Practicing Music in the Time of Covid-19
Practicing Music in the Time of Covid-19
Practicing music in the time of Covid-19 is challenging, to say the least. I’ve spoken with many of you via email and Skype lessons over the past few weeks and it is painfully apparent that musicians are struggling in so many ways during this time. I’ll be sending out some emails to give moral support and some suggestions on how to get through this tough time and still improve your musicianship.
One of the first things to understand is that when you are upset, your body tends to release chemical reactions to make you not remember. So if you are finding it hard to remember, that is normal. Of course remembering is fundamental to improving your musical ability — so how do you work around this?
If you are finding this to be true and you are cutting back on practicing because it seems fruitless, then try these things:
- Switch from mentally difficult things and spend more time just playing music. Concentrate not on the stuff you don’t know, but on the stuff you do know, and try to make that a little better, which it will, because you are concentrating on it.
- Improvise, Improvise, Improvise… Take some of the Jam Tracks and just improvise over the tracks. Don’t judge what you are doing just play and let the music heal you for a few minutes each day.
- Don’t beat yourself up about not improving. Now is not the time for that. Now is the time to remember how much you love music and how it makes you feel.
- If practicing is just not happening then listen to music. I find that to be a major weak point with many musicians. They just don’t listen to music. Make this a time where you pull out your old favorites or get into something new.
Finally, stay in touch. I’m here to help. If you are having issues let me know. I’ve been around the block a few times and have learned a lot about music and practicing. I can probably help you through this time– and I would be happy to.
Bruce Arnold Music Education Genealogy Chart
You might enjoy checking out the “Music Education Genealogy Chart” located on my artist’s site. You will clearly see the historic progression of pedagogy that is the basis for Muse Eek Publishing Products. Great musicians throughout history have been studying the ideas presented by Muse-eek.com which derives its content from a a lineage that stretches back to Scarlatti!