Interlude: Don’t Say PracticeDon’t Say the P Word.
Johann Sebastian Bach said, “There’s nothing remarkable about it. All
one has to do is hit the right keys at the right time and the instrument
plays itself.”
That quote was probably delivered with a heavy dose of sarcasm. If only
old Bach was right and playing an instrument was that easy.
If playing an instrument well or singing well could happen only by
wanting it badly enough, there would be many more great musicians in
the world than there are. But that’s not how it works. To learn an
instrument you’ve got to practice. Oops, I said a bad word.
I don’t like to say the p-word. When I think of the word “practice,” what
usually comes to mind is a boring task, one which I’m forced to do. So
let’s do away with that word.
I prefer a friendlier p-word. Play. Which would you prefer saying, “I’ve
got to go practice.” or “I’ve got to go play.” I don’t know about you, but I
like the second much better. If you think you have to say the p word, try
rehearse instead.
What does play mean? You play music. It’s supposed to be fun. If it’s
not, something might be wrong. I say might be wrong because no matter
what you do in this life, if you do it often enough, no matter how much
you like it, there will be times when it doesn’t seem so pleasant.
Especially when you push yourself toward improvement. It’s bound to
get frustrating once in a while. Not to worry. Those feelings pass.
In order to do something well, you have to spend a lot of time doing it.
This may seem obvious but you would be surprised by how many
students—especially the younger ones—don’t quite understand this.
Whether it’s sports or art or business or any old thing you care to name,
to become something more than a beginner takes focused effort and time.
Now, keep in mind there are some people out there who are so naturally
gifted that they need little time to master a skill. They’re the type of
people who can pick something up—art, sports, music, dance,
mathematics, Spanish—and start doing it well almost immediately.
They’re the kind of people we admire and envy. They’re the kind of
people we secretly want to strangle.Why did Mozart have
to get rid of his
chickens?
They ran around the
yard saying, “Bach,
Bach, Bach.”