Kody Myhra January 15, 2022
I think I speak for everyone when I say the past two years have been hard, and I mean REALLY hard. For us as musicians, we have had to go through an extensive period without performing and losing motivation to do what we all enjoy. I know that for me, even doing the things I love became a chore. I began to lose hope, especially being in college and thinking about how the future will play out.
In times like these, it is so important to look past these feelings of anger, fear, and frustration to continue our work as musicians. But how? Many of my teachers and colleagues have told me to "just keep working", but I cannot help but think "how does one manage to feel motivated at this time?" There's been so much happening in the world and so much happening in my life, how do people get the strength to keep going on with their lives as normal? Well, I've come up with a few ways that I have kept up motivation in times I felt like doing nothing.
1: Make a plan.
Sometimes, motivation can be lost if we don't have an idea of what we want to accomplish. One thing I have done to gain motivation is writing out a practice plan. Practice plans can be created in so many ways, but one thing I like to do is write out my practice plan in a detailed list with boxes I can check off when I complete a task. Also, writing the approximate time it would take you to complete the tasks you wrote could also be beneficial for planning out the rest of your day. Here is a sample of a practice plan I've written out from 2018:
In this practice schedule, I broke down my practice into three sections: first section being my warmup consisting of scales, long tones and articulation, second being repertoire I needed to work on, and third being ensemble music. I always recommend starting a practice session with some sort of warm-up to get your mind and body prepared to play. I broke each section up with a break to give myself some time in between to prepare and reflect on my last playing session. Another thing you can do to break this down even more is write pieces or exercises with the sections you know you need to work on, so your list is very detailed and it gives you more to cross off later.
2: Set goals.
When we set goals, it gives us something to look forward to. We all want to be the best musicians we can be, and by setting attainable goals, it gives us the opportunity to reach a higher level of playing than before. Start with a small goal, like meeting a certain tempo you want to reach, or playing a rhythm correctly. These will be your short term goals. Then, create some goals that you want to meet within the next few months to the next year. These will be your long term goals. Your short term goals should build you up to your long term goals in the end. By writing these in a journal or log, you can write about your progress and keep yourself accountable. I personally like to keep my goals and progress in a bullet journal.
3: Know that progress is not linear.
Sometimes we need a break, and that's okay! Progression doesn't happen all at once. When I need to take a break, I create an alarm on my phone for the day and time I need to get back to work, and during my break, I plan what I am going to do when I get back to work. Sometimes, breaks can be a few hours. Other times, they can be a few days. It all depends on how you are feeling and your personal needs. Stepping back allows us to reflect on our work and plan for the future. Know that you are working towards your goals by taking a break to better yourself. By no means do you have to take breaks, but they can be beneficial for regaining mental and physical energy for your next practice session.
The COVID-19 pandemic has been hard on us all, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I am leaving the comments open for you to leave your motivational tips and tricks, or just to comment on how the pandemic has affected you as a musician. We all are affected differently, and I want this to be a safe space for us to reflect and vent about our musical endeavors these past two years. I would love to hear from you, and I hope these tips help you in your practice and playing. Happy practicing!:)
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