4 Reasons Why Practice is Crucial To Your Growth As A Musician

No one is never born genius, one has to work for it and it is the result of that work that they become really good at what they do. That particular work/performance from musicians is the practice they do on their instrument. It is the most fundamental yet the most important thing a musician needs to do to supplement their growth at every step. Although it is given that practice will make you better, let us understand why it is so crucial for musicians.

1. Muscle memory

Playing an instrument is all about ‘instinct’ coming into play. When you play your instrument what will you do naturally? You have to make the complicated techniques your second nature so that you can execute it flawlessly on your instrument. The only way to do that is to practice regularly so that your muscles build a memory by being exposed to the same exercise so many times that it becomes natural for you. However, you do have to make sure that you are doing the drills correctly and efficiently so that your muscle develops the correct technique.

2. Explore Ideas

The more you sit with your instrument, the better will be your understanding about it. As you attempt to play like your idols and apply all the necessary theory in your instrument, you will discover new ways of using your techniques to sound unique. You will find your own style of using certain techniques and how to apply them in your playing. A good practice session will allow you to explore a fresh take on certain exercises and also open up new ideas in your playing which, is an important aspect for every musician.

3. Feedback System

You won't know what you are doing wrong until you play. The best way to rate your playing is to record yourself, play back and then self-analyse what you are doing wrong and what you can do better. You can focus your practice sessions toward the elements that you think requires work. The lesser your playing weaknesses, better is your musicianship. It is crucial to give/take feedback as it minimises any loose ends in your playing and is an important factor to grow as a musician.

4. Realistic Goals

As you sit down for practice, you will have an idea of your progress and where you stand in terms of capability in certain skills. Practice lets you set realistic goals which will encourage more commitment and intent whenever you practice. There should be a purpose in every practice session and a result oriented goals to be able to develop new skills and improve existing basics on every step.

If there is one thing common among all the successful musician, it is the relentless dedication to their trade and instrument through numerous hours of practice which should be the template for every budding musician. Give time to your instrument and practice with commitment and you will surely get results and be the musician you always dreamed of.

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.

4 Things to consider when you are learning Drums

Learning drums can be tricky. May it be the space the instrument occupies or the nuisance it may causes to your neighbour, people are always reluctant to take up drums. Also, people are under the impression that there is a lot of investment that you need to put in just to learn drums. However, if it is something you eagerly want to learn, you should find a way to make it work. Here, we talk about some of the things you should consider when learning drums and some remedies for your noise problem.

1. Introduce yourself to the instrument: First, get hold of drum sticks and practice ‘sticking’ patterns taught by your teacher. It is the basic requirement to start playing drums. You will then have to get used to playing some simple rhythms to start playing on an actual drum. Learn the musical terms which will help you understand the theory much better and will also help you talk to other musicians using the right terms and usages. To begin with, you can invest in a practice pad, a pair of drumsticks and get used to the simple rhythm patterns before you invest in an entire drum kit.

2. Instrument Space: Once your fundamentals are clear, you should think about buying a drum kit to further progress your skills. However, drums take up space and it is a must to have if you are learning it. You can consider buying an ‘electronic’ drum kit which is smaller and more compact. You can discuss with your instructor about which setup will be the best investment and how much space that would require. Have a permanent space for your drum kit which will help settle the space and a proper setup for your practice. Try to set it up in a room with less windows and openings.

3. Sound Proofing: Drums are often loud and can cause problems to your neighbour. However, there are solutions to that. First, you can opt for an electronic kit where you can control your volume levels as per required. Second, there are cheap ways to make your room sound resistant with foam blocks, heavy carpets, etc. Talk to your instructor for low-cost options on how to soundproof your drums room at home.

4. Practice time: Now once you have figured out the space for your instrument and solutions to control the volume, the kit should not be just lying there. If you are committed to learning the drums, you have to find time to practice as it requires a lot of coordination between your hand and feet which can only be mastered by repeating and practicing your exercises. Make sure you give time to practice drums as often as you can, so just fix a time on your schedule that is assigned just for practicing your instrument.

We hope this blog post has been able to address some of the things to consider when you begin learning to play the drums.

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.