… so long as I get somewhere!

"Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?"
"That depends a good deal on where you want to get to," said the Cat.
"I don’t much care where--" said Alice.
"Then it doesn’t matter which way you go," said the Cat.
~Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

Students ask me what they should practice, how they should practice, when they should practice …

Here's the thing about practice: It is a very individualized pursuit, most effectively designed by YOU to get YOU where YOU want to go. "Progress" means different things to different people. How would you define progress in your own musical endeavors, today?

• mastering a new tune arrangement?
• playing your favorite fiddle tune up to speed?
• successfully playing backup during a jam session?
• learning that tricky right hand root arpeggio pattern?
• etc, etc, etc

Whatever the goal, it's important to have one (or three)! Then, make a practice plan that will get you where you want to be. The Cheshire Cat would say, if you don't know where you're going it doesn't much matter what you do in your practice. While it may be true that doing anything is better than doing nothing … you're bound to accomplish something … if you intentionally gear your practice toward accomplishment of your goals, you will grow in the direction of your dreams.

Take a Break? Resist the Temptation!

Pink … of course!

Summertime, and the living is easy. We hope.

This ought to help … I'm taking the summer off!

It's been a challenge to fit everyone in for "one more" lesson before the end of this week. The plan is to resume teaching after Labor Day. I'm clearing the schedule to make way for our first grandchild, Sweet Baby Girl, officially due June 26. Plus, I have a garden to tend, family and friends to visit, places to go, things to do. Did I mention a baby to hold?

Turns out my students are busy this summer, too. They need a break. Still, many wonder how they will get along without the structure of regularly scheduled lessons. It thrills my heart that some have actually asked for guidance in how to practice this summer. While it is difficult for me to spell out specifics that will work for every person, I can make some general suggestions.

First of all, resist the temptation to "take a break" from music. While it's true that I am taking the summer off from teaching, I am NOT giving up on playing and practicing the instrument. My students do get a break from their lessons … but we've all been working too hard to risk losing ground … which surely will happen if you don't touch your instrument for weeks on end. Play (and practice) regularly, if only for short periods of time.

Now that we have established that, the most important thing you can do is consciously set goals and write them down. Decide what you'd like to learn this summer. These should be specific goals that are achievable within the given time frame … between today and Labor Day. Think about two categories:

1. Tunes
2. Skills/Techniques

Refer to my blogpost A Plan for Your Summer Practice (07/03/13) for help in making goals.

While most of you will have plenty of tunes to choose from when making your "tunes" list, you may have more difficulty coming up with "skill / technique" goals. It's always a good idea to let the tunes you're learning inform your technique / skills practice. The best exercises are derived from weaknesses discovered in the attempt to master a new tune. Having trouble with hand separation? Noticing that your valley rolls have become a bit sloppy? That's where to put your focus. Or maybe there's something you've been meaning to get to, such as … finally understand the difference between dorian and aeolian modes, or figure out all those 7 chords. There's no time like the present!

If you're still at a loss, here's a list to get the brainstorming started. It is not all-inclusive, mind you. I'm sure you will think of other skills that need improvement!

Back to Basics

• Hammer Strokes - single strokes; double strokes; tremolos, rolled chords, octaves, valley rolls (flams), etc
• Scales - major, minor, chromatic; multiple octaves; starting from left and right hands
• Arpeggios - left and right hand patterns; multiple octaves
• Hand Separation - ascending / descending bass lines

Music Theory

• Study music theory. Learn more about chords. Understand modes.
• Learn to find chords all over the instrument. Root chords. Chord inversions.
• Learn to play back up. Use arrangements that have been worked out by others. Create your own back up for a melody you already know and play well.

General Music Stuff

• Learn to read music.
• Train your ears. There are plenty of apps designed for this purpose!
• Learn to use the metronome. Play with a steady rhythm. Play tunes at tempo.

Take it to the Next Level

• Add to your jam tune repertoire. Make a list of your favorite jam tunes. Keep the list in your instrument case so you'll always be ready when it's your turn to call a tune. Get those jam tunes up to speed. Work out a back up arrangement for your absolute favorites.
• Find your own style. Develop your own arrangement of a favorite tune.
• Create a gig for yourself. Make a tune list. Get those tunes performance ready. Do it!

