“Practice makes a man perfect.” – Diary and Autobiography of John Adams
You must have heard this proverb umpteen times if you are a budding musician. Everyone, from your music guru to your parents and friends seem to be giving you the same piece of advice. Day in and day out!
Remember that their heart is in the right place. They are only thinking about your betterment. However, we do understand that it can get a little frustrating. Especially if you are unable to build and stick to a routine.
Many established musicians have admitted to the fact that building the initial momentum is the toughest. However, you must be wellaware that there is no other way out. Practice – more and more of it – is the only way to move forward!
Practical Tips on How to Get Motivated:
Are you currently in a rut, unable to build a momentum of practice? Do you continuously keep thinking of answers to how to motivate yourself?
Worry not, guys! We have come up with certain tips to help you develop the habit of practice. Follow these tips, and you can gradually get the ball rolling:
1] Set & Defend a Regular Practice Time:
Setting a regular time for practice is the key. In the initial days, do not bother with the duration – start with 10 minutes, move to 20 after a few days and then expand to 30 minutes. After a certain point in time, not practising will seem stranger than practising.
Give yourself a duration of at least 2-3 months to fully get into the habit.
Never, ever skip your practice sessions. Even if it is only for 10 minutes, take the effort to do it! It is a critical answer to how to motivate yourself and get into the momentum.
2] Play Music that you Enjoy:
Do not just stick to tedious drills in your practice sessions. If you enjoy playing along with a particular piece of music, then do it! Put on your favourite musician/song at full blast and play along all you want.
Of course, you will have to practice music drills and techniques. However, if playing along your favourite musician is the kind of lead that you need, then go for it! Initially, focus on developing the habit of practice rather than what you are practising.
Devote 20-30% of your practice time to music that you enjoy and then shift the focus to mastering the techniques of music. It is one of the main factors in how to motivate yourself.
3] Go Social:
Social media is the talk of the hour. So, why not use it as one of the techniques of how to motivate yourself? Create your own hashtag challenge. Or, even better, join an ongoing hashtag challenge, such as #100daysofpractice!
Practice can be a lonely endeavour. So, why not seek other people going through the same journey and motivate each other?
Nothing can be more inspiring than seeing people sailing in the same boat succeed! Commenting and receiving a motivating comment can brighten up your mood any time of the day.
4] Get a Practice Buddy:
If you are not yet confident of posting your practice clips on social media, get a friend to come and practice with you! Back each other up through the bad days and pat each other on the back on the good days.
Having a practice pal is the best answer to how to get motivated.
5] Divide your Time:
Music involves many intricacies and techniques. You need to divide your time amongst all of them.
For example, focus on memorizing tunes one day and understanding music theory the other day. You need to master all dimensions of music. Mixing them up, yet devoting enough time to all of them is an essential answer to how to motivate yourself.
If you are on the road to a successful musical career, remember that the journey is not easy but is extremely fulfilling! Focus, dedication and commitment are three of the most important qualities required in a successful musician. Stay on track and success will be yours one day! Moving forward continuously is an important answer to how to get motivated.