4 Things All Successful Musicians Need

Like all skills, mastering music takes time and effort. But sometimes you don’t realize that you are actually hindering your progress as a musician! So here are 4 things all successful musicians need to make their practicing count:

1. A pencil.

Seriously! Grab that pencil and start marking your music. You know how they say writing things down helps you remember them better? Well, this can be applied to your music too. Circle notes you miss, mark in accidentals, write in fingering, notate the rhythm. Write things in your music to help you learn it. You will learn your music better and faster if you keep a pencil handy.

And a pencil is not just good for circling missed notes (*gasp in shock*). You can also use it to help you study the score. Mark where the themes are (I sometimes color code the themes in my music). Write out adjectives that describe the atmosphere of a certain section. Translate anything in a different language.

These all help you internalize the music better and make your practicing more effective.

2. A goal.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: approaching your music with a goal is one of the best things you can do for yourself. It helps you stay motivated and encouraged even when things are difficult. Read more about my advice on goal-setting here!

You can set large goals (such as learn a specific piece by a certain date).

You can set small goals (like learn these measures in this practice session).

But I can promise you this: if you don’t have a goal, you won’t see progress. Aimless playing, while enjoyable (and sometimes required for peace of mind), can only get you so far.

3. An audio recorder.

Record yourself practicing.

This might seem a little strange at first, but using an audio recorder will help make your practicing (and performing) better. It gives you an opportunity to “play” for an audience – yourself! 🙂 After you record yourself playing, go back and listen to the recording. Chances are you will hear things you didn’t notice while you were playing before. This is because you experience music differently when you are playing it vs when you are listening to it.

You can then consciously make changes in your practicing an playing to make the music better (using the audio recording as a reference).

*Bonus tip: you can even upgrade to a video recorder and get the whole show. This can help you notice any bad posture habits you have while practicing.

4. A support system.

Being a musician is hard, and that’s why it’s so important to have some support. Find someone (or multiple someones) that will encourage you – give you hugs when you’re down, celebrate with you in your successes, motivate you when you are tired, and check in with you to make sure you are progressing.

A good support system encourages you to keep going even when you don’t want to. They believe in you so much that they will not let you quit because they know that you will be successful if you persevere. Find that person, and you will see improvements in your musicianship.

You know what they say: behind every successful musician is someone who believed in them from the beginning (or something like that).

So there you have it! 4 things all successful musicians need to make their practicing count and become better music makers. Grab that pencil, take a deep breath, and go. You can do it.