Need a little more pressure and help with accountability? Send me your goals. I'll check in with you at the end of the summer. Keep hammering and good luck!

Snow Day

A winter storm came through the state of North Carolina last night. We have ~ 2" of snow on the ground in Pittsboro, with temperatures in the 20's. This morning there was a layer of ice under the snow in some places, making travel a bit tricky. You know what that means … SNOW DAY! All lessons cancelled. So Betsy, my brave music buddy, came over late this afternoon. We had an awesome practice! What do YOU do on snow days?

Monday's Muse

"How often do you practice, and for how long?

Mastering music is more than learning technical skills. Practicing is about quality, not quantity. Some days I practice for hours; other days it will be just a few minutes. Practicing is not only playing your instrument, either by yourself or rehearsing with others — it also includes imagining yourself practicing. Your brain forms the same neural connections and muscle memory whether you are imagining the task or actually doing it."  ~ Yo-Yo Ma

CTO … Woman Learns to Dance in One Year

"This isn't a story about dancing, though. It's about having a dream and not knowing how to get there — but starting anyway. Maybe you're a musician dreaming of writing an original song. You're an entrepreneur dying to start your first venture. You're an athlete but you just haven't left the chair yet.

When you watch someone perform, you're seeing them at the top of their game. When they score the winning point or sell their company for millions — you're seeing them in their moment of glory. What you don't see is the thousands of hours of preparation. You don't see the self doubt, the lost sleep, the lonely nights spent working. You don't see the moment they started. The moment they were just like you, wondering how they could ever be good."

Check This Out … Watch this video montage that shows Karen X. Cheng's beginning moves, progress, and amazing performance at the end of one year. What could YOU do in one year?

True Confession

My personal practice has been "on hold" since December 11.

Don't get me wrong. I've "played" my instrument. I've seen students. I've prepared for their lessons. But I've not "practiced" in weeks!

You might ask, "What's the difference between playing and practicing?" Here's an excerpt from a post I recently read on the Practicing Musician blog, (editor/owner - Bradford). It gives you an idea of how playing and practicing are two distinctly different activities.

Playing: This is when you enjoy the hard work you’ve put into practicing, that is, you just play. When you play you are really concerned with only one thing: the experience. You might pay small attention to technique and musicality but for the most part you are just ‘going for it’ and letting your musical training and inspiration run free. This is not really practicing. When you are playing you are not able to improve anything, you simply test out or try to execute the material.

Practicing: Practicing is when you are actually solving problems, that is, you are finding weaknesses and defects in your musicality that are either caused by technique, interpretation, reading, or how you envision the piece of music. You then set about fixing the problems and improving yourself as a musician. So the rule is that when you practice you identify a problem and set about fixing it. Clarity is key to good practice. Think about when a music teacher critiques a student, they have to clearly state what the problem is and then offer up a solution. You must be your own teacher when you practice.

Click here to read the entire article. I hope it will inspire lots of practice time in the new year!

Monday's Muse

“There’s nothing like music to teach you that eventually if you work hard enough, it does get better. You see the results.” ~ Chuck Todd

One Simple Thing You Can Do to Make Your Life Easier Next Year

Mark up your holiday music.

Don't you hate it when you spend a significant amount of time on a piece of music but when you come back to it in a day or two you've forgotten how to play it? If you think it's difficult to remember tunes you're playing regularly, wait until you try to recall how you played your favorite Christmas carols a year ago!

Many of my students are busy practicing Christmas tunes this month. Some are preparing for gigs. Others are playing for their own enjoyment. Most are attempting to create a repertoire of seasonal music that will be improved upon and added to year to year. The sad fact, though, is that once the Christmas season is over most of these holiday tunes will be shelved, not to revisited until next fall.

The good news? Many of these tunes have fairly simple melody lines and they are familiar - locked into our brains in such a way that allows our hands to find them with some ease on the instrument. But chances are you've taken these tunes beyond the basic melody. I'm guessing you've worked out some arrangement ideas or have spent time figuring out how to play someone else's arrangement. You're going to want to remember that in the future.

Mark up your music.

