-
Archives
- February 2021
- January 2021
- July 2019
- June 2019
- April 2019
- March 2019
- February 2019
- January 2019
- December 2018
- June 2018
- January 2018
- December 2017
- November 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- August 2017
- July 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017
- March 2016
- February 2016
- November 2015
- October 2015
- June 2015
- May 2015
-
Meta
Author Archives: David Motto
How Breaks Improve Focus
David Motto’s Practice Tip of the Week:How Breaks Improve Focus Practicing Without Breaks? There is a myth among musicians that the best progress is made by locking yourself in a room and playing straight for two to four hours. This … Continue reading
Being in the Dark
David Motto’s Practice Tip of the Week:Being in the Dark Visual Information Can Be Distracting Musicians often depend too heavily on visual information to help them play accurately. Whether it’s reading sheet music, getting a cue from another musician, or … Continue reading
Posted in Music Practice Tips
3 Comments
Musicians as Athletes
David Motto’s Practice Tip of the Week:Musicians as Athletes The Demands We Make on Our Bodies Physical comfort while playing your instrument is important, and your actions before and after you play also greatly influence your ability to perform. Too … Continue reading
The Best Music Memorization Tip Ever
David Motto’s Practice Tip of the Week:The #1 Music Memorization Strategy There Are a Lot of Memorization Techniques Many musicians contact me asking me for tips on playing and performing from memory. It’s clearly something that worries a lot of … Continue reading
Physical Comfort
David Motto’s Practice Tip of the Week:Physical Comfort Making Music Can Feel Unnatural The physical positions used to play musical instruments, and the stress put on the vocal cords when singing, can be unnatural and occasionally uncomfortable. Because of this, … Continue reading
Posted in Music, Music Practice Tips, Performance Preparation
2 Comments
Adding Emotion to Music
David Motto’s Practice Tip of the Week:How to Add Emotion to Your Music Building Emotional Roadmaps Having an emotional roadmap for any song you’re learning makes performing more satisfying and truly communicates the meaning of the music to an audience. … Continue reading
Quick Performance Tip – Be Convincing
Convince Your Audience What matters during your performance is being convincing. It’s best if you feel in control, but – even if you feel a bit out of control and on the edge of your abilities – convince your audience … Continue reading
Posted in Music Performance Tips
Leave a comment
Get In the Zone
David Motto’s Practice Tip of the Week:Get in the Zone The Importance of “The Zone” The traditional approach to practice (spend more time until you get better) has been blown out of the water by ideas of practicing deliberately, receiving … Continue reading
Posted in Achieving Goals, Motivation, Music, Music Practice Tips
2 Comments
Using Your Phone
Your Smartphone as Mastery Tool Why Do We Call These Things “Phones” Anyway? It’s funny that we continue to call smartphones “smartphones.” The original idea of a phone was a tool to make voice calls to someone else so you … Continue reading
Three Types of Deadlines
David Motto’s Practice Tip of the Week:Three Types of Deadlines Deadlines Change Your Thoughts and Actions It’s one thing to say – in the abstract – that you’re going to learn a new piece of music or a song. It’s … Continue reading
