David Motto’s Practice Tip of the Week:
Dealing with Negative Comments

There Will Always Be Criticism

No one ever achieved greatness without dismissing the glaring criticism of others. And, there will always be criticism!

Musicians must develop a thick skin about their playing and learn to focus on their own internal process of practicing and improving.

Comments from Non-musicians

One unfortunate source of criticism comes from our family, friends, and roommates. These people often mean well. Unless they are musicians themselves, however, they often have little understanding of what makes a successful practice session.

To the untrained ear, hearing a musician work on a specific skill in no way resembles what music “should” sound like. Most people hear only finished performances of music in their lives, and they assume that the process of learning music must sound similar to the process of hearing a live or recorded performance.

We can’t blame non-musicians for their bewildering comments about our practicing. We can only shrug off their questions and comments.

How to Respond

If you must respond, tell your family members that you’re doing exercises that will make you better and stronger when it comes time to perform. This reasoning seems to make sense to non-musicians.

Let them know that the exercises you are doing (including endless practice loops of a single bar of music!!) are just as important as the exercises done by athletes to prepare for competition.

Don’t let the words of other people get you down.  Dismiss their comments, return to your practice room, and keep working!

To Your Musical Success!
–David Motto