulls both of you to extremes. It’s time to recognize that the truth usually exists somewhere in the middle. Let’s meet there.

Posted in General, Trumpet, Uncategorized | 7 Comments »

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The Power of I Don’t Know

January 19, 2015

Regularly, new students will ask me, “Am I playing the right mouthpiece?”  My answer is usually, “I don’t know.”  This answer often surprises them.  I explain that because we are just starting to work together, I’m still learning their strengths and weaknesses, and planning how to address them.  That might include equipment.  It might not.

I don’t know.

It’s important to be aware when “I don’t know” is the best answer.

In college football we’ve been told all year that the SEC is the best conference and that the Big 10 is not very good.  In the bowl games this year, the Big 10 went 3-1 against the SEC.  So which is the better conference?

I don’t know.

We’re given long term weather forecasts daily.  You can open the weather app on your phone and get one right now.  I’ve done this a number of times when planning travel.  It’s astounding how often and wrong the forecast can be.  Why?  Because even with the best information we have today, predicting the weather is not an accurate science.  So what’s the weather going to be like in 10 days?

I don’t know.

Although sports and long term weather forecasts are trivial when compared to teaching, they provide excellent examples of how reticent people can be to admit how much they don’t know.  As someone who has (rightly) been accused of being a know-it-all, I hope I can help you learn this lesson.  When put in a position of leadership, it can be easy to feel the responsibility for knowing..well…everything.  Should you take on that impossible responsibility, you can quickly alienate those around you that could help because they know things you do not.  You can also lose the trust of those you lead.

Here’s my message for you this week:  I don’t know can be the best answer you give.

Teachers can have a hard time admitting there are things they don’t know.

Students can have a hard time not getting an immediate answer to a question.

Teachers- Please be honest with your students, which includes admitting what you don’t know.

Students- Be respectful to your teachers.  Realize they are real people that can’t be expected to know everything.

Posted in General, Sports, Trumpet | Tagged | 3 Comments »

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Level of Expectation

January 7, 2015

Here’s one of my least favorite phrases:

Good enough

What that means to me is that it’s not as good as could be, and that it’s okay to settle for less than an optimal result.  I’m not okay with either thought.

Level of expectation can be a difficult topic of discussion, as everyone is in a different place.  So I will try to be as clear as possible.  There are many times when I’ve witnessed players of all levels finish a performance and say something like:

“…but that’s not how I play.”

Here’s the truth:

That is how you play.

If you’re unhappy with your level of performance, it’s likely that you should be unhappy with your preparation.

Too often, people dutifully spend time in the practice room hacking away until it’s time to be done for the day.  When a performance comes around, they think the mindless practice (“But I practiced 2 hours a day every day this week!”) will magically transform into a higher level of performance.  That’s not how it works.

If you truly want to raise your level of performance, it starts with how you are practicing.  Here are some guidelines to help you get started:

  • Before you start practicing, have a idea of what that session will accomplish.
    • It could be as simple as figuring out where you’re going to breathe, or increasing the tempo by 5 beats per minute on a particular piece or passage.
  • When you have accomplished what you set out to do, move on.
    • If you finish quickly, set another goal and continue.
    • If it takes a while, then it’s time for a break.
  • Practice performing.
    • If the performance is the first time you’ve played that piece all the way through without stopping, you have not set yourself up for success.
  • The quality of your practice, not the quantity, is the most important aspect.

Now comes the hard part.  You’re practicing dutifully, holding yourself accountable, and making real progress in the practice room.  The next performance comes around, and you’re still not happy.  That’s okay.  Take each performance you get as a check-up on how you’re doing.  Be honest with yourself about what’s getting better and what needs work.  Then get back in the practice room.  Repeat this…forever.  If you do it right, you’ll get better and better while still realizing there will always be reasons to practice, and the process of learning and musical growth is neverending.

And you’ll know what I tell my students on a regular basis:

Good enough…isn’t.

 

 

 

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