How To Sharpen Your Musical Skills?
There is a fundamental issue people learning to play music have to confront. Doesn't matter if they are in high school, college or university. Doesn't matter if they play for fun, or with community bands-or adult education groups.
The issue they must resolve is this: Where does the music they are discovering come from? Where does it originate? What is the source of music?
Does it come from the sheet music the musician is reading? Or does it come from the heart of the musician who is playing it?
An old Chinese proverb says music is the language of the heart. From the heart, music flows like a river.
When engaged in the act of improvising music, the player casts about for musical ideas-musical treasures-to explore, develop, and reveal. By learning to improvise, a musician is transformed into a vessel of music. The magnificent eloquence of the musical consciousness of the cosmic-as expressed in the moment-is localized in that player.
A musician who has discovered the secrets of improvisation has found the key to ultimate musical creativity. The key already exists within the player. It always has.
Improvisation nurtures creativity and confidence. Improvising, making stuff up on the spot can be great fun and inspire students to want to learn more about music.
With improvisation, there is no right or wrong, no judgment, so it makes students feel good about playing.
But for someone in the early learning stage, the idea of improvising a solo usually seems overwhelming. Often, they don't know where to start. Don't even know what a solo is supposed to sound like.
A problem with learning how to improvise is the time most people think it takes. The traditional learning method has included deep immersion in harmony, theory, scales, rhythm, and more. These subjects can take years to master.
Sometimes older students who come out of classical music freeze up when they try to improvise. Because it has been drilled into them at an early age that they have to be perfect. They don't realize when it comes to improvising, there is no perfect.
What students need is a method to learn the essential skills of improvisation-and learn them fast. Sitting through years of technical courses is not practical for everybody who wants-who needs-to play.
Research has shown that the most effective learning methods combine study, practice, and community. For example, training materials, exercises to play and learn, and fellow students to exchange ideas with.
€ Training materials give students a guided course of action. Students feel confident they are making progress.
€ Exercises develop muscle memory. Students perform at higher skill levels. Their music sounds stronger. Listeners, family and friends are impressed.
€ Community provides a forum and an arena for students to exchange and develop ideas. Students have the opportunity to work together for mutual advantage.
Music students, as well as more experienced musicians who are struggling to improve their playing-don't need to spend years in the halls of academia, hoping for a glimpse of improvisational insight.
The issue they must resolve is this: Where does the music they are discovering come from? Where does it originate? What is the source of music?
Does it come from the sheet music the musician is reading? Or does it come from the heart of the musician who is playing it?
An old Chinese proverb says music is the language of the heart. From the heart, music flows like a river.
When engaged in the act of improvising music, the player casts about for musical ideas-musical treasures-to explore, develop, and reveal. By learning to improvise, a musician is transformed into a vessel of music. The magnificent eloquence of the musical consciousness of the cosmic-as expressed in the moment-is localized in that player.
A musician who has discovered the secrets of improvisation has found the key to ultimate musical creativity. The key already exists within the player. It always has.
Improvisation nurtures creativity and confidence. Improvising, making stuff up on the spot can be great fun and inspire students to want to learn more about music.
With improvisation, there is no right or wrong, no judgment, so it makes students feel good about playing.
But for someone in the early learning stage, the idea of improvising a solo usually seems overwhelming. Often, they don't know where to start. Don't even know what a solo is supposed to sound like.
A problem with learning how to improvise is the time most people think it takes. The traditional learning method has included deep immersion in harmony, theory, scales, rhythm, and more. These subjects can take years to master.
Sometimes older students who come out of classical music freeze up when they try to improvise. Because it has been drilled into them at an early age that they have to be perfect. They don't realize when it comes to improvising, there is no perfect.
What students need is a method to learn the essential skills of improvisation-and learn them fast. Sitting through years of technical courses is not practical for everybody who wants-who needs-to play.
Research has shown that the most effective learning methods combine study, practice, and community. For example, training materials, exercises to play and learn, and fellow students to exchange ideas with.
€ Training materials give students a guided course of action. Students feel confident they are making progress.
€ Exercises develop muscle memory. Students perform at higher skill levels. Their music sounds stronger. Listeners, family and friends are impressed.
€ Community provides a forum and an arena for students to exchange and develop ideas. Students have the opportunity to work together for mutual advantage.
Music students, as well as more experienced musicians who are struggling to improve their playing-don't need to spend years in the halls of academia, hoping for a glimpse of improvisational insight.
