Learning a musical instrument is difficult. Between the fear of disappointing your teacher and being shown up by child prodigies, sometimes it can be difficult to motivate yourself to keep practicing. But here are 5 ways you can stay motivated to practice even when you don’t feel like it.
1. Enjoy the music you are learning.
This is so important. Nobody wants to practice a piece they don’t like! Work with your teacher to pick repertoire you actually want to learn, and this will help you be motivated to practice. Enjoying your music will get you excited to learn it, which will fuel the motivation.
2. Set a schedule (and stick to it).
I hate to say it, but simply relying on motivation to get you to practice won’t cut it. There will be times when you don’t want to work on your music, and that’s okay. The trick is to do it anyways. Set aside
3. Set a goal.
Why do you want to practice? Is it so you can learn this Christmas piece before the family party? Do you want to play your favorite song at the school talent show? Set a (reachable) goal, and that will help you stay motivated. For more on setting musical goals, read this post here.
4. Take a break.
Breaks are important in your growth and development both as a person and as a musician. If you find yourself frustrated with a particular passage in your music, take a short break. Walk away from your instrument, get a drink of water, and return refreshed and ready to tackle the problem.
5. Study your music away from your instrument.
Sometimes we just need to be reminded of why we love learning music. I have found that stepping away from the instrument and turning to the internet and the score can help bring that reminder. Listen to a professional on YouTube play the piece you are working on, and follow along with the music. Pay attention to the beauty in the sound once it’s all put together by finding the story told in the music.
We all struggle with motivation from time to time. However, don’t let that stop you from pushing yourself to grow! What helps you stay motivated to practice?