Make notes directly on the music to help yourself remember all the stuff you've figured out during your practice sessions, i.e. hammer patterns, where to cross the bridge, which duplicate note to use, hints on how to play difficult phrases, etc. That way, you won't have to reinvent the wheel next year.

If you think this is a great idea but don't want to mess up a book of music or would rather have a clean original piece of sheet music, simply make a copy or two, then mark away!

Read more about Marking Up your music for Efficient Practice in my previous post, dated March 12, 2013

Music Buddies get Creative

There are many ways to benefit from having a music buddy, even if you don't live anywhere near each other! One of my students has made a pact with her music buddy from afar. The two of them take turns choosing a tune. They spend one week learning the tune and applying original arrangement ideas. Once the arrangement is "just right" they record it and share it with each other privately through YouTube.

Here's what YouTube says about sharing private videos:

If you'd like to share one of your videos with a select and limited audience, you can do so by setting your video to private. Once the video's set to private you'll be able to share it with fifty other users.

Once you've set the video to private you'll be able to send the video's private URL with your contacts. Once your contacts receive the private URL, they'll be able to sign into their YouTube account and watch the video.

Here's how to find and send a private video's private URL:

1. Sign into your YouTube account and click the Account link located (at the top-right of any page ).
2. Then click the Uploaded Videos link. Click and choose the video you want to send to your friends. Then, click the "Edit" button.
3. Under the "Broadcasting and Sharing Options" section (on the left-hand side of the page towards the bottom) you'll see "Privacy" options. Click the little black arrow / triangle to expand and see all your privacy options (if its not already open and you cannot see your privacy options).
4. If the video's set to private, there will be a URL section below the "Private" option. This is the special private link that you will send to (up to) fifty contacts so that they can watch your private video.
5. Email / send a private message including the private video's special URL. When your friends receive the email invitation, they'll need to: Sign into their YouTube account
6. Click the video URL. They'll then be able to watch the video

That's it! You've now learned how to share a private video with your contacts!

What a great way to challenge yourself, impose accountability, structure practice time, strengthen the bonds of friendship ... practically guarantee improvement of skills and technique … not to mention have FUN! I'd love to hear more about how others share their musical journey with friends.

Previous Posting: 10 Reason Why Music Buddies are Essential

Make the Stuff You Learn Stick

An article in the recent Dulcimer Players News (Summer 2013) caught my attention, "How to Get What You've Learned to Stay Learned," written by Dan Landrum. There's some good stuff in there! And it got me thinking. What works for me? What works for my students?

I asked a few of them, "What do you find most helpful in learning tunes, or learning technique?" The first reaction from some folks, "Nothing helps!" Oooh ... do I detect a bit of frustration?

Indeed ... My students do struggle with this. They ask, "How do you remember all these tunes and all these ideas?"  I wonder myself, "How can I train my hands and brain to consistently play cleanly and accurately?" If I knew the answer to THAT I would be rich and famous!

Repetition is an obvious strategy. It's what it takes to etch memories into our ears and brains and muscles. Most people recognize the importance of repetition in learning, but how many times through a tune is enough? 10? 20? 50? 70? 7 x 70?! I'm not sure I've ever reached the optimal number. Let's just say you'll know it when you get there ... but realize that the number is significantly larger than you might think. Add to that the fact that most of us are constantly raising the bar. What was acceptable yesterday must be improved upon today with new skills and ideas. Despite gradual advancement in overall abilities, you may feel as if you're chronically just a tad bit short of nirvana.

It might be helpful to remember that we're all on this infinite continuum. There will always be some players who are better than you AND you will always be better than some players. So acknowledge that you're on a journey, and be sure to enjoy the trip!

In general:

• Learn the basics. Work on your hammer strokes. Practice your scales and arpeggio patterns.
• Be patient with yourself. There's a lot that must come together in mastering this instrument.
• Structure your practice time. Set an intention for each practice session.
• Improve your focus. Leave the multitasking behind. Turn off the phone and computerize notifications.
• Recognize your learning style. Look for a variety of ways to learn. Mark up your music, listen to audio recordings, hammer a difficult pattern onto your lap at a stop light, i.e. use your ears, your eyes, your hands.
• Play what you like, like what you play. Life is too short to mess around with music you don't care about.

