Enjoy Your Practice

                I know so many musicians (myself included) who have trouble practicing regularly.  There are some days where you feel driven and focused and other days where you feel like just watching television.  Why does this happen?  How could a person love music but have days where he/she does not feel like practicing music?  How could a person love music but look to other activities for relaxation instead of music? 

            Examining that last question may shed some light on this topic.  If a person is looking to other activities as a form of relaxation then he/she obviously does not find musical practice relaxing.  If this is the case, perhaps the person is not employing the proper balance of regiment and enjoyment.

            Yes, musical practice should have an element of regiment.  Scales exercises and drills all help to improve our technique.  However, we need to remember what we are building that technique for.  Musicians develop their technique to improve their ability to play music.  If you only practice drills and exercises you are missing the point.  Where is the music?  You need to also spend time playing beautiful pieces of music.  This is the time when you get to explore the qualities of your instrument that first inspired you to study it.  The tone quality, the expressiveness and the character of your instrument come to life while performing a great piece of music.  The experience of recreating beautiful musical sounds is the most rewarding part of being a musician. 

            The proper balance between technical study and musical application is extremely important in musical practice.  What is the proper balance of these elements?  There is no number or amount that can be universally applied.  Much depends on the individual and the moment.  Different people have different levels of drive and motivation.  In addition, a person’s level of motivation or drive can vary day by day. 

If you force yourself to practice scales and drills your discipline may end up being counterproductive.  The next day you may feel like taking a break from music.  Some playing is better than no playing.  Playing music (and forsaking drills) is better than playing nothing.  Each individual needs to find his/her own proper balance.  This balance will include enough drills to allow for technical progress without discouraging practice.  A good routine will also include enough musical performance to maintain an adequate level of enjoyment and relaxation.