Classical jam: my new music playground

Now that there are more daylight hours, my energy and mood has noticeably improved. I keep forgetting how much the seasons affect me! I'm taking advantage of this energy boost by getting back into regular exercise (a habit I've fallen off of) and spending more time outside, or at least out of my home. I … Continue reading Classical jam: my new music playground →

Learning how to practice for performances

I've found that preparing for a performance requires a different skill set than regular music practice. Practicing usually requires lots of stopping and starting over to analyze rough spots and solve problems. Unfortunately, that stop-start habit and analytical brain are precisely the opposite things you need for a performance. When performing, you need to (1) … Continue reading Learning how to practice for performances →

Keeping the electric guitar, learning on my own time

Earlier, I'd posted that I was debating whether to sell my Fender Telecaster and get a plug-in classical guitar instead. I've decided that my music studies don't need to be an all-or-nothing thing -- leaving the School of Rock doesn't require me to stop learning how to play other genres of music I love. So … Continue reading Keeping the electric guitar, learning on my own time →

I don’t think electric guitar is for me

Tomorrow is my first performance at the local School of Rock. We're playing four songs and the school will record a video to put on YouTube. It's been a whirlwind month of practice and rehearsal, especially since I'm also preparing for a classical guitar group lesson that's in a few weeks, and I'm grateful for … Continue reading I don’t think electric guitar is for me →

Letting go of control to gain control

Over the past month, I've been working on a classical guitar piece that's is beyond my skill level and it has revealed a lot of problems with my control-freak tendencies, which show up in poor technique. My teacher has been trying for a long time to get me to loosen up both of my hands, … Continue reading Letting go of control to gain control →