When it comes to memorizing, here are a few more specific things that I've learned along the way:

You have to know what you're doing before you memorize something.

1. Fix the tune in your head. Learn it well enough that you can sing it to yourself. In this day and age we have great resources for finding free audio files ... think YouTube. Or play it ad nauseum from any type of recording.
2. Analyze the tune you're working on. Work out hammer patterns and bridge crossings. Pay attention to the chord progression.
3. Identify the difficult passages. Turn them into exercises. Include them in every practice session. Smooth out transitions between phrases and parts. You really don't want to memorize errors. Remember, practice may not make perfect ... but it does make permanent!

Now you're ready to memorize.

1. Get away from the printed music as soon as possible. Look at what you're doing on the instrument.
2. Divide and conquer. Identify chunks, not single notes. Learn to see the patterns ... pieces of scales and arpeggios. Good memory work is done in chunks. Don't forget to work on transitions between the chunks.
3. Play it backwards. This is a very effective memory strategy. I find it essential to working out difficult passages. If you don't know how to practice backwards, read this: http://musicmotionblog.com/2009/07/the-fine-art-of-practicing-backwards/
4. Play it forwards, learning it in its appropriate form.
5. Use a metronome to work it up to tempo.

Test yourself.

1. Put yourself under pressure ... even if it's "fake". Read about a silly little game that I play to produce pressure in the practice room: Count to Eight for Effective Practice
2. Practice in a practical way ...  perform for others. It's ok to set up gigs for yourself !
3. Teach somebody -- it's the best way to learn!

Memorization is necessary on any instrument if the goal is to play fluently, with freedom and musical expression. We actually don't have much choice on the hammered dulcimer. Because there's no tactile connection to the instrument we depend on the visual connection which makes it difficult to read from a score while playing. So hone those memorization skills, and if you find a trick that makes it easier, please share!

A Plan for Your Summer Practice

It's been a crazy day! Today was my last day of teaching before taking a month off. I'm looking forward to gardening and "putting up" the garden, attending a family reunion, cleaning the house, tackling miscellaneous projects, preparing for the Ken Kolodner event planned for July 27 ...  etc, etc. Lessons were scheduled end-to-end, 9am - 6pm. We had another afternoon of thunder storms and heavy rains. Late in the day, one student called while en route to her lesson to say she had to stop and go back home because the roads were overwhelmed with water, creating a dangerous situation.

I'm glad to report, the weather has calmed. The waters are receding. Tomorrow is the 4th of July. We are well into summer, Folks! If you haven't set some summer music goals, now's the time. Here's a suggested plan for structuring your summer practice, adapted from ideas found at the Molto Music's website, a site dedicated to answering one question ... "What is the best way to learn a musical instrument." Remember, these are goals to be accomplished this summer, and should be achievable by Labor Day.

• Make two lists: 1) All the tunes you'd like to learn this summer, and 2) All the new techniques you'd like to master. Don't spend too much time on this. Brainstorm and write down your ideas quickly.
• From the first list, choose 3-5 tunes that stand out to you for any reason. 
• Pick one tune from this short list as your main objective for the summer.
• Select two additional goals from the technique list. These will be your secondary goals and should ideally be objectives that support the accomplishment of your main goal. For example, does your new tune require improved valley rolls? or bounced triplets? or 3-note rolled chords? Do you need to work on accuracy of scale runs? Do you want to focus on chords or rhythmic ideas in order to come up with a backup for your new tune? You get the idea.
• Write down your goals.
• Before each practice session, read your written goals and design your practice time around them.

Words of wisdom:  Summer is no time to get bogged down. In addition to these goals, don't forget to leave time to play the stuff that is just plain fun. If you feel like it, tell us your "main goal" tune in the comment section below. Maybe you'll inspire somebody!! Be safe, and keep practicing!

Having Trouble Counting to 'Two'?

There's so much counting required in playing music! How many beats in a measure? How many measures in a part? How many parts in a tune? How many times do you have to play each part? How do I keep up with all of this? 

Certain types of music do have a regular structure, particularly music written for dancing. Much of the traditional dance music played on the hammered dulcimer follows an AABB structure, where each letter represents a separate 8-measure part. The written music typically shows Part A written with a repeat, then Part B written with a repeat. So, the A Part is played twice (8 bars + 8 bars), then the B Part is played twice (8 bars + 8 bars), for a total of 32 measures.

