Written by Claire Oplinger, Class of 2023
As a music major, your time in the practice room is extremely valuable. Yet so often, this time can be riddled with frustration, self-doubt, and negativity. Balancing the need for critical listening along with mental health can be extremely challenging, and we are often not taught how to address this. Below you will find a few simple strategies for practice room positivity that could make the process more enjoyable.
Positive Self-Talk: So many musicians struggle with negative self-talk and language that is ultimately self-defeating. As a musician, it is important to become your own biggest fan rather than your worst critic. One simple way to alter the composition of your thoughts is to counter negative thoughts with positive ones. After a mistake, instead of ruminating on thoughts like “I am a bad musician and I can’t do this,” replacing it with “I am a great musician and I am capable” can reframe the perspective and bring you to solutions quicker. Another helpful aspect of this is to have a filter for viewing your thoughts. For instance, if you would not say it to a friend, then do not say it to yourself. When you have a critical thought about your playing or abilities, you can feel free to just let it go if you would not say that to another person.
Pre-Practice Routine: Instead of taking the instrument out and immediately beginning your practice session, it might be helpful to have a pre-practice routine to prepare your mind for what you are about to do. This might look like taking a few minutes to stretch, visualize your practice session, and center yourself mentally. In this process, you can focus on how you want the practice session to go and let go of any tension, stress or anxiety you might be carrying from the day. Especially during this particularly stressful semester, having a routine can create a healthy sense of structure and help you feel more in control of your practice.
Practice Buddy-System: I’m sure that all of us miss walking into the practice rooms and being surrounded by other players. Getting a few friends together over zoom to practice can help simulate this. This is useful for accountability, and also as a way to support one another. Your peers can be your greatest asset, and they are often more than willing to offer encouragement when you need it :)
Meet Yourself Where You Are: It is okay if you aren’t able to practice as many hours, stay as focused, or accomplish as much as you did before the pandemic. Personally, I’ve gone through several different stages throughout the past year, ranging from being unable to touch my instrument at all for days or even weeks on end, to practicing in every spare moment. Rather than beating yourself up if you are struggling to practice or not feeling inspired, accepting where you are and having compassion for yourself can help you ease back into a routine more naturally.
Take Care of Body and Mind: Especially when we are spending most of our days in the same room, it is crucial to check in with yourself mentally and physically. Your most productive practice session is probably not going to happen when you are exhausted, stressed, and hungry. Taking care of your needs will allow you to make the most of your practice time. We are not machines, and health is always more important than productivity.
Find Inspiration: One of the benefits to this digital age is that there are hundreds of recordings available. Listening to performances can be a great reminder of why we do what we do. Inspiration can also be found in other art forms. Staying inspired is another key to making practice feel more effortless-- we are artists, and practicing should be a space for freedom and exploration.
Make Time for Fun Activities: Save time at the end of a practice session to play something by ear, improvise, or play your favorite pieces for your own enjoyment. This can give you something to look forward to at the end of a session, and can also remind you that music is supposed to be fun!
As we continue to navigate this unusual semester, please remember to be kind to yourself and that practicing may look different now than it did at the beginning of last year. None of these strategies are all-encompassing, but I hope you were able to take away at least a small element from this list to make practicing more enjoyable and fulfilling.
Happy practicing and best of luck with the rest of the semester!
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