Millions of people from all backgrounds and countries enjoy the satisfaction and fulfillment of learning a musical instrument. There is something truly rewarding about becoming more proficient at your chosen instrument. As your skills and knowledge progress, you may find that you can play more complex pieces of music or even create your own tracks.
For many student musicians, creating a work of their own is one of the ultimate forms of artistic expression, and the music production process can be incredibly satisfying. If you are a beginner or intermediate musician, you may occasionally find that your progress feels somewhat stagnated at times. You may fall into the same practice habits that do not progress your learning and make you a better musician. In this article, some top tips that are relevant to all student musicians who are looking to improve their skills and knowledge will be discussed.
Set a practice schedule and use resources
Many musicians find that practice sessions can become a little boring at times. This is especially true if you are repeatedly focusing on one specific area of music theory or technique. Creating a tailored practice schedule that covers a range of learning and incorporates new playing techniques is far superior. For example, you may choose to focus some of your practice time on a specific theory, such as the circle of fifths. Ideally, you will then apply this theory to your compositions. In addition, make time at the beginning of your practice session to do some simple warmup techniques.
Doing the “spider walk” on guitar (e.g., playing chromatic notes across the fretboard) is an excellent method to get your fingers ready for the session. Consider dedicating some of your practice time to learning existing music pieces that interest you. These may be from a favorite band or composer, and it can be hugely enjoyable to master a cover track. For example, if you are studying the flute, search online for flute sheet music to find a wealth of popular music, from classic songs to modern tracks. Choose resources that are accurate and well-produced. Paying for premium tabs and sheet music will help to ensure that you are learning the piece correctly and not just learning a vague interpretation of the music.
Learn to “jam”
The art of “jamming” is something that is of benefit to all musicians, from beginners to experienced pros. When studying on your own, this can be where you play along to music backing tracks, looking to add lead or melody lines to the music. Guitarists will be able to find a diverse selection of free backing tracks online. If your guitar amp has an auxiliary line out, you may be able to play the track through your amp via a smartphone. Intermediate players can then determine the key that the music is played in a jam along using a suitable scale. For example, if you are playing to a track in A minor, use the pentatonic scale on the fifth fret and you will instantly be jamming in the correct key. If you have other musical friends, invite them over and see if you can jam together using similar techniques. Jamming together can be incredibly fun, and you may even find that you eventually form a new band!
