Limited only by Your Imagination and Creativity
It is essential to start by conceptualizing your work outside of your craft so that you are not limited by your technique: hear the phrase in your mind (audiation), then sing it to get the gesture out into the world (even if you can’t sing the pitches), then match your instrumental technique to your concept. Over time, your technique will grow to match your imagination and not limit it!
Core Craft – Consider Every Aspect
Analyze your own work less with emotion and feeling, and more with logic and technique: listen back to recordings to get an objective outside view and note what you’d like to improve, then make a map for yourself on how to achieve that improvement. If you’re improvising or singing your own pieces, do you know EXACTLY what note you’re intending to play/sing? You must be specific and intentional to communicate effectively. Are there aspects of your performance that get in the way of effectively conveying your music to your audience? My professor used to say “Use your personal computer” – daily practice is much more effective when your mind stays engaged.
Control your Cool Brain – Hot Brain Ratio
In order to communicate feeling, you must be in command of your technique enough to transform the emotion into sound for the audience. Being in control of your tools will not diminish your freedom, it will enhance your ability to convey the feeling. As a performer, you should absolutely feel the emotions (hot brain), but keep your brain cool enough to stay in control of your sound!
Seek Help Wisely
Music lessons are essential and very helpful particularly when you’re troubleshooting an aspect of your craft. As a musician, your entire life is spent learning: the most important aspect of a musician’s work is the quest for perfection while knowing that it is never “done” because perfection doesn’t really exist. You can learn from everybody and everything, but not every teacher is necessarily the right match for every student’s learning style. Once you find the right teacher, consistency and patience are the keys: regular lessons will keep you accountable and give you a sounding board for your ideas! Best teachers help you become a better version of you.
The more you understand your tools, the more you are able to use them to express yourself!
It is essential to start by conceptualizing your work outside of your craft so that you are not limited by your technique: hear the phrase in your mind (audiation), then sing it to get the gesture out into the world (even if you can’t sing the pitches), then match your instrumental technique to your concept. Over time, your technique will grow to match your imagination and not limit it!
Core Craft – Consider Every Aspect
Analyze your own work less with emotion and feeling, and more with logic and technique: listen back to recordings to get an objective outside view and note what you’d like to improve, then make a map for yourself on how to achieve that improvement. If you’re improvising or singing your own pieces, do you know EXACTLY what note you’re intending to play/sing? You must be specific and intentional to communicate effectively. Are there aspects of your performance that get in the way of effectively conveying your music to your audience? My professor used to say “Use your personal computer” – daily practice is much more effective when your mind stays engaged.
Control your Cool Brain – Hot Brain Ratio
In order to communicate feeling, you must be in command of your technique enough to transform the emotion into sound for the audience. Being in control of your tools will not diminish your freedom, it will enhance your ability to convey the feeling. As a performer, you should absolutely feel the emotions (hot brain), but keep your brain cool enough to stay in control of your sound!
Seek Help Wisely
Music lessons are essential and very helpful particularly when you’re troubleshooting an aspect of your craft. As a musician, your entire life is spent learning: the most important aspect of a musician’s work is the quest for perfection while knowing that it is never “done” because perfection doesn’t really exist. You can learn from everybody and everything, but not every teacher is necessarily the right match for every student’s learning style. Once you find the right teacher, consistency and patience are the keys: regular lessons will keep you accountable and give you a sounding board for your ideas! Best teachers help you become a better version of you.
The more you understand your tools, the more you are able to use them to express yourself!
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