5 (MORE!) Tips for Keeping your Musical Resolutions! (12/18/2022)

Keeping a Resolution can be hard - we're helping you set yourself up for success with five MORE tips for setting and keeping your resolutions this year! Check out the first 5 tips here

1. Have the right gear

Set yourself up for success by ensuring you have everything you need. Whether you just got your instrument for Christmas or you’ve re-committed to music with the start of the new year, we’re assuming you’ve sat down to really give it some practice this week. Think about those sessions - did you have everything you need? Some common items that are overlooked but essential to success include: a good tuner, a metronome, and a music stand. If you’re winging it without any of these items, you’re making things more difficult than they need to be! 

2. Establish Rewards

If you’re an extrinsically motivated person (I know I am!), then just the knowledge that you’ve hit goals may not be enough. So, find ways to reward your progress along the way. Some great rewards of all sizes that you could use (depending on the size of your goal!) are: 

• Put off watching your favorite show until after you’ve got your practice in! That way you can stop the procrastination and immediately reward yourself for your efforts

• Get inspired AND reward yourself for hitting a big goal by snagging concert tickets for a local performance

• A fun new accessory - guitar straps, a new instrument stand, or even an upgraded case - serves as the perfect little treat for accomplishing something new! 

• You can even start putting a small amount of cash in a “goal jar” each time you practice or for each goal you hit so you can save up for a big musical prize like an upgrade to your current instrument!

3. Be ready to explore new genres

We all have a few favorites when it comes to music genres. It can be easy to get stuck in the routine of playing or singing a lot of pieces that sound the same. Getting in these habits can actually slow down your progress, as you’ll be doing a lot of the same thing without really challenging yourself. If as the year goes by  you start to feel stagnant, consider branching out and trying pieces that are new and different. Check out the selection of popular music available in your local Ernie Williamson and grab a book of music to supplement your current tastes. Or, talk to your instructor about theory or even writing an original riff or song! 

4. Do mental practice! (You’ve got a busy schedule; sometimes you’ll miss a lesson or a planned practice session. Just because you can’t grab your guitar or take out your trumpet right now doesn’t mean you can’t be working towards your goal - tap the rhythms out with your fingers on your desk, listen to recordings of the song you’re working on in the car, or quiz yourself on hand positions or fingerings for a particularly tricky section of a song)

5. Stay inspired

Any time you set out to try something new there will always be things that are especially difficult to master. When you’re stuck on sixteenth notes or fuming over finger placement, step back, take a break, and remember why you wanted to learn your instrument in the first place. Put on some music by a musician you look up to or admire and think about how awesome your instrument sounds. Keep in mind that everyone started somewhere and that all musicians have something they can improve on. Stick with it and by this time next year you’ll be glad you did.

We're excited to start the new year and help you reach your musical goals! Happy practicing!