November 1st, 2007
This is Part 1 in the Competencies Series. See also Part 2 (Social Comeptence), Part 3 (Scientific Competence) and Part 4 (Practical Competence).
A good musician has a great personality. Unless you can convince your crowd of your competence, you won’t convince at all.
Also, you have to be at total peace and happiness with your […]
By Arjun Muralidharan -- 4 comments
October 19th, 2007
Photography by John G. Jenna
You think playing your instrument is all there is to it. Well if you’ve been reading this blog, you know that that isn’t true.
Mastering your instrument definitely is central to anything else you do as a musician, but here are a few ways to play out your talent and actually implement […]
By Arjun Muralidharan -- 4 comments
September 24th, 2007
Musicians are egoists. They live for themselves, and their own endeavors.
In the long run, they do it to please others, to enchant an audience or to just enjoy playing in a group or alone. So how does a musician justify the time he needs to develop this hobby and skill, while still maintaining a sane […]
By Arjun Muralidharan -- 0 comments
September 23rd, 2007
Every now and then, we tend to loose control over that which we love: music. That may be our playing habits, our iTunes library or a simple feeling of discontent with your own “Musicianeering”.
I think I’ve suffered a deep form of musical illness recently and found a certain list of symptoms to look out for:
1. […]
By Arjun Muralidharan -- 3 comments
August 29th, 2007
After yestrday’s post about starting to jam, here’s 7 quick tips to keep you less frustrated:
Sit in a circle with your friends and ask questions about how other people’s instrument works. It’s important to know your instrument yourself first, but knowing why a bigger drum sounds deeper can be as useful to a drummer as […]
By Arjun Muralidharan -- 0 comments
August 21st, 2007
Have you ever felt disorganized about your musical stuff?
Sure you have, and there’s a simple remedy: Keep a supply drawer. If it works in offices, it will work for musicians too. Make sure you keep it nicely organized. Some items you may need:
Personal hand care: Nail clippers are a common tool for pianists and anyone […]
By Arjun Muralidharan -- 1 comment
August 7th, 2007
It’s concert time. Your playing the piece, it’s kind of going well, and you’re so focused and concentrating, that you’re too busy to actually hear yourself playing.
Been there, done that.
Playing freely is a major skill that stage artists will need to acquire. You have to learn to listen to yourself, as if you are part […]
By Arjun Muralidharan -- 0 comments
August 3rd, 2007
Remember how important it is to keep a practice diary. Following that, if you have a Mac, and happen to play electric guitar, catch an adapter cable and get yourself GuitarLog.
This application allows you to record your practice sessions, manage them, compare, and work with a metronome.
I love this app. Especially the ability to manage […]
By Arjun Muralidharan -- 0 comments
July 30th, 2007
Ever been practicing a piece for hours, weeks, and not found yourself making any progress? Feel like you could use a break? Change of instrument? Pack up and go on pilgrimage?
Before I sound too much like a TV-Ad and scream “Call Now!”, let me tell you that most (even the greatest) musicians feel this way […]
By Arjun Muralidharan -- 0 comments
July 24th, 2007
You already know how important it is to keep a practice diary. It’s time you knew how to practice more effectively by forming your sessions properly.
Let’s look at a session of 45 minutes.
00:00 - 00:15 Technical Excercises: Begin your session by warming up with technical studies. Pick just one excercise in a maximum of […]
By Arjun Muralidharan -- 0 comments
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