3 Reasons Why You Should be Patient when Learning Music

Good things take time. Yes, some achieve it faster than others but they still have to work hard. Without the necessary dedication and time towards your instrument, it is really difficult to learn. Everyone processes at different rate and same goes when you are learning music instruments. Musical instruments need time, practice, repetition to be able to achieve the necessary skills. However it is understandable that one can lose interest along the way as sometimes it can get frustrating playing the same thing over and over again , yet you are not getting the exercise to full speed. But do not worry, everyone goes through that and it is important as a beginner to be patient because once you are through with the basics, it is only going to be interesting. Have confidence in your practice routines and you will see the improvement in your playing. It doesn’t matter how slow you are, all it matters is that you can play the instrument you have always dreamed about.

Building a strong fundamental is important

Having a strong grasp of the basic knowledge of your instrument helps you with your instrument later. Mastering the fundamental skills is very important as it builds the core of all the advanced techniques you are going to learn as you improve. With your basic technique done properly, advanced techniques will grow into your skill set quicker and sound more efficient. These often takes time for beginners as they are completely new concept to them and the brain takes a while to get accustomed to that. However, be patient, realistic and  you will definitely see the results that you hoped for yourself and be the musician you always dreamt of.

Building Muscle Memory

The reason practicing every day is such an important part of learning as a beginner because all musical instruments involve movement of certain muscles and muscles don’t act very swiftly and comfortable until they have been trained to do it. So repetition builds memory in the muscle which with time becomes second nature and responds to every movement you make in your instrument very spontaneously.  Once your muscles are accustomed to the rigour and  rhythm of your instrument , it becomes much much easier to showcase your skills . As a beginner, it does take  certain time but as you gain the experience by playing it daily, it starts improving gradually.

Understanding of Technique

Adopting a habit is very easy but breaking or getting rid of habit is the hardest task to do. So it is important that you accomplish the technique in slow and perfect manner so that you don't cultivate a bad technique that you have to unlearn later which can be time consuming and very frustrating as a student. A step by step process to understand the application of techniques will help you with your instrument in the long run. For eg: If you have a habit of holding a chord on a guitar without a proper support of your thumb and not putting the right pressure on the strings can lead to a very bad generation of tone. If you continue with the same technique you will be unable to produce sweet tones from your instrument which will hamper your musicality. So, do it the correct way time and time again, until you are comfortable with it. So, be patient and polish your skills so that you get the best benefit out of playing your instrument.

So, remember learning Music and Musical instruments need a little time, practice, repetition to be able to achieve the necessary skills. Don't get disheartened, stick it out and you will see how worthwhile it was. Music can change your life and creating your own music will give you perspective and build character.

BlueTimbre is a unique Music Company that provides Music Education and  Recording Studio services. BlueTimbre also works with schools to provide end-to-end Music Education solutions for schools. 

The BlueTimbre team comes with decades of cumulative experience in running Structured Businesses, Music Curriculum Development, Music Education and Performance.

5 Mistakes drummers make that can cause Injuries

No one should be hurting themselves in the name of practice. Yes, you should practice hard and practice daily but not at the expense of your health. A bad habit can be very bad for your own growth as a musician. So, let us talk about few mistakes that drummers make while practicing their instrument.

1. Incorrect Playing Posture

This is the most basic and the very fundamental thing that you are taught when you start your drum lessons. However, as sessions go by, it can be seen that a lot of students don’t pay attention to their posture. Sitting straight is very important as a bent back puts a lot of pressure on your spine. This can lead to back pain – something you don’t want to experience as an amateur musician. So, get your posture right and be conscious of holding the right posture for some time until it becomes second nature to you.

2. Incorrect Drumkit Setup:

As a drummer, you should know how your drum kit setup should be. The most important thing to keep in mind is that you should be able reach all the parts of your drum kit. You should not be stretching or straining to reach any part of your kit. Extending your shoulders constantly can cause muscle strain and injury to the joints. You should feel relaxed when you are practicing on your drums and this will ensure you get the most out of your time and commitment to the practice sessions.

3. Rushing or Skipping your Warm-Up Exercises:

A lot of students rush through (or even skip) doing their warm-up exercises in class and at home during practice. This is really wrong because every exercise is fundamental and important to the core skills you are building as a drummer. The techniques you are taught are very important for your growth as a musician. If you rush through the exercises or even try playing the exercises in a higher tempo without understanding the technique and proper process of executing them, you will end up training the wrong muscles or even stress and injure them. Thus, take every exercise slow and only advance further once you have a comfortable command over the techniques you are trying to learn.

4. Wrong Drum Accessories:

It is very important that you have the essential materials to play drums. Different individual will have different needs according to the style of play. If you are someone who strikes the drum softly, then you should get lighter sticks. Similarly, if you are a hard hitter, then get a thicker set of sticks. The reason is that if you are a hard hitter and you are using a thinner stick, you would have to hit it even harder to get the sound that you could achieve with a thick stick  - instead it will put extra strain on your muscle and could lead to injury.

5. Wrong Techniques:

Yes, don’t stomp your pedal. Learn the right technique to play the pedals on the drums. Unnecessary stomping will only cause injury to your knee which is really avoidable if you use the right technique. Also, to play beats faster, you have to understand that you cannot achieve that speed with the hand, you have to use your wrist because it gives you more flexibility. Using your whole hand to play fast will stiffen and could injure your arm muscles. Using the wrist will ensure that you get the speed without putting too much pressure on your arm.

BlueTimbre is a unique Music Company that provides Music Education and  Recording Studio services. BlueTimbre also works with schools to provide end-to-end Music Education solutions for schools. 

The BlueTimbre team comes with decades of cumulative experience in running Structured Businesses, Music Curriculum Development, Music Education and Performance.