If you play for set dances ... contra dances, for example ... the dance movements are designed to fit the music and vice versa. You may hear a piece of music being referred to as "crooked". That means it doesn't fit the standard 32 measure form, and that piece of music would not be welcome in the dance hall! If you're playing the music and want to ruin a good dance, skip an A or B part. You won't be asked back.

There is a typical structure that exists within the AABB form that may be considered in two-measure units. Call - Response - Call - Different Response , where the "call" is exactly the same phrase. Additionally, sometimes the end of the B part is exactly the same as the end of the A part. All this repetition comes in handy when learning a piece of music, but the more repetitive the phrases, the more confusing it can get. It is not uncommon for musicians to get lost in a piece of music. Suddenly it's unclear ... am I playing A1 or A2?!

I have to admit, I sometimes have difficulty counting to two!

What to do?

It starts with PRACTICE
Some of my students are in the habit of NOT playing the repeats in a piece of music. This is a bad habit. Tunes contain multiple cues within the phrasing that help us keep our place. By playing in improper form you are training your ear to hear the tune improperly and training your brain and hands to play the tune improperly. Always practice a tune in the proper form.

Create a DIFFERENCE
Especially in highly repetitive tunes, use arranging ideas to create something different in a tune that will help you keep your place. Settle on a plan that you like then habitually play it that way. For example:

• Always play the first ending of a part one way, the second ending a different way
• Play one part in one octave, more to another octave for the repeating part
• Embellish a phrase in one part, use a variation in the other

Nothing beats FOCUS

You must be 'in the moment' to successfully play music. Keep your thoughts on what you're doing. This is often easier said than done, but it does get better with practice!

10 Reasons Why Music Buddies are Essential

I just read this article:
Practicing Your Musical Instrument with Others versus Practicing Alone
It was written for woodwind or brass players but contains plenty of wisdom to go around! Here are some of the benefits of practicing with a buddy ... or two ... or more!

• Improved consistency in your practice schedule
• Immediate feedback on your performance
• Improved rhythmic / timing competence
• Opportunity to practice harmonies, backup ideas, improvisation
• Ear training ... learn to listen, become a part of the whole, improve your musicality
• Collaboration and cooperation as you work out arrangements, set goals, etc
• Useful ideas from others on how to practice, how to interpret a piece of music, etc etc
• Opportunity to listen and learn from those who are better musicians
• Regular nudges out of your comfort zone
• Fun!

I started playing the hammered dulcimer in 1995. I met a group of like-minded individuals in 1998. We formed a band, called ourselves Blue Moon Rising, and set a goal to play for contra dances. The instrumentation was nice ... hammered dulcimer, English concertina, fiddle, and guitar ... and the players became good friends. We did provide music for some contra dances, as well as for local fundraisers and private parties. We played together for 10+ years.

We disbanded several years ago. The boys were distracted by work and family duties. Something had to give. But Betsy and I have persevered. We continue to get together once a week to catch up on each other's lives, share lunch, and practice music. I sincerely believe that playing with others has made all the difference in my personal practice and in my growth as a musician. Where would I be if not for my music buddies?

Here's the earliest photo of BMR that I have in my possession. It was taken at my parents-in-law's house during a political event in the fall of 1998. Wouldn't it be fun to reproduce this photo as we are today?

Warning: Serious Practice in Progress

My intention has always been to say, "Yes!" if at all possible to opportunities to perform. Scheduling gigs has provided meaning to my practice, has pushed me to grow, and has helped me learn to manage stage fright.

This winter / spring, I've taken on a big project ... Malcolm Dalglish's "Hymnody of Earth."  It is a collection of songs composed and arranged for hammered dulcimer, choir, and percussion, featuring the poetry of Wendell Berry. I've taken on the responsibility of playing six selected songs from the complete work. That would be six complex pieces to work out, learn, memorize, eventually to coordinate with the choral director, choir, and percussionist. Sometimes I wonder, "What was I thinking?"

But I got smart. I arranged a tutoring session with my friend, Marya Katz, who performed some of the pieces last fall. That was a big help! She provided not only specific tips and suggestions for playing a couple of the pieces, but also the special encouragement and support that a good friend can provide.

