CAN YOU BECOME A MASTER AT MUSIC?
Yes – But Practice Isn’t the Only ‘Secret’ Ingredient
What does it mean to be a master at something? When our students embark on their journey with music, they might start asking themselves the same question or even begin questioning their talent. “Am I really able to do this?” “Why is this getting so hard?”
Think about any movie you’ve seen about people mastering their craft, whether it’s music or martial arts. At first, the protagonist’s selfesteem might not be very high — they might not think they’re capable of becoming a master at anything. On the other hand, the protagonist might also think they’re too talented or too skilled to ever really be challenged by anything. And although they do learn quickly, their first serious challenges seem like insurmountable obstacles since they’ve never overcome such difficulties before.
With National Violin Day on Dec. 13, I thought I’d talk a little bit about mastery. Instruments like the violin might sound so fluid and easy to listen to, but they are quite difficult to master. Despite this, how do we become masters ourselves?
The answer is simple I think – become lifelong students. Even as an adult, you’ll have to overcome obstacles your whole life. I used to love running, but 15 years ago, I had to stop due to a health condition. That was a significant, difficult change for me; but recently I decided to give running another try again.
Being out of practice was rough and required for me to be patient with myself. First, I walked a mile at a time. Then, I tried walking with brief jogging sessions in between. Then I started walking two miles, then jogging 5K marathons. Finally, I finished a 10K marathon a couple months ago Last month, I ran for 7 miles straight. I never ran more than 4 miles in my entire life! And now, I am training to run a 13-mile half-marathon in early 2022. Despite my progress, there are always more days than not that I don’t want to run at all. I might think, “It’s too hot” or “I’m too tired.” It’s always a challenge to overcome that feeling. But I still managed to prevail by keeping an open mind and accepting my limitations. When you’re a lifelong student, those are things you must do to keep on learning so pride doesn’t get in your way.
Music, however, isn’t just about getting yourself to practice; how you practice is equally important. If you play a song but fail to focus on the most challenging parts of the piece, you won’t be as well-prepared to play them. However, in reflecting about running and music, it all requires the same thing to achieve mastery: an excellent mindset.
If you approach a song with a mindset of, “I don’t think I can do this,” then you won’t be as successful as you could be. One of the best lessons we can hope for in life is the ability to persevere. As we approach 2022, I hope you’ll consider new ways to dedicate yourself to what matters most to you — and if that’s music, remember it’s not the practice time that affects a musician’s mastery of music but the mindset they focus on, too.
Stay confident, hopeful, open-minded, and determined. These qualities won’t just help you in music but every facet of the life that’s ahead of you.