Category Archives: Achieving Goals

Practice Every Day No Matter What

David Motto’s Practice Tip of the WeekPractice Every Day – No Matter What! Most musicians intuitively understand that practicing every day is the best way to improve.  And, we’ve heard the cute reminders such as, “You don’t have to practice … Continue reading

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Pursue Your Passion

What could you do today for 7 – 10 minutes to move you toward something you’ve always wanted to do? These short bursts of highly focused energy are the very essence of my Ten Minute Virtuoso method for building success. … Continue reading

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How to Deal with Frustration

David Motto’s Practice Tip of the Week:How to Deal with Frustration Frustration is Bound to Happen It goes without saying that when you practice music, you are trying to play things that you don’t currently know how to play. Practicing … Continue reading

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Quick Practice Tip – Micro-goals

Have micro-goals for every practice session. Plan what you can realistically accomplish TODAY. This makes your daily work a lot more worthwhile and fun!

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Quick Practice Tip – Find Identical Song Sections

Find sections of songs that are exactly the same. You only have to learn each section once! Put them together in order later. This is not only a big time saver but also makes sure that you master each section … Continue reading

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Quick Practice Tip – Work Out of Order

You don’t need to practice from beginning to end every time! (1) Don’t start at the top. (2) Do individual sections. (3) Fix the ending. (4) Actually try the section you most want to avoid.

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Quick Rehearsal Tip – Song Keys and Forms

Know your keys and song forms before the band gets together. This will save huge amounts of rehearsal time and lower the level of frustration in the room.

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Record Yourself

David Motto’s Practice Tip of the Week:Record Yourself As practicing musicians we are expected to do the impossible. While playing through a section of music and concentrating on playing accurately, we are supposed to listen carefully to identify the areas … Continue reading

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Quick Practice Tip: Work on Efficiency at Slow Tempos

Work on efficiency – minimizing movement, controlling pressure, staying in position – at very slow tempos in slow motion. When you go faster, you won’t notice these things, but they will definitely affect your playing and limit your ability to … Continue reading

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Quick Rehearsal Tip: End with Something Fun

End your rehearsals with something fun that everyone likes to play. You’ll remember the fun ending, not the hard work!

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