Events have been put into motion. Practice is underway. I feel alternately capable and overwhelmed, sometimes both in the same practice session! No matter what, of this project I am certain:

• It will require structured and focused practice.
• It will sometimes take more time than I have to give.
• It will bring on fear and trembling.
• It will get me out of the "minimal practice" rut.
• It will improve my overall playing.
• It will be fun to be a "part" of the "whole".
• It will be over on June 9.

I've been "tweeting" my progress. You can follow me if you like @hammerdulcimer

Have you taken on something big? Is it worth biting off "more than you can chew?" How will you know, if you don't try?

"It's my job to make your brain hurt."

I actually did say this to one of my students the other day, and it got such a great response (a good laugh) I've repeated it throughout the week. Believe me, there has been reason to repeat it. I have witnessed serious looks of concentration on the faces of my students. You see, I've been pushing the chord thing and I'm sure many of my students will be convinced that these words were meant especially for them.

But I am convinced that understanding a little chord theory and recognizing chord patterns (root position and inversions) on the instrument is essential to mastery of the instrument. Everything from learning and memorizing a basic tune, to filling out and arranging said tune, to playing effective backup benefits - nay, depends on this knowledge.

So go ahead, stretch your brain ... even when it hurts!

What's Your Angle?

People who know me might be surprised to see the angle at which I'm practicing this week.

Nobody told me how to set up my dulcimer when I started playing back in 1995. A Goldilocks approach seemed to make sense ... not too steep, not too flat ... just right! Then I began to experience neck and shoulder pain. I met Tina Gugeler at the Swannanoa Gathering in 1998. She was playing at an extremely steep angle. She suggested I give it a try. It didn't adversely affect my playing and it helped relax the tight muscles, so I continued in that style for many years.

The extreme angle was a topic of conversation. Some of you may remember the SG year that Wes Chappell, of No Strings Attached, grabbed a handful of Skittles (or was it cherry pits) and turned my strings and sound board into a game board! No damage done.

Fast forward to 2008. I met Dan Landrum, also at the Swannanoa Gathering. He was my teacher there for three years. He convinced me to try a more flat angle. It felt weird at first, but I continued to experiment back and forth over the years. Now I prefer a more moderate to flat angle, and as a result of all that mixing it up I find that I have a lot of flexibility when it comes to the position of the instrument.

For some pictured examples of extreme angles (including pics of Tina Gugeler and Dan Landrum) and more on the subject, read this blog post by Steve Eulberg:   Angle of Attack?

There's no right or wrong way. It's personal preference. I agree with Steve ... experiment!  Try different positions in different situations. Find out what works best for you. Let us know what you discover!

Mark up your Music for Efficient Practice

Don't you hate it when you spend a significant amount of time on a piece of music but when you come back to it in a day or two you've forgotten how you played it? If you're reading from a sheet of music don't be afraid to mark up the page in a way that is helpful to you.

There are so many decisions to be made as we learn a new tune and lots of interesting things to notice. Once you've spent time working it all out, you really don't want to do it again the next time you practice. But how to remember it all? Develop your own personal method of short-hand ... whatever it takes to help you remember all that stuff, including such things as:

• preferred hammer patterns
• valley or bridge crossings
• duplicate note placement
• repeated phrases
• recognizable scale and arpeggio patterns
• chord progressions and bass lines
• accented notes and specific phrasing ideas
• tricky spots
• personal reminders, such as, "don't rush" or "lighten up on the drone"

You will likely think of other things you'd like to write down. Feel free to add anything. This is for you and for your practice. Don't worry if it's "correct" or that it seems "too simple" to have to write out. There is no such thing. If it makes sense and is helpful to you, do it!

Maybe this seems like a great idea, but you don't want to mess up your music. That's OK. Make a copy or two, then mark away, keeping books and original sheets of music nice and clean. Keep the working copies in a practice folder. Eventually, you won't need to refer to the notes anymore. But if you do, you've got it!

