Articles

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Are You Struggling with Practice? by Donn Rochlin

Are you struggling with practice, or given up altogether? Do you get frustrated and don’t know what to practice? Do you get stuck in the rut of discouragement?

In his wonderful book, “Effortless Mastery” Kenny Werner writes:

"A meaningful path is a path of action. Without practices, a path is a mere philosophy. Be careful of that. A philosophy is thought about and talked about, but a path is for walking."

To achieve the nectar of any skill, you need to practice, however there is within practice an art form in itself.

Practicing “The Space” needs to be the goal. By The space I mean the place in your practice where you are connected with the joy of what you are doing. The remembrance of why you are doing it in the first place. It's easy to get trapped in "Fear Based Practicing”. The fear of running out of time before you "Get Really Good" or "To Old”, or the fear of "Not Sounding Good Enough". These fears are roadblocks that come up with almost every student I have ever taught. They have been programmed into us through years of education or (uneducation) if you will, and can paralyze your progress.

By starting to refocus on TRUE MASTERY you will begin to get a sense of real accomplishment and move beyond the struggle. By accepting your mastery of one thing at a time you will start to experience a new level of playing and practicing.

Go to your piano and play three consecutive notes as if you where going to perform them for a live audience at Carnegie Hall. THAT'S IT! Just three notes with all the passion and expression you have. The Lights dim and.............. YOU’RE ON! (The Three-Note Symphony) Imagine that's all you have to do to have the experience of fulfillment you have longed for. Start to integrate this method into practicing songs. Practice one phrase at a time, slowly, consciously, absorbing the color of each note, of each chord. Focus on the expression of what you are doing rather then trying to get it correct. When the feeling starts to wane, notice the how you feel in your body. Most people start to tighten up, to push! Immediately leave the scene of the crime! Go take a walk or divert your attention until you can come back to “The Space”. The irony that you will find yourself working through is that by seemingly doing very little at a time, without struggling, (pain=gain) you will take leaps in your progress.

Within this exercise lies the jewel of mastery waiting for you.

When you choose to practice in this way, with the thought, every note I play is the most beautiful sound I have ever heard, you will start the transformation. It's not going to be very easy at the beginning. Most of us have decades self judgment still ringing in our heads, but if you are willing to start admiring your practice and allow it to becomelike worship, you will discover the truth, that you are met to make beautiful music. It has been said "For within every desire exist the seeds of it's fulfillment. In other words, the fact that you want to succeed will draw to you everything you need (the right teacher, or class, or inspirational performance) when you stay committed.

In her dynamic and inspiring book, “Essentail Music Intelligence,” Dr. Louise Montello states: “As In Music /So In Life!”  Because the way we interact with music is a reflection of life, it becomes a metaphor of how we experience our business, our relationships, and our leisure.

Are you going to fast with an agenda that is counter productive, or are you taking your time enjoying the beautiful symphony of your life?

—Donn Rochlin, Professional Speaker, Teacher, Composer, Musician