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 "You suck. Start over"November 9, 2008 at 1:52 AM Is what I found myself saying today. I've been having some off days of practice and just wanting to quit. So i took every piece of my current repertoire and stuck it in a pile in the corner of my desk and didn't look back. I then dug into my sheet music cabinet and found my suzuki books that I haven't touched for months. I pulled out book four and started on the first piece, the third movement from the Seitz Concerto No.2; I didn't move on til I could play it perfect Then I went to the third movement of the Concerto No.5 by Seitz as well. I refused to go on until I played every stacotto crisp, every double stop clean and intonation well. Then I went to the Concerto in A Minor by Vivaldi and played through the first movement, fixing a few rythmic problems. I then went to the third movement and played through it struggling a little, but got it eventually. Then I was done with the Suzuki. I went back to Canzonetta and found my intonation problems no longer an issue, and I had better bow control. I also was holding the half notes for the correct amount of time instead of rushing them, and the trills were stronger, yet refined if that makes sense to you. Do musicians get the equivalent of 'writers block"? A lack of motivation, not wanting to even try etc... I don't have an answer for that, but if I had to, I would say in my case, yes, certainly. So I spent the day going back to simpler pieces and that helped on more complicated repertoire. But Sonata 1 by Bach is still giving me unbelieveable loads of trouble. I'm going to go through everything much slower tomorrow and on Adadgio I am going to make every chord and double stop sound perfect, and get the rythms down. And for Presto, well the only thing I can do there is go through very, very slow. I'm not going to start playing Fuga for a very long time. I would compare it to the "younger sibling" of Chaccone as far as difficulty goes. I've been so busy with friends being at war and wanting to kill eachother (ME being stuck in the middle) as well as practicing, and school, that I think I've set a world record among teenagers being that it's been over a week since I've watched one minute of TV. Wish I could say the same about using the computer!! From Anne-Marie Proulx
Posted via 65.92.192.71 on November 9, 2008 at 3:45 PM Paul, I understand you so well, In my case, when I am starting to feel like this, I review all the basics, scales vibratos etc and posture. It is incredible to see how the posture goes away fast and how you have to constantly watch it. I personnally play restless and I'm for ever modifing the pad under my violin because while progressing you discover that you want more or less angle of the violin, that your shoulder is too high, that you are more confortable is the violin is lying slightly (left or right) on the collarbone etc! It's very tiresome to always reajusting yourself... It is very frustrating but I guess it forces you to look objectively to your problems and in general this mega clean up will allow you to progress even better after! In general a problem is often linked with a bad habit you have taken in your posture and it influences everything else including the body tension. Ex, a back that is not straight ennough, a habit of bending to much you neck when you play (some persons litteraly lie on their violin as if it was a pillow!). Lifting to much your shoulder, tilting to much the bow (etc) As for studies (in a non-musical field) and violin at the same time, their is not many things to do... I know what you are talking about! and yes their is nothing more frustrating than playing bad because you miss time and seeing those who have can practice 9 hours a day if they want. Even doing scales then becomes so appealing... But, I think the better thing one can do in this situation is to think of the future and knowing that your efforts of today should make it more beautiful! But I don't know if time was your problem or if it was just a lack of motivation because of some off days that we all have! good luck Anne-Marie
Good luck! Anne-Marie From Larisa Mihaela
Posted via 164.106.16.23 on November 11, 2008 at 8:22 PM Hi Paul!I am reading your blog post and I feel I am recognizing myself in what you wrote there. You may be so passionate about your instrument , and about music , and still have days when even thinking of getting the violin out bothers you.Or , on the contrary , you could feel you'd kill for half hour of focused practicing , but the events around you and time , and trying to manage 100 things at once won't let you . I know how it is , because I go to college full time , I work part time , I teach , I play in an orchestra , and I am involved in community actuvities. And I know my main priority has to always be practice; so it is .But no effort can spare me of a day or two without practice once in a while , and when that happens it is very frustrating. Yesterday , between studying for an exam, teaching and going to school , I didn't have time for practice.This morning , I got out my violin with a feeling of guilt, and I started with ...scales. Exactely like you said , because of not practicing a day before , I felt frustrated while practicing now.With this leck of motivation even thinking of practicing my actual repertoire was bothering me. So... I went back to previous years' repertoire. I tried the Berlioz Concerto , and Mozart 2 ,to increase my confidence.Then I tried the Bruch . It worked. I felt so much better. Going back to previous repertoire is a good way to get your motivation started again( and just as well is trying new repertoire) .This is an advice that I would give to anyone. And as a last thought...for any one who found him/herself in a similar situation , I have seen that thinking about the guilt of not practicing only hinders your present practicing. So...just get over it and grab that instrument! (an advice that I give to myself as well:) ) From Mendy Smith
Posted via 72.90.121.245 on November 12, 2008 at 9:28 AM Paul - Musicians do experience the equivalent of writer's block. Even professionals. Take a day or two for yourself - NON-music related if you can. In the adult professional realm, we call this "burn-out". That is what weekends and occasional vacation times are for - to forget about the pressures of day to day life and do something different to "reset" the mind so to speak. If all you want to do on that tiem off is to play music, try something trivial like practicing Christmas Carols from memory with invented variations. The key is to do something DIFFERENT. On my horrid practice days, I put away all my etudes, scales, and repetoire and burst out in Broadway musicals, holiday music, or just make things up as I go. A little freedom and creativity goes a long way in getting you back on the "straight and narrow". Also a little practical advice. The days are getting shorter and the nights longer. This will affect your mood. If you can, change your light bulbs out with ones with a more natural spectrum and try to get outdoors while there is still daylight. Make a point to socialize a little more than normal. It helps more than you can imagine. This entry has been archived and is no longer accepting comments. |
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