In the new year, I have a few goals I want to achieve, to keep my musician-being going at a healthy rate.

Here are The Good Musician’s new year’s resolutions:

1. Practice at a fixed time daily.

I get time in the mornings only, and I used to practice daily from 5-6. But those days are gone, and I want them back.

2. Play regular concerts at a local hospital.

This is a great way to stay in the practice of concerts. In old age homes I’ve come across the most charming and appreciative audiences for classical music ever.

3. Start a jazz band.

This is a big project and I want you to join me on this endeavor. I’ve launched and crashed a few groups in my life before, but this time I’m looking for something fun, and lasting.

4. Improve my technique.

My main focus this year shall be on technique. I’ve played many a complex piece before, but in order to advance to a new plateau, I think my technique is what’s holding me back the most right now.

5. Listen to more music.

I need to explore more music. I’ve been stagnating on the same 72 artists for much too long now, and oughta find some fresh inspiration. Maybe my own recommendations will come in handy for that…

These goals, though large and hard, are what I aspire to be and what I should be building this year’s musical antics around. What are your goals as a musician this year?

Post from: The Good Musician

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 instrument and your progress towards mastering it.

A musician with a high personal competence needs to possess certain traits:

• Ability to self-motivate
• Desire to be appreciated
• Stand up for his/her principles
• Have a basic set of ethical norms and ideas towards music

The definition of a competence is as follows:

Knowledge + Ability + Ethical Stand-Point = Competence

Note that while Knowledge is good, and having technical abilities is even better, the lack of ethical or normative stand-points make these traits a real competence.

Why is this important?

Well, grab a pad and try to write down what your musical ethics are.

Let me help with this example: I love classical music. I respect the composers and I respect great interprets as well. But I personally think that one shouldn’t take classical music out of the context of other musical styles. I like to compare Jazz standards with Bach cantatas — that’s an ethical value.

Values make you a great personality, values define you and separate you from standard musicians. What are your true values?

Post from: The Good Musician