" Unexpected acts of compassion are common among our group. It's one of the ways we define ourselves." Captain Janeway, "Day of Honor" . In order to define where we are now, and make progress in our playing, we first need to know where we are. We need a quick inventory of strengths and weaknesses. Some honest reflection will yield a list that can be used to inform the goal setting process. Goal setting is how we can define (or redefine) ourselves and our playing. What we think about our own playing matters most so take a moment, and brainstorm three or four strengths that come immediately to mind. Great high register, for example, and/or maybe good at sight-reading or nice tone quality/sound. Include in the list what you enjoy doing, such as ensemble over solo or vice versa, band/popular playing over orchestral, or perhaps jazz ensemble over other types of music. It's a good bet that what you enjoy most, you're also better at doing. Now the reverse, write down several things you want to improve in your playing, and/or improve in your life. Do you want to work better with others? Maybe intonation needs improvement. Are you good at adjusting those notes on your instrument that are characteristically out of tune? Are you knowledgeable about pitch variances among chord members? For example, if a 4th line D is the 3rd of the chord, will it be easier or more difficult to tune on the trumpet? If you aren't sure, go here and here to find the answer. Maybe high register playing needs more confidence and freedom, or sight reading and technique are weaker than other areas like tone production. If so, then the question becomes how should these issues be addressed on a daily basis in the practice room? A good teacher can guide us, and we all need that help, but don't discount your own intuition. There are probably a couple of books or exercises sitting around that would do the trick if practiced with a particular goal in mind. Now that some strengths and weaknesses have been identified, dig a little deeper and ask what qualities define who I am as a musician right now? Am I organized/disorganized, haphazard/efficient, etc. What kind of musician do I want to be in one month, six months, a year from now? What we can envision, we can make happen. Living in a dream world gets a bum rap. In fact, set up shop in that dream world, hang out in it, and let that vision take you forward. We work a lot harder on what we love and admire. Reach for what energizes and inspires, but don't leave out the intermediary steps along the pathway to that vision. The daily practice, the slogging through exercises with persistence over long periods of time, the planning, the focusing all come together to finally bring us the fruit of realizing our dreams. And just as we learn to keep our car centered in the middle of the lane by focusing on the road ahead, so keep the goals that you developed front and center. Post them on a wall or on your computer. Your own goals are your best guide. The short answers to the question of what defines us as individuals and as musicians are the goals we set, and how well we stick to them. Comments are closed.
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GlendaI'm a trumpet player and music teacher aiming in this blog to help other Trumpeters, Music Enthusiasts, Music Educators, and aspiring professionals reach their highest potential in life through the study and cultivation of musical skills. Music Education
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