Here's a snippet from a piece of music that I've been working on. Notice the cryptic marks:

Here's what it all means:

• Preferred hammer pattern  LLRLRLLRLRL ...
• Where notes will be played on the instrument: /E=right treble bridge; B/=left treble bridge; no mark(or circled)=bass bridge (Note: I'm showing this system two ways: marking actual notes on the staff as well as writing names of the notes with bridge markings below the music.) Some people like to specify the octave in which to find the note ... low, mid, high. Typically, if I'm crossing the bridge or valley in a simple run of notes I just make a slash across the staff at the point at which I'm going to cross.
• Chord names
• This bit comes at the end of a sequence. I've circled where the sequence ends to bring my attention to it.
• This is a phrase that repeats. I've put brackets around it and named it repeating phrase #2.

How many of you routinely mark up your music? Tell us some of your most common markings. 

Are You in a Musical Slump?

Did someone declare last week "Musical Slump" week? Several of my students showed up complaining of frustration and confusion in their practice. After working so hard on holiday repetoire some of them are unsure about what they want to play now. For whatever reason, they don't know where to focus their attention.

"I don't seem to know what I'm doing anymore."
"I've lost track of my goal."
"I'm frustrated."
"I'm not having fun."

Does this sound familiar? I know it sounds familiar to me. I suspect that everyone finds themselves in 'the doldrums' from time to time. What must we do to maintain our enthusiasm?

Think about the vocabulary we use. We 'play' our instruments. Play is supposed to be 'fun', right? So, how do we keep the fun in our play? What is it that makes playing the hammered dulcimer fun, anyway?

FUN is a multifaceted thing, and the definition of what is 'fun' will vary from individual to individual. To me, I have the most fun when these two things are in place:

1. The ability to play something with confidence and freedom.
2. The knowledge that I am making progress.

The "something" might be a simple melody or a challenging rhythmic backup. It might be a highly arranged solo performance piece or a fiddle tune jammed at contra dance tempo.  The crazy thing is, most players have fun doing a lot of different things AND are constantly raising the bar.

Trouble is, the hammered dulcimer seems deceptively simple to play. True, it is relatively easy to hammer out a melody line. In reality, though, mastering the instrument is a complicated process and can not be rushed. A student of the hammered dulcimer must be able to see the big picture, then be able to break it down into a bunch of micro skills. These skills must be internalized, typically by repetition ad nauseam. You'll know you've internalized a skill when you can use it consistently and automatically. Once internalized, these skills become the foundation from which more complex skills are derived. And then you're really on your way.

This process requires persistence. It requires careful observation and critical listening. It requires delayed gratification. It requires regular, efficient, and effective practice. So here we are, back to the practicing thing, and trying to figure out how to remain happy, calm, and sane while we're doing it for the long haul.

Here are some suggestions that come to mind today:

• Daily practice is important. It's better to have short daily practice sessions than to skip days.
• Avoid marathon sessions ... mental and physical fatigue can initiate a downward spiral, leaving you tired and frustrated. Plus, you could actually hurt yourself.
• Make your practice specific. Decide on concrete goals. Write them down.
• Record yourself playing, then listen to it critically. Write down what you hear. Make corrections.
• Keep a practice journal. I highly recommend writing things down!
• Practice at practice tempo, i.e. the speed at which nothing can go wrong. If you never play errors, you'll never learn mistakes.
• Make a game of it. Reward yourself. Eat chocolate if you must.
• Play the music you like. Life is too short to practice something you don't care about.
• Turn difficult sections of tunes into custom-made exercises.
• Tired and frustrated? Stop what you're doing. Play something you like, something you've already mastered. Then give yourself permission to quit for the day. Come back to the challenge when you're rested and refreshed.
• Make a gig for yourself. Your practice will become more meaningful.
• Find a music buddy. It will make you more accountable and require different skills.
• Listen to all kinds of music. Look for different versions of the music you like to play. The internet has opened up all kinds of possibilities for this.

Recommended reading for more on this topic ... an article by John Blasquez of Singingwood Music, San Francisco, CA How to get to Carnegie Hall --- Practice, practice, practice?

Practice should contain some hard work and diligent repetition, but it should also be fun. Be kind to yourself and have fun!

