Focus, part I

This is the first of a series of posts where I will summarize the main ideas I get from Daniel Goleman’s book Focus. The book is about developing full attention, which is very much related to one of the subjects that have become a central issue in my approach to practice. It has a lot to do with the concept of mindfulness, which is very trendy right now. One of the things I like is the fact that this book is written from...

Developing a system of practice

A system is a complex whole whose components are related between them. When it comes to practicing music there are many things we work on in order to improve our skills. So we have different components that are related and share a common goal: our growth as musicians. It is easy then to draw a parallelism between complex systems and our practice. During the last year and a half, I have been trying to figure out how to create a good...

Mindfulness

Recently I had the opportunity to talk with a great musician and mental trainer, Michael Gustorff, in Arnhem. I knew of him thanks to his book Practising without problems (Music Design, 2004).  When I went to see him, I was thinking on talking about practice strategies. What I found was far more interesting for me: a new approach to practicing, to music, and to life as a whole. Practicing from fear Gustorff system...

Setting goals... and creating an action plan

One of the things I have ever heard is the advantage of setting goals. This is something what I believe in, however I have realized I have not done it properly. During my practice I usually work in some areas I want to develop. I design or take exercises to practice and to improve. Usually I keep track of my improvements. This has created in my mind the illusion that I have clear, defined goals. But it is not true. The thing is:...

The importance of knowing yourself

It has been some time since I started with this research into how to improve practice. I've realized many things so far, and I am happy I can share my findings and thoughts with you. One of my main concerns in regarding my practice is setting a regular schedule. I know there are many ways to approach practicing; for me, I think some kind of practicing routine is beneficial. It helps me focus my attention, knowing what to practice...

The Journey Begins...

Hello, My name is Rodrigo, and I am a drummer from Spain.  As a professional musician I have always been interested in practicing processes, and how to improve them. After reading a lot of articles and interesting books, I have decided to go deeper into this subject. This is the reason why I am currently studying a Master of Music in Groningen, The Netherlands.  My focus is set on practicing processes. Actually, it is related...