Practicing: Mistakes Are Your Ally

Yesterday on the Harmonious.ly blog, we talked about cultivating a playful curiosity during your warm-up, so that you’re prepared to dig in to any musical problems that come your way during practice time. Sometimes, musical problems come in the form of mistakes: missed notes, missed rhythms, “bad” sounds, general flubs. Mistakes can be frustrating, but with the right approach, they can become your most important learning tool.

The trick is this: whenever you make a mistake, stop and ask yourself why it happened. Instead of thinking, “I missed that octave leap. Better try it ten more times,” ask yourself, “Why did I miss that octave leap?” Every mistake has something to tell you, so before you stubbornly plod on with your practice time, examine the situation and see if you can solve the underlying problem. You might find that you hadn’t taken enough breath in the preceding measure, or that you are tensing a muscle unnecessarily. Or, you might find that you are only missing that octave leap because you have told yourself you’re going to miss it, and so you’re hesitating mentally. Whether the source of the mistake is mental, physical, or both, examine it, and find creative solutions. Happy practicing!

Do you have a question, comment, or practice tip you’d like to share? Leave a comment here on the Harmoniousl.y blog and get feedback from your fellow musicians.