Count to "8" for Effective Practice

Rouse the Spouse and I will sometimes head out to the tennis courts for fun and exercise. We don't play games. He's a much better player than I am. We simply hit the ball back and forth, practicing ground strokes or other skills. If we start missing - sending too many balls into the net or over the fence - we'll challenge ourselves to get 10 balls in a row over the net ... or 20. It's amazing how that little game forces us to focus, resulting in better play.

The same idea can be used in music practice. Take advantage of the benefits a little self-imposed pressure can bring. Challenging yourself to perform under pressure will transform your practice time . Setting yourself up for more intentional, focused practice will result in more efficient, effective practice. Here's a little game I play when I need some structure to support my own practice. All you need is a clothespin and the tuning pegs on your instrument.

• Count off 8 tuning pegs from the bottom of the instrument.
• Identify the passage and / or skill you will practice.
• Play the passage. Did you like what your heard? If yes, the clothespin goes on the first peg. If no, try again until you are satisfied with your performance. Then, put the clothespin on the first peg.
• Now, play the passage again. How was that? You are the judge! Was it perfectly acceptable? Yes? Move the clothespin ahead one peg. No? Move back one space. (Ooh... there's the rub!)
• Every time your performance is perfectly acceptable you move the clothespin ahead one peg. Every time it's not satisfactory, move it back one peg. Keep going until you make it to peg #8.
• Note: Once on peg #1, I never go in the negative. I just keep working until I get a good rendition that propels me forward.

Having trouble getting to 8?

• Slow down.
• Use the metronome if necessary.
• Identify trouble spots.
• Simplify the passage by shortening it, taking out embellishments, etc.

You may ask, "Why 8?" There's certainly nothing magic about performing a specific passage or skill eight times, but in my experience aiming for "8" tends to be challenging enough to expose my weaknesses, repetitive enough to make a significant difference in the effectiveness of my practice, and manageable enough to be accomplished in a reasonable amount of time.

This little game may drive you crazy, but I guarantee it will force you to focus and that will make your practice time more efficient and effective. Want to add a little more pressure? Give yourself a deadline. For example, start 15 minutes before your favorite tv show is scheduled to begin!

Giving credit where credit is due:  The game described above is my adaptation of an idea I found on Philip Johnston's web site PracticeSpot.com. Alas, the original info is no longer there. The web site has moved and has taken on a different focus: InsideMusicTeaching.com  Still some good info there!

The Metronome is my Friend

Betsy and I have a gig this Sunday. Most of my practice in the past couple of weeks has involved reacquainting myself with our play list. Consequently, I have been reminded of all those pesky "difficult" spots. Time to break out the metronome!

The metronome is a great practice tool. Its benefits are many:

• Improves sense of beat and tempo
• Facilitates correct play of rhythms and note values
• Aids in ear training and musical skills 
• Exposes technical difficulties
• Makes practice time more efficient

Many of my students are reluctant to use the metronome. The unconverted do not realize the positive impact a metronome can have on practice and play. It just seems so darn tedious! Some may be intimidated by the unforgiving nature of the metronome. Some simply don't understand how to use it.

Here are some guidelines for using the metronome in your practice:

• Isolate the passage you wish to practice.
• Work it out. Familiarize yourself with the notes, chords, patterns, etc without regard to rigid time.
• Now, turn on the metronome. Set it at a comfortable, moderately slow pace, i.e. the speed at which you can play the passage with ease.
• Play the passage correctly and accurately a number of times. (You decide how many.)
• Gradually increase the speed.

Now, this is important. As speed increases, difficult spots will become obvious. Stop! Isolate the problem area. Identify the issue. Sloppy technique? Difficult reach? Challenging hammer pattern? Unusual rhythm? Don't really know what note you're heading to? Slow it down and fix it. Then practice out from the middle .... adding a couple of notes prior to the tricky spot and a couple of notes after. Always start at a speed that allows successful play of the passage, gradually increasing tempo. Don't worry. Speed will evolve.

Still not convinced? Think about this: Repetition is what helps us master a piece of music. Playing fast with lots of mistakes is counterproductive. On the other hand, repeating correct motions ... albeit slowly ... gets us where we want to be.

PS  While the majority of practice time should be spent playing under a controlled tempo, occasionally it's fun and instructive to crank it up to full speed. This gives you a little insight into what lies ahead, how it will feel, how motions may be different, and how some techniques may need to be adjusted.